Seldom had Muddy Waters such a hot sound as in this recording of WDR Rockpalast on 10th Dec 1978 in Dortmund, Germany.

Muddy Waters had a good sense for talent and accordingly almost always an excellent band behind him, but his backing band from 1974 to 1980, which can be heard on these recordings, was one of his very best: The pianist Pinetop Perkins joined the band already in 1970 after the death of Otis Spann, with the drummer Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith Muddy even worked together since 1964. The bassist Calvin Jones joined in 1971, and in 1973 the two guitarists Luther ‘Guitar Jr.’ Johnson and Bob Margolin came into the band. The band was rounded out in 1974 by the excellent harmonica player Jerry Portnoy, who later became, among other things, the first blues harp choice for Eric Clapton.

Permanent touring made this line-up a top-rehearsed band, which optimally supported the charismatic leader when they entered the stage o