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|
FEATURE: Mud Morganfield Interview |
Mud Morganfield celebrates new CD featuring Chicago Blues greats with
show at SPACE
By Eric Schelkopf
Photos: Jennifer Noble
Chicago is well represented on the latest album by
Mud Morganfield,
a Chicago native himself and the son of Chicago blues legend Muddy
Waters.
They Call Me Mud was recorded
at JoyRide Studios in Chicago, and the album features an all-star cast
of Chicago area musicians, including guitarist
Billy Flynn and
Studebaker John on harmonica
and backing vocals. Special guest stars on the album include:
Billy Branch on harmonica,
Mike Wheeler on guitar, violinist
Anne Harris,
Sumito “Ariyo” Ariyoshi on
piano, and Morganfield's daughter,
Lashunda Williams on vocals.
Guitarist Rick Kreher,
who played in Muddy Waters’ band, co-produced the disc with Morganfield.
Not only did Mud write ten tracks, but he also played bass on three of
them.
![Mud Morganfield CD cover](../images-mud-morganfield/mud-morganfield-they-call-me-mud_275.jpg) |
Morganfield and many of the musicians who performed on the album will
join him on stage as part of a CD release party on
April 5, 2018 at
SPACE,
1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets range
from $17 to $27, available by going to
evanstonspace.com.
I had the chance to talk to him about the CD and the upcoming show.
![Mud Morganfield by Jenn](../images-mud-morganfield/Mud-Morganfield-croons-verticle_450_jenn.jpg) |
Q – I know you consider the songs on "They Call Me Mud" some of the
best work you have done.
It gets better and better for me, man. This record (his third for the
Severn label) has a variety of
stuff on it. Many, many people can take something away from this album.
It's a buffet, man. You can get a pick of a little jazzy stuff with
Billy Branch on "Mud's Groove," and you can get some funk blues with
"They Call Me Mud." And behind that, there's a B.B. King kind of sound
that Billy Flynn brought to "48 Days."
Not to mention the ballads, man. I think it's a buffet for everybody to
eat off of.
Q – To me, the album has a real live feel to it. I could imagine a
lot of these songs sounding the same on stage as they do on the record.
Did you try to create some of that live feel on this CD?
Not particularly. I took this great band into the studio, and that is
the end result of it. We were all there together in the studio. I was
the only one in a separate booth, me and my daughter.
At Joyride Studios, the band is in one big room. There weren't any
tracks laid down. Everybody did these tracks at the same time.
Q – You and your daughter, Lashunda Williams, appear together on the
duet, "Who Loves You." What was it like working with her?
It was like pulling teeth, man. She's a gospel singer, and I had to do a
little persuading for her to do it.
She's a God-fearing young woman, you know. But I'm her
dad, and Muddy Waters is her granddad, and she came around, and assisted
me on that one tune. It was great working with her.
![Mud Morganfield with lady by Jenn](../images-mud-morganfield/mud-morganfield-lady_390_jenn.jpg)
Mud in London with Kat Pearson from Kat &
Company |
Q – How did the band come together for this album? Did you hand pick
these musicians or how did it come about?
I produced the album, and I knew the sound I was looking for. I knew
what I wanted, man.
These guys are a bunch of great guys. They are a bunch of great
musicians. They wanted to be a part of it. What you got is the end
result, and I am happy and honored to be able to play with them.
Q – And I know many of the musicians will be playing at the CD
release show at SPACE, right?
I'm going to get as many as I can to come down if they not working at
another gig. We're going to have a great time, man.
![Mud Morganfield by Jenn](../images-mud-morganfield/mud-verticle-gator-coat_450.jpg) |
Q – You include a couple of your dad's songs on the album, "Howling
Wolf" and "Can't Get No Grindin.' " What made you want to put those
songs on the album and did you want to do something different with the
songs than they were originally played?
Anything I put out, you can almost bet your bottom dollar I'm going to
put a song or two of my dad's on there. It's my way of respecting and
honoring my dad.
It's my way of saying, "I love you, dad." I thank God that him and my
mom was able to give me the same talent as dad had.
And I enjoy it. I really enjoy it. I'm more comfortable there.
When I was growing up, I tried to sing like Tyrone Davis and Johnnie
Taylor, and everything come out of my mouth just sounding like Muddy
Waters. So I'm not going to fight that, I'm just going to make good
music for our fans and friends and family. That's my goal.
![Mud Morganfield by Jenn](../images-mud-morganfield/mud-white-hat-closeup_jenn_450.jpg) |
Q – As far as some of things that your dad taught you, did he want
you to go into the music business?
I was born into the blues. My dad didn't really teach me much about the
music business. Everything was God given and straight from his
bloodline.
Q – Of course, we've lost so many blues legends in the past few
years. What do you try to do with your music to carry on the blues?
You've got it right there in your hands,
They Call Me Mud. What else
can I do? That's all I can do, is what you've got there in your hands,
until I do the next album.
And there's no telling. I'm considering doing a gospel album. I keep an
open mind.
There's no telling which way my spirit may lead me. But I'll always stay
around that bluesy stuff.
Q – Do you have any dream projects or collaborations?
I would probably be featuring my daughter a little more if she is up
to it.
Q – When you work with family, I guess that's what it is all about,
right?
Yeah. It takes you kind of out of the business end of it. It's from the
heart, because you love each other, you know.
And that's what I like about the song that me and her did. It ran deeper
than just us doing a duet. It was really comfortable, and we did it from
our hearts.
Interviewer Eric Schelkopf has covered the arts and entertainment scene
in Chicago for over 25 years. Visit his informative blog at:
http://www.thetotalscene.blogspot.com/
###
|
![Mud Morganfield at SPACE](../../ads/images-ads-2018/mud%20morganfield-SPACE-ad_140.jpg)
CD release party April 5 at
SPACE, Evanston |
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