Muddy Waters Paris, 1972

Personnel: Muddy Waters (vocals, guitar); Louis Myers (guitar); George "Mojo" Buford (harmonica); Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins (piano); Calvin "Fuzz" Jones (bass); Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (drums). Recorded live in Paris in 1972. It's hard to overstate the importance of Muddy Waters, not only to electric Chicago blues, a style he pretty much invented, but to rock & roll as well. (Remember, as the man himself said, "The blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll.") Literally dozens of rock & rollers, from Bob Dylan to the Rolling Stones (who took their name from an early Muddy Waters classic), were hugely influenced by the man's expressive voice, mysterious lyrics, and virtuoso slide guitar. As a result, an entire generation of rock fans discovered Muddy Waters through his disciples. Indeed, it sounds like the vocal crowd at this 1972 Paris concert includes plenty of young rock fans, expressing their appreciation for their idols' idol. From the slow burn of the opening "Clouds in My Heart" to the wild set closer, "I Got My Mojo Workin'," Waters and band are in rare form.

• Genre: Blues
• Format: Vinyl