Nothin' but the Blues continues the collaboration between Johnny Winter and Muddy Waters, an association that has been nothing short of spectacular for all concerned. It began with Muddy's "renaissance" album, Hard Again, and features the volatile lineup of Waters and his band ("Pine Top" Perkins, piano; Bob Margolin, guitar; Charles Calmese, bass; Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, drums) with Winter adding guitars and vocals and James Cotton completing the group with harmonica.

Since this is Winter's album, Muddy set his guitar aside, offering only a short vocal homage to "Johnny." On Hard Again Winter pushed Muddy to play some of the fiercest blues guitar imaginable and it would have been nice to have heard more of the same here. As it is, though, there's no shortage of hair-raising picking, for Winter simply has never recorded in as vital a blues context. The rhythm section, as usual, is practically demoniac in its intensity, pushing Winter to heights of technique-drenched frenzy that vindicate his long-debated position at the top of white blues players.

It's good to know that the blues continue to be a living tradition, while reaching a larger and larger audience. Winter has effectively bridged the gap between hard rock and the blues in a way that only great stylists like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton have been able to, thus proving himself as one of our greatest musical resources. (RS 246)

JOHN SWENSON