The Top 10 Reissues of 2007

7 Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, James Cotton
Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down (Epic Legacy)
Muddy Waters was still singing the blues like a young lion when he made 1977's Hard Again — produced by guitarist Johnny Winter — then promoted it with a killer live revue with Winter and harp master James Cotton, recorded along the way but unreleased until now. The trio makes living Chicago fire together, and I personally vouch for the tracks taped in Philadelphia, including Waters' snarling return to his 1948 hit "Can't Be Satisfied." I was there.

8 Wattstax: Music From the Wattstax Film and Festival
(Stax)
In 1972, Stax Records threw a daylong black-power Lollapalooza for 100,000 people in Los Angeles, filmed the show — starring kings and queens of the label including Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, his daughter Carla and the Staple Singers — and issued a pair of soundtracks. This three-CD reissue isn't everything from the original LPs. But the church and party here are nonstop — up to a point. By 1976, Stax was bankrupt — with resurrection three decades away.