Mud Morganfield @ Rhythm Room

There’s plenty to suggest Larry “Mud” Morganfield is the second coming of legendary bluesman Muddy Waters. First, there’s the look: that contorted expression when he sings, eyes closed and face scrunched up like a wrinkled Shar Pei. There’s the perfectly balanced mustache riding on top of his upper lip. Then there’s Mud’s striking vocal delivery and cadence, leading many to think Muddy is still among us. But unlike Hank Williams III, who endures comparisons to his granddaddy, Mud, who left a truck-driving career to become a bluesman at a ripe 57 years old, honors his father nightly, keeping the Father of the Blues’ legacy alive in performing Muddy’s classic material. Morganfield, however, is not solely a tribute artist. Standing in his own shoes, he makes music that has its own standing within the blues. Strident, commanding, and forceful, Morganfield’s songs speak to the tradition of South Chicago’s gritty style. In powering his way though his heartfelt songs (written on the bass — his instrument — though he focuses on singing in concert) from his debut album, Fall Waters Fall, and the more recent Bob Corritore-produced Son of a Seventh Son, it’s clear Mud’s got his own mojo working — and it will work on you.