Henry Gray kicks off residency at Mud and Water Wednesday

When discussing Henry Gray, it’s probably best to note that the Baton Rouge blues legend is one of the original components of the Chess Records sound. Born just north of Baton Rouge, Gray has played piano live and in session with nearly every popular blues figure—Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Elmore James, to name a few. “At 88 years old, he’s still killing it,” Gray’s manager Alan Abrahams says. This Wednesday, the piano man will take the stage at Mud and Water for an initial month-long residency at the downtown venue. Each Wednesday, Gray will perform an hour-long set with his band, starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6. Abrahams says if the residency consistently brings a good crowd and nice vibe, it could continue and may include a live album recording.