Junior Parker, James Cotton, Pat Hare - Mystery Train

Album: Mystery Train
Size: 88,2 MB
Time: 37:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1990
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. Junior Parker - Mystery Train (2:27)
2. Junior Parker - Love My Baby (2:37)
3. Junior Parker - Feelin' Good (2:58)
4. Junior Parker - Fussin' And Fightin' (Blues) (3:00)
5. Junior Parker - Feelin' Bad (2:45)
6. Junior Parker - Love My Baby (Alt. Take) (2:30)
7. Junior Parker - Sittin' Drinkin' And Thinkin' (3:14)
8. Junior Parker - Sittin' At The Bar (2:37)
9. Junior Parker - Sittin' At My Window (Please Baby Blues) (2:04)
10. James Cotton - Cotton Crop Blues (3:02)
11. James Cotton - Hold Me In Your Arms (2:49)
12. James Cotton - My Baby (2:24)
13. Pat Hare - Bonus Pay (2:12)
14. Pat Hare - I'm Gonna Murder My Baby (Cheatin' And Lyin' Blues) (3:04)

This excellent little compilation features at least one extant take of everything Junior and his original band, the Blue Flames, recorded at Sun Records between 1952 to 1954. His debut single for the label and his first hit, the classic "Feelin' Good" is aboard as well as the equally fine (but originally unissued) "Feelin' Bad." His leanings toward smoother Roy Brown stylings are evident with tracks like "Fussing and Fighting Blues" and "Sitting and Thinking," but the follow-up to his first Sun single, the original version of "Mystery Train" and two takes of the flip side, "Love My Baby," are the must-hears on this collection.

Fleshing out Parker's meager output for Sun are essential early tracks from James Cotton. Cotton doesn't blow harp on any of these, but the sax-dominated "My Baby," and especially "Cotton Crop Blues" and "Hold Me in Your Arms" with Pat Hare on super distorted blistering guitar are Memphis-'50s blues at its apex. Hare himself also rounds out the compilation with two tracks, the prophetic "I'm Gonna Murder My Baby" (Hare did exactly that and spent the rest of his life behind bars as a result) and the previously unissued "Bonus Pay." Don't let the short running time of this CD stop you from picking this one up; the music is beyond excellent. /Cub Koda, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Mystery Train mc
Mystery Train gofile

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David Maxwell & Friends - Max Attack

Size: 142.4 MB
Time: 60:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Full

01. Backseat Of A Greyhound (Feat. Ronnie Earl) (6:40)
02. Thanks For All The Women (Feat. Hubert Sumlin, James Cotton, Ronnie Earl) (6:13)
03. Twisted Tendons (3:44)
04. Long Distance Driver (Feat. Liane Carroll, Ronnie Earl) (4:57)
05. What's The Use (Of A Broken Heart) (Feat. Liane Carroll) (3:53)
06. Sticky Buns (Feat. Kim Wilson) (4:17)
07. Moving Out Of This World (Feat. Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl) (5:40)
08. Coming Home, Baby (Feat. Hubert Sumlin) (5:24)
09. Hip-House Rock (Feat. Duke Robillard) (4:27)
10. Handyman (Feat. Hubert Sumlin, Ronnie Earl) (6:08)
11. Thank You Pinetop Perkins (Feat. Pinetop Perkins) (5:04)
12. Max Attack (4:21)

David Maxwell has amassed an enormous resume throughout the years playing piano with some of the greatest and well- known musicians in the blues. David plays many styles of blues, jazz and improvised music, but he is best known for his soulful virtuosity and unmatched ability to reach the heart of post-war Chicago Blues. Through his work, he has gained the respect of artists, critics and fans and has established a reputation as one of the finest blues pianists alive. In the last decade , David has received over a half dozen WC Handy and Grammy nominations and a Grammy Award for recorded work, as well as Handy nominations for instrumental performance He has played with many of the greats including tours with Freddie King, Bonnie Raitt, James Cotton, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rodgers, Charley Musselwhite, Johnny Adams and Ronnie Earl; and gigs with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Levon Helm, Jimmy Witherspoon, Lowell Fulsom, Junior Wells and many others. He has been involved in well over fifty recording sessions and can be found playing keys on many blues albums that have been released over the last 25 years. (Recently, he backed up Keith Richards and Eric Clapton for a Hubert Sumlin project that will be out laterin 2005). David's music was used in the movie 'Fried Green Tomatoes' and in the TV series 'Touched By An Angel'. He has performed on 'Late Night With Conan O' Brien' and is on several videos playing with Freddie King in the early 70's. (Rounder). David's first CD as a leader 'Maximum Blues Piano'(1997, Tonecool) received high critical acclaim. His new album, 'Max Attack' (2005 95North Records), features guests James Cotton, Kim Wilson, Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Hubert Sumlin and Pinetop Perkins . David has performed in major festivals, theaters and clubs in North America, Europe, Scandinavia, Morocco, Israel, and Japan, and keeps busy today playing, recording, and teaching (and nurturing his interests in jazz, ethnic and improvised music). 'I don't think anybody could be tighter playing the blues on the piano than David Maxwell. He plays the blues like it should be played. He plays the low-down, dirty, funky blues.He's got it all together' ---John Lee Hooker 'Dave has always been one of the most amazing piano players I've ever heard. His command of a wide range of blues and jazz styles is remarkable. ~Bonnie Raitt.

Max Attack MP3
Max Attack FLAC

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James Cotton - Chicago Sessions

Size: 71.4 MB
Time: 30:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2023
Styles: Chicago Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Front

01. Three Harp Boogie (Aka Hey, Hey / South Side Boogie) (2023 Remaster) (2:37)
02. So Glad You're Mine (2023 Remaster) (3:07)
03. Diggin' My Potatoes (2023 Remaster) (2:07)
04. V-8 Ford Blues (2023 Remaster) (4:00)
05. Polly Put The Kettle On (2023 Remaster) (1:46)
06. I Need You So Bad (2023 Remaster) (2:14)
07. There Is Something On Your Mind (2023 Remaster) (3:42)
08. Off The Wall (2023 Remaster) (2:39)
09. Don't Start Me Talkin' (2023 Remaster) (2:31)
10. Sweet Sixteen (2023 Remaster) (5:32)

Personnel:
Vocals, Harmonica – James Cotton
Guitar – Elvin Bishop, Luther Tucker
Harmonica – Billy Boy Arnold (track 1), Paul Butterfield (track 1, 3)
Baritone Saxophone – Delbert Hill, McKinley Easton
Bass, Vocals [Vocal] – Robert Anderson
Piano – Alberto Gianquinto
Drums – Sam Lay
Tenor Saxophone – James Barge
Trombone – John Watson, Louis Satterfield
Trumpet – Paul Serrano

James Cotton can be among the harmonica counted greats in rhythm n blues. Recorded in Chicago during the sixties, these recordings showcase Cotton in two very different blues playing styles: stripped back acoustic blues, and soulful big band blues. Cottons takes on these classics have earned their place in history and he plays alongside some of the finest Chicago talents of the time.

Chicago Sessions MP3
Chicago Sessions FLAC

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Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters, James Cotton - Boston Music Hall, February 26th, 1977 (2 CD)

Album: Boston Music Hall, February 26th, 1977
Size: 124,9 + 96,1 MB
Time: 54:05 + 41:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

CD 1:
1. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'N' Roll (3:32)
2. Deep Down In Florida (7:00)
3. Hideaway (8:24)
4. Blues With A Feeling (9:33)
5. Sweet Home Chicago (5:48)
6. Rocket 88 (2:36)
7. Help Me (9:49)
8. How Long? (7:19)

CD 2:
1. Instrumental (12:18)
2. Mama Talk To Your Daughter (10:14)
3. Mannish Boy (5:42)
4. WBCN DJ Interview w. Pinetop Perkins (1:51)
5. You Don't Have To Go (3:44)
6. Got My Mojo Working (3:09)
7. WBCN DJ Interview w. Waters, Cotton & Winter (4:34)

This great value double CD is an in-concert recording made by Johnny Winter for the Boston radio station WBCN, and recorded at the Boston Music Hall, in Boston, Massachusetts, on 26th February 1977. By 1975, Winter had grown tired of working in the rock and roll mainstream and returned to his first musical love the Blues. Teaming up with Muddy Waters he released the album Hard Again in January 1977 with this concert following shortly after. It is a wonderful, vivid, febrile encapsulation of a bluesman enjoying his renewed career. With harmonica hero James Cotton on board, along with the bedrock of Waters' regular touring band, you get value-addedness to gems such as the Little Walter classic "Help Me", which swings like a demon.

There's a brisk romp through Freddie King's "Hideaway", before Winter takes the microphone on "Blues With A Feeling", burnishing the sound with his inimitable lead guitar sizzle. "Mannish Boy" is a gutsy delight with Waters' laconic vocal topping off the hearty bluesy crunch in magisterial style. Closing with a delightful "I Got My Mojo Working", this performance offers yet more proof that, even in his latter years, Muddy Waters was not content to freewheel through his stage performances. Credit Must also go to Johnny Winter and James Cotton too, as well as to Waters' trusty road band members, who all play their part in providing a supremely accomplished launch pad from which Waters can do his inimitable thing.

Boston Music Hall, Boston MA, February 26th, 1977 (2 CD) mc
Boston Music Hall, Boston MA, February 26th, 1977 (2 CD) zippy

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Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter & James Cotton - Live In NY '77

Size: 150,7+159,7 MB
Time: 65:01+68:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Hideaway (Live) ( 7:21)
02. I'm Ready (Live) ( 3:17)
03. Love Her With A Feeling (Live) ( 8:30)
04. Mama Talk To Your Daughter (Live) ( 4:49)
05. Rocket 88 (Live) ( 2:28)
06. How Long Can A Fool Go Wrong (Live) ( 9:04)
07. Walking By Myself (Live) ( 4:44)
08. Instrumental (Live) (11:34)
09. Anna Lee Band Introductions (Live) (13:09)

CD 2:
01. Second Set Muddy Waters Intro (Live) (3:14)
02. Kansas City (Live) (9:19)
03. Caldonia (Live) (6:33)
04. Hoochie Coochie Man (Live) (3:09)
05. Howlin' Wolf (Live) (7:23)
06. Walking Through The Park (Live) (4:41)
07. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'n' Roll (Live) (6:00)
08. Mannish Boy (Live) (8:14)
09. Got My Mojo Working (Live) (5:46)
10. Black Cat Bone Dust My Broom (Live) (6:08)
11. Dealin' With The Devil (Live) (8:15)

Personnel:
Muddy Waters - Vocals, Guitar
Johnny Winter - Vocals, Guitar
James Cotton - Vocals, Harmonica
Bob Margolin - Guitar
Joe Willie Pinetop Perkins - Vocals, Piano
Charles Calmese - Bass
Willie Big Eyes Smith - Drums
Edgar Winter - Piano, Vocals

Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter and James Cotton, live at the Palladium, New York on March 4th 1977. Steve Paul of Blue Sky Records, appeared as a savior to both Johnny Winter and blues giant Muddy Waters, at a time when both musicians were facing hard times. The result of his investment soon paid off, with the Hard Again tour combining the respected powerhouse of Waters and Winter joined by James Cotton, culminating in a further four albums being produced. Although this particular collaboration was short-lived, it has provided blues fans a rare opportunity to indulge in the work of two hugely important musical figures whose respect for each other is evidently unflinching. Two live albums, Muddy Mississippi Waters Live and the more recent Breakin It Up, Breakin It Down have allowed a glimpse of the concerts from 1977-1978. Keyhole proudly presents the entire King Biscuit Flower Hour broadcast of Waters, Winter and Cotton, live from New York s Palladium on March 4th 1977, fully remastered.

Live In NY '77

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Catfish Hodge Band - Eyewitness Blues (60 Minute Edition)

Size: 145,8 MB
Time: 61:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. Blues Got The World (2:25)
02. Long Night (4:11)
03. Elmo's Blues (4:37)
04. Cold, Cold (5:52)
05. Louisiana Woman (3:38)
06. Bad News, Good News (4:32)
07. Every Day It Grows And Grows (3:10)
08. What The Woman Do (2:35)
09. Going Down Slow (3:38)
10. I-Re-Peat (3:20)
11. Black Cadilac (3:29)
12. Record Executive Blues (4:23)
13. To The Left (4:35)
14. So Tough (3:16)
15. Down Over The Border (3:42)
16. Can I Go Home (3:50)

A combination of their complete 1979 'Eyewitness Blues' and six cuts from the 1980 'Bout With The Blues'.

Backed by a who's who of old-guard Washington musicians, Hodge presents a sweat-inducing set of house-rockers that cover the R&B landscape, including the rollicking 'Elmo's Blues,' the jumping 'I-Re-Peat' and the Little Featish 'To the Left.' `Dave Nuttycombe for the Washington City Paper.

If you wanted to come home from work, take off your shoes and sit down in a Lazy Boy to the Eyewitness Blues - here it is. The Catfish Hodge Band has released the 60 minute edition of Eyewitness Blues, but don't sit down yet. This GENES CD compilation of two previous Adelphi Records sessions is a party CD waiting to happen. All except two cuts are originals and Catfish does write some good material. His band turns in a credible performance, but Catfish's vocals definitely lead the group. Some of the highlights include 'Cold, Cold' and 'Record Executive Blues', which features a great harp solo from James Cotton. The disc features solid guitar solos from Jimmy Thackery. ~Dean Barker

Eyewitness Blues

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James Cotton Band - Buddah Blues (3 CD Set)

Digitally remastered three CD set containing a trio of albums. James Cotton was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, who performed and recorded with many of the great blues artists of his time and with his own band. He played drums early in his career but is famous for his harmonica playing. Cotton began playing blues harp in Howlin' Wolf's band in the early 1950s and in 1955 he was recruited by Muddy Waters to come to Chicago and join his band. Cotton became Waters' bandleader and stayed with the group until 1965. After that he formed the Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet, with Otis Spann on piano, to record between gigs with the Muddy Waters band. He eventually left to form his own full-time touring group. In the 1970s, Cotton recorded several albums for Buddah Records.

This collection features three of those recordings. Live & On The Move was released in 1976 by Buddah and faithfully captures the boogie-burning capabilities of the mid-'70s Cotton outfit. Cotton then went to New Orleans to work with producer Allen Toussaint releasing the "disco blues" High Energy. Before that came 100% Cotton, an album that some regard as his zenith featuring the non-stop "Boogie Thing," a driving "How Long Can a Fool Go Wrong," and a racy "Rocket 88". Cotton died in March 2017. /Amazon

Album: Buddah Blues
Year: 2018
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:35 + 42:53 + 37:31
Size: 179,7 + 99,2 + 87,0 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

CD 1 - Live & On The Move:
1. Cotton Boogie (2:59)
2. One More Mile (2:34)
3. All Walks Of Life (2:22)
4. Born In Missouri (4:45)
5. Flip, Flop & Fly (5:03)
6. Got My Mojo Workin' (4:16)
7. Rocket 88 (2:27)
8. Goodbye My Lady (4:38)
9. I Don't Know (3:34)
10. Caldonia (5:11)
11. Boogie Thing (4:49)
12. Good Morning Lil' School Girl (3:20)
13. Oh Baby You Don't Have To Go (2:31)
14. Help Me (4:11)
15. Fannie Mae (4:00)
16. Hot 'N Cold (4:01)
17. Teeny Weeny Bit (2:48)
18. Blow Wind Blow (3:42)
19. How Long Can A Fool Go Wrong (7:14)
20. Next Time You See Me (3:01)

CD 2 - High Energy:
1. Hot 'N 'Cold (3:03)
2. Chicken Heads (4:03)
3. Hard Time Blues (4:09)
4. I Got A Feeling (5:10)
5. Weather Report (The Weather Man Said) (4:56)
6. Rock 'N' Roll Music (Ain't Nothing New) (5:18)
7. Fannie Mae (3:54)
8. Caldonia (3:39)
9. James' Theme (3:46)
10. Keep Cooking Mama (4:52)

CD 3 - 100% Cotton:
1. Boogie Thing (3:21)
2. One More Mile (2:38)
3. All Walks Of Life (2:28)
4. Creeper Creeps Again (6:58)
5. Rocket 88 (2:34)
6. How Long Can A Fool Go Wrong (4:09)
7. I Don't Know (2:48)
8. Burner (3:50)
9. 'Fatuation (3:30)
10. Fever (5:10)

(For personnel details and additional info, see artwork included.)

Buddah Blues (3 CD) mc
Buddah Blues (3 CD) zippy

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VA - Sun Blues Archives & Rarities 1950-1958

Size: 404,7 MB
Time: 171:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

01. Albert Williams - Hoo Doo Man (Memphis Al) (2:48)
02. Albert Williams - Rumble Chillen (2:29)
03. Albert Williams - Shine Boy (2:27)
04. Bonnie Turner - Love Is A Gamble (2:07)
05. Bonnie Turner - Old Brother Jack (2:48)
06. Boyd Gilmore - Believe I'll Settle Down (3:07)
07. David Honeyboy Edwards - Sweet Home Chicago (2:55)
08. Earl Hooker - Blue Guitar (2:47)
09. Earl Hooker - Move On Down The Line (2:15)
10. Earl Hooker - Steel Guitar Rag (2:53)
11. Earl Hooker - The Drive (2:19)
12. Earl Hooker - The Hucklebuck (3:04)
13. Hot Shot Love - Harpin' On It (2:27)
14. Houston Strokes - Carry My Business On (2:34)
15. Houston Strokes - Standing In The Courthouse Crying (3:00)
16. Houston Strokes - Baby's Gone And Left Me (2:11)
17. Houston Strokes - Blue And Lonesome (2:03)
18. James Cotton - Cotton Crop Blues (2:57)
19. James Cotton - Hold Me In Your Arms (2:48)
20. James Cotton - My Baby (2:25)
21. James Cotton - Straighten Up Baby (2:18)
22. Joe Hill Louis - Dorothy Mae (2:06)
23. Joe Hill Louis - Hydramatic Woman (2:32)
24. Joe Hill Louis - I'm A Poor Boy (2:57)
25. Joe Hill Louis - Keep Your Arms Around Me (2:58)
26. Joe Hill Louis - She May Be Yours (Sweetest Gal In Town) (2:52)
27. Joe Hill Louis - Tiger Man (3:13)
28. Joe Hill Louis - When I Am Gone (She Treats Me Mean And Evil) (3:45)
29. Johnny O'Neal - Dead Letter Blues (3:30)
30. Johnny O'Neal - Johnny's Dream (2:54)
31. Johnny O'Neal - Ugly Woman (Peg Leg Baby) (2:22)
32. Kenneth Banks - Blue Man (3:20)
33. Kenneth Banks - High (2:25)
34. L.C. Hubert - Lucy Done Moved (2:28)
35. Little Junior - Feelin' Bad (2:41)
36. Little Milton - Alone And Blue (3:11)
37. Little Milton - Beggin' My Baby (2:27)
38. Little Milton - Homesick For My Baby (2:49)
39. Little Milton - I Love My Baby (2:58)
40. Little Milton - If You Love Me (2:34)
41. Little Milton - Lookin' For My Baby (2:52)
42. Little Milton - Re-Beep (2:35)
43. Little Milton - Rode That Train (Lookin' For My Baby) (2:47)
44. Little Milton - She's My Queen (2:32)
45. Little Milton - Somebody Told Me (2:57)
46. Mose Vinson - 44 Blues (2:31)
47. Mose Vinson - Come See Me (Aka My Love Has Gone) (2:09)
48. Mose Vinson - Mistreatin' Boogie (2:34)
49. Mose Vinson - Reap What You Sow (2:44)
50. Mose Vinson - Worry You Off My Mind (3:09)
51. Pat Hare - Bonus Pay (2:07)
52. Pat Hare - Cheating And Lying Blues (Aka I'm Gonna Murder My Baby) (2:57)
53. Pinetop Perkins - Pinetop's Boogie Woogie (2:47)
54. Raymond Hill - I'm Back Pretty Baby (2:39)
55. Raymond Hill - Long Gone Raymond (2:38)
56. Raymond Hill - My Baby Left Me (2:25)
57. Raymond Hill - Somebody's Been Carryin' Your Rollin' On (2:57)
58. Tot Randolph - Blues Train (2:34)
59. Walter Bradford - Love For My Baby (2:18)
60. Walter Bradford - Reward For My Baby (3:01)
61. Walter Bradford - Too Blue To Cry (2:45)
62. Willie Johnson & Sammy Lewis - Gonna Leave You Baby (2:21)
63. Willie Johnson & Sammy Lewis - I Feel So Worried (2:06)
64. Willie Johnson & Sammy Lewis - So Long Baby Goodbye (2:07)

Sun Blues Archives & Rarities 1950-1958

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The James Cotton Band - High Energy

Size: 100,9 MB
Time: 43:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1975
Styles: Chicago Blues, Funky Blues
Art: Front & Back

01. Hot 'N Cold (3:05)
02. Chicken Heads (4:05)
03. Hard Time Blues (4:10)
04. I Got A Feeling (5:13)
05. Weather Report (The Weather Man Said) (5:00)
06. Rock 'N Roll Music (Ain't Nothing New) (5:16)
07. Fannie Mae (3:56)
08. Caldonia (3:41)
09. James' Theme (3:48)
10. Keep Cooking Mama (4:53)

At his high-energy, 1970s peak as a bandleader, James Cotton was a bouncing, sweaty, whirling dervish of a bluesman, roaring his vocals and all but sucking the reeds right out of his defenseless little harmonicas with his prodigious lung power. Due to throat problems during his latter years, Cotton's vocals were no longer what they used to be, but he remained a masterful instrumentalist for decades. Cotton had some gargantuan shoes to fill when he stepped into Little Walter's slot as Muddy Waters' harp ace in 1954, but for the next dozen years, the young Mississippian filled the integral role beside Chicago's blues king with power and precision. Of course, Cotton had been preparing for such a career move for a long time, having learned how to wail on harp from none other than Sonny Boy Williamson himself.

Cotton was only a child when he first heard Williamson's fabled radio broadcasts for King Biscuit Time over KFFA out of Helena, Arkansas. So sure was Cotton of his future that he ended up moving into Williamson's home at age nine, soaking up the intricacies of blues harpdom from one of its reigning masters. Six years later, Cotton was ready to unleash a sound of his own.

Gigging with area notables Joe Willie Wilkins and Willie Nix, Cotton built a sterling reputation around West Memphis, following in his mentor's footsteps by landing his own radio show in 1952 over KWEM. Sam Phillips, whose Sun label was still a fledgling operation, invited Cotton to record for him, and two singles commenced: "Straighten Up Baby" in 1953 and "Cotton Crop Blues" the next year. Legend has it Cotton played drums instead of harp on the first platter.

When Waters rolled through Memphis minus his latest harpist (Junior Wells), Cotton hired on with the legend and went to Chicago. Unfortunately for the youngster, Chess Records insisted on using Little Walter on the great majority of Waters' waxings until 1958, when Cotton blew behind Waters on "She's Nineteen Years Old" and "Close to You." At Cotton's suggestion, Waters had added an Ann Cole tune called "Got My Mojo Working" to his repertoire. Walter played on Muddy Waters' first studio crack at it, but that's Cotton wailing on the definitive 1960 reading (cut live at the Newport Jazz Festival).

By 1966, Cotton was primed to make it on his own. Waxings for Vanguard, Prestige, and Loma preceded his official full-length album debut for Verve Records in 1967. His own unit then included fleet-fingered guitarist Luther Tucker and hard-hitting drummer Sam Lay. Throwing a touch of soul into his eponymous debut set, Cotton ventured into the burgeoning blues-rock field as he remained with Verve through the end of the decade.

In 1974, Cotton signed with Buddah and released 100% Cotton, one of his most relentless LPs, with Matt "Guitar" Murphy sizzling on backup. A decade later, Alligator issued another standout Cotton LP, High Compression, which was split evenly between traditional-style Chicago blues and funkier, horn-driven material. Harp Attack!, a 1990 summit meeting on Alligator, paired Cotton with three exalted peers: Wells, Carey Bell, and comparative newcomer Billy Branch. Antone's Records was responsible for a pair of gems: a live 1988 set reuniting the harpist with Murphy and Tucker, and a stellar 1991 studio project, Mighty Long Time. Cotton moved into the 21st century as one of the last surviving originators of the Chicago blues sound, and didn't slow his pace, releasing a series of fine albums, including Fire Down Under the Hill (2000) and Baby, Don't You Tear My Clothes (2004), both for Telarc Records, and Giant (2010) and Cotton Mouth Man (2013), both on Alligator Records. A Best Blues Album nominee at the 2014 Grammy Awards, Cotton Mouth Man proved to be Cotton's last album released during his lifetime; the blues harp giant died of pneumonia in March 2017 at the age of 81. ~Bill Dahl

High Energy

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James Cotton Band - 100% Cotton

Year: 1974
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:30
Size: 86,7 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Boogie Thing (3:21)
2. One More Mile (2:39)
3. All Walks Of Life (2:28)
4. Creeper Creeps Again (6:57)
5. Rocket 88 (2:33)
6. How Long Can A Fool Go Wrong (4:07)
7. I Don't Know (2:49)
8. Burner (3:49)
9. 'Fatuation (3:30)
10. Fever (5:12)

The ebullient, roly-poly Chicago harp wizard was at his zenith in 1974, when this cooking album was issued on Buddah. Matt "Guitar" Murphy matched Cotton note for zealous note back then, leading to fireworks aplenty on the non-stop "Boogie Thing," a driving "How Long Can a Fool Go Wrong," and the fastest "Rocket 88" you'll ever take a spin in. /Bill Dahl, AllMusic

Personnel: James Cotton (vocals, harmonica); Matt Murphy (guitar); Little Bo (saxophone); Charles Calmese (bass); Kenny Johnson (drums). Additional musicians: Lenny Baker (baritone saxophone on track 2); Phil Jekanowski (piano on track 1).

100% Cotton mc
100% Cotton zippy

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James Cotton - Best Of The Vanguard Years

Year: 1999
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:34
Size: 130,5 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Cotton Crop Blues (2:20)
2. The Blues Keep Falling (4:04)
3. Love Me Or Leave Me (3:27)
4. Rocket 88 (2:05)
5. West Helena Blues (3:31)
6. River's Invitation (2:46)
7. Honest I Do (2:51)
8. Got To Get You Off My Mind (2:09)
9. Coast Blues (7:21)
10. Next Time You See Me (2:52)
11. Cut You Loose (2:59)
12. Ain't Nobody's Business (3:24)
13. Set A Date (2:18)
14. Slippin' And Slidin' (4:29)
15. Negative 10-4 (6:50)
16. Next Time You See Me (3:03)

During his long career, blues harmonica player James Cotton has worked with most of the famed blues musicians like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson. Born on July 1st 1935, he first encountered the sound of a mouth harp from his mother's playing. His love of the instrument was increased as he heard more of its range on the radio from Rice Miller's (aka Sonny Boy Williamson II) playing. A childhood Christmas present of a 15c harmonica set him on his way, and as a nine year old he bravely linked up with Miller who mentored him until the start of the fifties.

As a teenager he began to host a radio show on Memphis' KWEM, and in 1952 first recorded for Sun Records backing up Howling' Wolf. Sun's Sam Phillips was impressed enough to give him his own shot in 1954 when he recorded four songs, including an early version of what would become his signature tune ‘Cotton Crop Blues’. This CD leads off with his 1966 version of the same song.

Best Of The Vanguard Years mc
Best Of The Vanguard Years zippy

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The James Cotton Band - One More Mile

Year: 2002
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:04
Size: 150,3 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Front, inside, tray, cd

1. One More Mile (2:43)
2. All Walks Of Life (2:22)
3. Born In Missouri (4:50)
4. Flip Flop & Fly (5:10)
5. Boogie Thang (4:56)
6. Good Morning Little School Girl (3:29)
7. Baby Don't You Want To Go (2:39)
8. Help Me (4:10)
9. Fanny Mae (4:05)
10. Please Please (3:29)
11. Hot 'N Cold (4:07)
12. Teenie Weenie Bit (2:55)
13. Blow Wind Blow (3:49)
14. How Long Can A Fool Go Wrong (7:31)
15. Got My Mojo Workin' (4:04)
16. Goodbye My Lady (4:36)

Born the son of a Baptist preacher in Mississippi on July 1, 1935, James Cotton learned to play the harmonica as a small boy imitating the sounds of chickens and train whistles. He eventually styled himself after blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson. Williamson, who had heard the boy, was so taken by his talent and soon took him under his wing.

It was at the ripe age of fifteen that Cotton (as his friends would call him) took over Williamson's band, later to lead them on to Memphis where they recorde for Sam Philips' Sun Records. Cotton, by now making quite a name for himself, inevitably went on to replace the legendary Lil' Walter in Muddy Waters' band. After a decade, he went to form The James Cotton Band.

Touring the world with a honed down traditional blues sound, The James Cotton Band would excite crowds around the world with his own unique styling of a sound that captures the soul. Opening for such luminaries as The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Paul Butterfield, he would frequently prove to be a talent worthy of headlining his own show.

(Note: Live recordings of unknown origin.)

One More Mile mc
One More Mile zippy

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James Cotton Blues Band - 'Fore Day Blues

Year: 1994
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:50
Size: 147,7 MB
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Front, sleeve, tray, cd

1. Good Time Charlie (2:31)
2. There Is Something On Your Mind (3:45)
3. Polly Put The Kettle On (1:48)
4. V-8 Ford Blues (4:00)
5. Diggin' My Potatoes (2:08)
6. So Glad I'm Living (3:09)
7. Jelly, Jelly (5:40)
8. Turn On Your Love Light (2:21)
9. South Side Boogie (2:37)
10. Off The Wall (2:38)
11. Don't Start Me Talking (2:31)
12. Knock On Wood (2:57)
13. 'Fore Day Blues (5:19)
14. Sweet Sixteen (5:33)
15. I Need You So Bad (2:16)
16. Feelin' Good (3:11)
17. It Ain't Right (2:09)
18. Dealing With The Devil (4:57)
19. The Creeper (4:10)

"The blues is all about feeling," says Grammy Award-winning harmonica legend James "Mr. Superharp" Cotton. "If I don't feel it, I can't play it." His overwhelmingly powerful harmonica is one of the iconic sounds of the blues. His skills are unrivaled, his story the stuff of legend.

Born on a cotton plantation in Tunica, Mississippi on July 1, 1935, Cotton learned harmonica directly from Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) as a small child. He toured with Williamson and Howlin' Wolf, recorded for Sun Records, and spent 12 years with Muddy Waters before stepping out on his own.

Leading his own band, he earned his reputation as one of the most commanding live blues performers in the world-a man who could literally suck the reeds out of his harmonica from the pure force of his playing-one high-energy performance at a time.

(Note: Compilation consisting of tracks of unknown origin. Haven't been able to find any specific info on the album or the recordings. Any additional info on this compilation, and/or complete artwork, is appreciated.)

'Fore Day Blues mc
'Fore Day Blues zippy

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Various - Blow'n The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:59
Size: 157.9 MB
Styles: Harmonica blues, Chicago blues
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:04] 1. Junior Wells - Help Me
[2:23] 2. Junior Wells - Messin' With The Kid
[4:19] 3. Junior Wells - Stormy Monday Blues
[3:07] 4. Junior Wells - Checking On My Baby
[4:25] 5. Junior Wells - Early In The Morning
[2:18] 6. James Cotton - Cotton Crop Blues
[4:03] 7. James Cotton - The Blues Keep Falling
[2:02] 8. James Cotton - Rocket 88
[2:47] 9. James Cotton - Honest I Do
[7:18] 10. James Cotton - Coast Blues
[2:21] 11. The Johnny Shines Blues Band - Hey, Hey
[3:29] 12. Big Walter Horton's Band - Rockin' My Boogie
[4:17] 13. Charlie Musselwhite - Chicken Shack
[2:15] 14. Charlie Musselwhite - Juke
[3:20] 15. Charlie Musselwhite - Christo Redemptor
[4:16] 16. Charlie Musselwhite - My Baby's Sweeter
[4:23] 17. Siegel-Schwall - Angel Food Cake
[3:46] 18. Siegel-Schwall - Tell Me
[3:56] 19. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Blues With A Feeling

There's something human about a well-played harmonica, filled with life's breath. Otis Spann, Muddy Waters's great bandleader, once called the harmonica the mother of all instruments. And this collection of modern harmonica players is a mother. (Although without either of the Sonny Boy Williamsons or Little Walter, this album is decidedly not definitive.) Eighteen of the nineteen tracks are from the 1960s, and we can hear the tone baton being passed from Big Walter Horton to Charlie Musselwhite, from Junior Wells to Paul Butterfield, though set against radically different backdrops. James Cotton's 1966 tracks are a highlight, filled with the excitement of stepping into a solo career after a decade with Muddy. He is backed by his former bandmates, constrained by nothing except his wind. --Robert Gordon

Blow'n The Blues mc
Blow'n The Blues zippy

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James Cotton Band - Extended Versions: The Encore Collection

Year: 2004
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:09
Size: 97,4 MB
Styles: Harmonica blues
Scans: Front, inside, cd, tray

1. Flip, Flop & Fly (5:46)
2. Mojo (3:59)
3. Rocket 88 (2:32)
4. Caldonia (5:10)
5. Boogie Thing (4:49)
6. Good Morning Lil' School Girl (3:20)
7. Help Me (4:13)
8. Fannie Mae (3:54)
9. Goodbye My Lady (4:28)
10. Blow Wind Blow (3:53)

"The blues is all about feeling," says Grammy Award-winning harmonica legend James "Mr. Superharp" Cotton. "If I don't feel it, I can't play it." His overwhelmingly powerful harmonica is one of the iconic sounds of the blues. His skills are unrivaled, his story the stuff of legend.

Born on a cotton plantation in Tunica, Mississippi on July 1, 1935, Cotton learned harmonica directly from Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) as a small child. He toured with Williamson and Howlin' Wolf, recorded for Sun Records, and spent 12 years with Muddy Waters before stepping out on his own.

Leading his own band, he earned his reputation as one of the most commanding live blues performers in the world-a man who could literally suck the reeds out of his harmonica from the pure force of his playing-one high-energy performance at a time.

Extended Versions: The Encore Collection mc
Extended Versions: The Encore Collection zippy

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James Cotton - Two Sides Of The Blues

Size: 66,3 MB
Time: 28:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1993
Styles: Chicago Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Full

01. Good Time Charlie (2:31)
02. There Is Something On Your Mind (3:48)
03. Turn Your Lovelight (2:23)
04. Jelly, Jelly (5:41)
05. South Side Boogie (2:38)
06. So Glad I'm Living (3:09)
07. Diggin' My Potatoes (2:10)
08. V-8 Ford Blues (4:00)
09. Polly Put The Kettle On (1:49)

Acoustic Material:
James Cotton: Harmonica, Vocals
Elvin Bishop: Guitar
Paul Butterfield: Harmonica
Billy Boy Arnold: Harmonica

Recorded in Chicago 1963.

Electric Material:
James Cotton: Harmonica, Vocals
Luther Tucker: Guitar
Alberto Gianquinto: Piano
Robert Anderson: Bass
Sam Lay: Drums
Delbert L. Hill: Tenor Sax
McKinley Easton: Baritone Sax
Louis E. Satterfield: Trombone
John M. Watson: Trombone

Recorded in Chicago 1967

Two Sides Of The Blues

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Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, James Cotton - The Palladium, New York City, March 4, 1977 (2 CD Bootleg)

Album: The Palladium, New York City, March 4, 1977
Year: 1977
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:01 + 69:33
Size: 133,7 + 160,5 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Scans: Front

CD 1:
1. I'm Ready (3:36)
2. Love Her With A Feeling (8:22)
3. Mama Talk To Your Daughter (4:58)
4. Rocket 88 (2:14)
5. How Long Blues (9:15)
6. Blues In My Sleep (11:32)
7. Walking By Myself (4:47)
8. Anna Lee (8:52)
9. Hold It/Band Introductions (4:21)

CD 2:
1. After Hours/Muddy Waters Intro (3:41)
2. Kansas City (9:20)
3. Caldonia (6:34)
4. Hoochie Coochie Man (3:11)
5. Howlin' Wolf (7:27)
6. Walking Through The Park (4:43)
7. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'N Roll (5:23)
8. Mannish Boy (8:53)
9. Got My Mojo Workin' (3:35)
10. Crowd & Tuning (2:16)
11. Black Cat Bone/Dust My Broom (5:00)
12. Crowd & Tuning (1:22)
13. Dealin' With The Devil (8:04)

With his loud amplified guitar and thunderous beat, Muddy Waters reigned over the Chicago blues scene during the 1950s. Waters' sound was steeped in Delta country blues and his use of microtones, in both his vocals and slide guitar playing, was utterly distinctive. His influence over a variety of musical genres, including blues, R & B, rock 'n' roll, folk, jazz, and country cannot be overestimated. Waters became the most popular bluesman in the world and led the most outstanding band, fueled in large part by Willie Dixon, one of the most prolific and successful blues songwriters of that era. After two decades of great popularity, Waters' career was clearly in decline as the 1970s began. Although he continued recording, most notably in London, with many of the greatest rock musicians Britain had to offer, the results were less satisfying than his groundbreaking work of the 1950s. Enter Johnny Winter, who after playing high-energy rock 'n' roll for several years, returned to his musical roots in 1977 and refocused on playing authentic blues. That same year Winter convinced his label to sign Waters, which was the beginning of a most fruitful partnership. Recorded in just two days with Winter in the producer's chair and former Waters' sideman, James Cotton, blowing harp, Waters' comeback album, Hard Again was a return to his original Chicago sound. Its raw feel harkened back to Waters' Chess Records days, and the outstanding musicianship and intimate, good time vibe led to the album exceeding all expectations, earning Waters a Grammy in the process.

Bathing in the glow of such success, Waters, Winter, and Cotton assembled a crack touring outfit that included musicians from the Hard Again sessions and for an all-too-brief time, hit the road together. The group included the renowned guitarist Bob Margolin, pianist Pinetop Perkins, and drummer Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Cotton brought in his bassist Charles Calmese as well. With old comrade James Cotton blowing harp and Johnny Winter as his co-stars, Waters was provoked to the heights he regularly reached decades earlier. They were only together for a brief time, but this band was arguably the most impressive assemblage of blues talent ever. Everything they touched had extraordinary intensity. Selected live performances from this tour would be utilized to produce the follow-up albums, Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down and Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live with enough great material left over for Legacy to later release an expanded edition of the latter with a second disc of un-issued recordings. One of the most memorable nights of the tour occurred on March 4th, when New York City's Palladium presented this assemblage as "An Evening Of The Blues." The performance was divided into two sets with an intermission between. Johnny Winter and James Cotton, backed by this terrific band, fronted the first set. Following the break, all the musicians would return to the stage with Muddy Waters joining them and they would perform selections from Hard Again as well as choice classics from Waters vast repertoire.

The first set kicks off with Johnny Winter leading the group through a hot rendition of "Hideaway" to warm things up. James Cotton then ups the ante with the harmonica blowout, "Juke," which receives a roar of approval from the New York audience. Winter again takes lead vocals for the slow burner, "Love Her With A Feeling," and the up-tempo shuffle, "Mama Talk To Your Daughter." Winter and guitarist Bob Margolin both tear into these numbers with ferocity, but with plenty of attention to each other so that their playing is always complimentary. Like Winter, Cotton then takes the vocals for the next two, first ripping into Jackie Brenston's 1951 R & B hit, "Rocket 88," often credited as the world's first rock 'n' roll song. Cotton also delivers a driving, energetic performance of his own "How Long Can A Fool Go Wrong." These two performances may be familiar to some as alternate mixes were later issued on the Waters, Winter, and Cotton album, Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down. The unidentified instrumental may be the highlight of this first set. Winter and Margolin provide phenomenal intertwining leads with Cotton blowing furiously throughout. Both guitarists, Cotton, and pianist Pinetop Perkins all take impressive solos. Clocking in at nearly 12 minutes, this is joyful blues improvisation at its finest and the joyful feeling is palpable on the recording. Perhaps as a preview of things to come, Johnny Winter next leads the band through a thoroughly engaging romp through "Walking By Myself." They conclude the first set with another extended slow blues jam, this time with Pinetop Perkins taking lead vocal for "Anna Lee." This eventually transforms into a catchy vamp in which all the band members are introduced and they announce that they will be back after the break. A remarkable first set, but they were just setting the stage. The best was still yet to come.

The second set kicks off with a loose vamp to introduce Muddy Waters to the already enthralled audience, eager for more blues. Continuing, they begin a nice relaxed groove on the walking blues, "Kansas City." Muddy takes his first vocal of the evening with outstanding support from Margolin, Cotton, and Perkins, with Winter just enjoying the ride and laying low. "Caldonia" begins in swinging style, propelled by Pinetop Perkins energetic piano playing and an undeniably captivating walking bass line from Charles Calmese. "Hoochie Coochie Man" lets them get down and dirty, with both Waters and Winter playing slide guitar. What it lacks in length is compensated for by its raw power. Waters next pays tribute to his friend and chief competition during the 1950s with "Howlin' Wolf," before launching into his own vintage single, "Walking Through The Park." A rousing take on "The Blues Had A Baby," featuring outstanding piano work from Perkins follows. A raw pulsating version of "Mannish Boy" is another fine example of this tight muscular band, before they bring it to a close with a roaring take on the obligatory "Got My Mojo Workin'."

The audience refuses to let them go and eventually they all return to the stage. The two-song encore begins with Johnny Winter fronting the group on the slide guitar shredfest of "Black Cat Bone" into "Dust My Broom." Few musicians have ever applied such ferocity to the Elmore James classic and the sparks are flying. This remarkable performance closes with the smoldering slow blues of "Dealing With The Devil." Cotton leads the way, but everyone gets one last chance to wail, including Winter's brother Edgar, who joins in on piano and adding his trademark vocal exclamations throughout. It's a fitting and powerful closer to one of the greatest evenings of the blues New York City has ever seen.

The Palladium, New York City, March 4, 1977 (2 CD) mc
The Palladium, New York City, March 4, 1977 (2 CD) zippy

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Various - Bea And Baby Records Presents The Best Of Chicago Blues (Vol. 1 of 3 Volumes)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:53
Size: 153.1 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 1994/2017
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Homesick James - My Baby Gone
[3:18] 2. Homesick James - My Kind Of Woman
[3:15] 3. Homesick James - Homesick Sunnyland Special
[3:03] 4. James Cotton - One More Mile
[1:45] 5. James Cotton - There Must Be A Panic
[2:42] 6. Hound Dog Taylor - My Baby's Coming Home
[2:06] 7. Hound Dog Taylor - Five 'take Five'
[2:04] 8. Eddie Boyd - Thank You Baby
[2:31] 9. Eddie Boyd - Blue Monday Blues
[2:47] 10. Eddie Boyd - The Blues Is Here To Stay
[2:35] 11. Eddie Boyd - I'm Commin' Home
[3:00] 12. Eddie Boyd - All The Way
[2:47] 13. Eddie Boyd - Where You Belong
[2:19] 14. Little Mack Simmons - Don't Come Back
[2:25] 15. Little Mack Simmons - Times Are Getting Tougher
[2:12] 16. Little Mack Simmons - I'm Your Fool
[2:01] 17. Little Mack Simmons - Let Out Of Jail
[2:23] 18. Earl Hooker - Dynamite
[2:48] 19. Bobby Saxton - Trying To Make A Living
[2:26] 20. L.C. Mc.Kinley - Sharpest Man In Town
[3:45] 21. Sunnyland Slim - Too Late To Pray
[2:44] 22. Sunnyland Slim - House Rock
[2:48] 23. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness - Special Agent
[3:33] 24. Willie Williams - 38 Woman
[2:21] 25. Willie Williams - Somebody Changed The Lock

For nearly 20 years beginning in 1959, Chicago businessman Narvel Eatmon (aka Cadillac Baby) presided over his Bea & Baby record label, by far the most enduring of his many investments, which included a nightclub, a record store, an appliance repair service, and a confectionary. Some seven years after his demise, Wolf Records released a 24-track sampler from the Bea & Baby catalog. The lineup is very impressive, and reflects the original label's profile pretty well. It includes guitarists Hound Dog Taylor, Homesick James Williamson, L.G. McKinley, Robert Jr. Lockwood, and Earl Zebedee Hooker; pianists Eddie Boyd and Sunnyland Slim; blues harpists James Cotton, Carey Bell, and Little Mack Simmons; singing drummer Willie Williams; and vocalists Bobby Saxton and Andrew McMahon. This compilation is very similar to The Best of Cadillac: Meat & Gravy, a Bea & Baby "best-of" released by Culture Press in 1998. Unfortunately, the two simultaneously issued collections have 16 tracks in common. In 2003, Castle Music compounded the confusion by releasing a double-disc Bea & Baby collection called Meat & Gravy. Public comprehension of Cadillac Baby's legacy was muddled even further when the misleadingly titled Cadillac Records, a film based upon the story of the Chess label, came out in 2008. By then the Bea & Baby catalog was being administered by the Earwig Music Company, Inc., and plans were afoot for more careful, comprehensive, and conscientious reissuing. ~arwulf arwulf

Volume 2 tomorrow.
Bea And Baby Records Presents The Best Of Chicago Blues Vol. 1 mc
Bea And Baby Records Presents The Best Of Chicago Blues Vol. 1 zippy

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James Cotton - South Side Boogie

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:38
Size: 102.2 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:38] 1. South Side Boogie
[2:31] 2. Don't Start Me Talkin'
[2:09] 3. You Know It Ain't Right
[3:10] 4. Feelin' Good
[4:59] 5. Dealing With The Devil
[2:31] 6. Good Time Charlie
[3:05] 7. So Glad You're Mine
[2:06] 8. Diggin' My Potatoes
[4:00] 9. V-8 Ford Blues
[5:20] 10. Sally Mae
[2:15] 11. Oh, Why
[4:13] 12. The Creeper
[3:48] 13. Something On Your Mind
[1:47] 14. Polly Put The Kettle On

At his high-energy, 1970s peak as a bandleader, James Cotton was a bouncing, sweaty, whirling dervish of a bluesman, roaring his vocals and all but sucking the reeds right out of his defenseless little harmonicas with his prodigious lung power. Due to throat problems during his latter years, Cotton's vocals were no longer what they used to be, but he remained a masterful instrumentalist for decades. Cotton had some gargantuan shoes to fill when he stepped into Little Walter's slot as Muddy Waters' harp ace in 1954, but for the next dozen years, the young Mississippian filled the integral role beside Chicago's blues king with power and precision. Of course, Cotton had been preparing for such a career move for a long time, having learned how to wail on harp from none other than Sonny Boy Williamson himself.

Cotton was only a child when he first heard Williamson's fabled radio broadcasts for King Biscuit Time over KFFA out of Helena, Arkansas. So sure was Cotton of his future that he ended up moving into Williamson's home at age nine, soaking up the intricacies of blues harpdom from one of its reigning masters. Six years later, Cotton was ready to unleash a sound of his own.

Gigging with area notables Joe Willie Wilkins and Willie Nix, Cotton built a sterling reputation around West Memphis, following in his mentor's footsteps by landing his own radio show in 1952 over KWEM. Sam Phillips, whose Sun label was still a fledgling operation, invited Cotton to record for him, and two singles commenced: "Straighten Up Baby" in 1953 and "Cotton Crop Blues" the next year. Legend has it Cotton played drums instead of harp on the first platter.

When Waters rolled through Memphis minus his latest harpist (Junior Wells), Cotton hired on with the legend and went to Chicago. Unfortunately for the youngster, Chess Records insisted on using Little Walter on the great majority of Waters' waxings until 1958, when Cotton blew behind Waters on "She's Nineteen Years Old" and "Close to You." At Cotton's suggestion, Waters had added an Ann Cole tune called "Got My Mojo Working" to his repertoire. Walter played on Muddy Waters' first studio crack at it, but that's Cotton wailing on the definitive 1960 reading (cut live at the Newport Jazz Festival).

By 1966, Cotton was primed to make it on his own. Waxings for Vanguard, Prestige, and Loma preceded his official full-length album debut for Verve Records in 1967. His own unit then included fleet-fingered guitarist Luther Tucker and hard-hitting drummer Sam Lay. Throwing a touch of soul into his eponymous debut set, Cotton ventured into the burgeoning blues-rock field as he remained with Verve through the end of the decade.

In 1974, Cotton signed with Buddah and released 100% Cotton, one of his most relentless LPs, with Matt "Guitar" Murphy sizzling on backup. A decade later, Alligator issued another standout Cotton LP, High Compression, which was split evenly between traditional-style Chicago blues and funkier, horn-driven material. Harp Attack!, a 1990 summit meeting on Alligator, paired Cotton with three exalted peers: Wells, Carey Bell, and comparative newcomer Billy Branch. Antone's Records was responsible for a pair of gems: a live 1988 set reuniting the harpist with Murphy and Tucker, and a stellar 1991 studio project, Mighty Long Time. Cotton moved into the 21st century as one of the last surviving originators of the Chicago blues sound, and didn't slow his pace, releasing a series of fine albums, including Fire Down Under the Hill (2000) and Baby, Don't You Tear My Clothes (2004), both for Telarc Records, and Giant (2010) and Cotton Mouth Man (2013), both on Alligator Records. A Best Blues Album nominee at the 2014 Grammy Awards, Cotton Mouth Man proved to be Cotton's last album released during his lifetime; the blues harp giant died of pneumonia in March 2017 at the age of 81. ~ Bill Dahl

South Side Boogie mc
South Side Boogie zippy

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VA - Blind Pig Records 40th Anniversary Collection

Size: 172,0+166,7 MB
Time: 73:18+71:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

CD 1:
01 Magic Slim & The Teardrops - Gambling Blues (3:21)
02 Victor Wainwright & The Wildroots - Boom Town (3:16)
03 Albert Cummings - No Doubt (4:33)
04 Popa Chubby - Hey Joe (6:05)
05 Big Walter Horton - Everybody's Fishin' (3:00)
06 Deborah Coleman - I'm A Woman (4:49)
07 James Cotton - Dust My Broom (4:20)
08 Otis Rush - Crosscut Saw (4:51)
09 Elvin Bishop - Stomp (4:57)
10 Altered Five Blues Band - Charmed & Dangerous (3:40)
11 Sena Ehrhardt - Last Chance (6:24)
12 Damon Fowler - Thought I Had It All (5:17)
13 Kenny Neal - Old Friends (4:36)
14 Charlie Musselwhite - Chicago Sunset (3:36)
15 Eddy Clearwater - Crossover (4:35)
16 Pinetop Perkins - Just Keep On Drinking (3:01)
17 Commander Cody - Last Call For Alcohol (2:51)

CD 2:
01 Muddy Waters - Got My Mojo Working (4:59)
02 Big Bill Morganfield - You're Gonna Miss Me (3:24)
03 Webb Wilder & The Beatnecks - Human Cannonball (4:33)
04 Tommy Castro - It's That Time Again (4:11)
05 Deanna Bogart - In The Rain (4:07)
06 The Cash Box Kings - Baby Without You (3:55)
07 Luther Allison - Let's Try Again (6:45)
08 Smokin' Joe Kubek - Diamond Eyes (3:47)
09 Zac Harmon - Raising Hell (4:33)
10 Studebaker John & The Hawks - Blue Feelin' (3:56)
11 Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers - Frankenbop (3:49)
12 Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88's - Chicken Shack Boogie (2:47)
13 Billy Branch - Back Alley Cat (2:18)
14 Andy T - Nick Nixon Band - Shut The Front Door (2:41)
15 Southern Hospitality - Southern Livin' (4:43)
16 Hubert Sumlin - Sitting On Top Of The World (4:18)
17 Otis Clay - When The Gates Swing Open (6:07)

Blind Pig Records 40th Anniversary Collection CD 1
Blind Pig Records 40th Anniversary Collection CD 2

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