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Blues Underground Network |
James Cotton "Giant"
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There are a few rare musicians out there for whom the term Giant is most fitting and certainly James Cotton falls firmly into that category. A blues harp master whom has cultivated his trade for now going on 66 years, starting with Sonny Boy Williamson taking him under his wing at the age of age of 9, after his parents had passed. From then on both history and a legend were being made to the present when James Cotton has long achieved his legendary status as one of the greatest harmonica players of all time. Now in his 75th year of life James Cotton once again brings his magic to the forefront with his return to Alligator Records via his Latest Release, "Giant". "Giant" consists of 12 Tracks, 4 of which Cotton either wrote or co-wrote, and 8 Covers, that of course have been done many times before, but that are always infused with a little more magic when James Cotton has gotten done with them. "Giant" starts out with one of my very favorite songs, "Buried Alive In The Blues" and I must say I was quite excited to see it when checking out what songs were on this Album. For those that were not aware, "Buried Alive In The Blues" was a song written for Janis Joplin by Nick Gravenites, vocalist and guitarist for Chicago Blues Reunion. It appears on her Album, Pearl, as only an instrumental as she had died the night before she was to sing the lyrics. Cotton's version seems to be done with a little more tempo than the one I am used to hearing by Chicago Blues Reunion, but it is certainly still just as good, and of course Cotton's Harp playing is the icing on the cake. Slam Allen does the vocals on this Track and all the other Tracks except for "Sad Sad Day" for which vocals is credited to Tom Holland. Track 2 is the first original on "Giant", "Heard You're Getting Married", and it comes across slow and smooth with superb guitar work by Slam Allen and a little taste of foreshadowing, by Cotton, of the great Harp Playing that is starting to permeate into this Album. Track 3, "Find Yourself Another Fool", starts to pick it up again with one of three tunes written by Cotton's former employer and mentor, Muddy Waters. The other two being Track 4, "Sad Sad Day", which feature the Vocals by Tom Holland and as well as his amazing Guitar work, prominent on the right channel of this Track and "Going Down Main Street", Track 9, a swing jump style blues number that has the whole band firing on all 8 cylinders, especially Cotton'. "Giant" contains of two instrumentals, which are both originals on this Album, composed by Cotton, Track 7, "With The Quickness", and the closing Track, "Blues For Koko". Both of those Tracks will simply blow you away, especially the closer, "Blues For Koko", a tribute to the late Koko Taylor, which will leave you literally spellbound and if you were not quite sure as to who was the greatest living blues harp player, you certainly had the right answer after listening to that Tour De Force of a Track. "Giant" is nicely rounded out with the other four legendary Covers, "How Blues Can You Get?" (Feather & Feather), "Since I Met You Baby" (Hunter), "That's All Right" (Lane) and "Let Yourself Go" (Carter, Hodges & Turner). All those songs done in a fashion that could do no less than make the originators of the song, pretty darn proud, thanks in a large part to the exceptional band that James Cotton, has once again managed to put together, consisting of Slam Allen Vocals and Guitar (left channel), Tom Holland Guitar (right channel), Vocal on “Sad Sad Day”, Noel Neal Bass, Kenny Neal, Jr. Drums, and Ronnie James Weber playing bass on “Sad Sad Day”. When it come to the Blues Harp, Blues Music, and James Cotton, everything seems to become no less than a very fine tapestry, with Cotton' weaving in and out at just the right times, not over powering the present but yet still leaving his legendary threads throughout. Such is the case with "Giant", a Album that continues to show us all why James Cotton is truly a Giant. To praise James Cotton, to highly, concerning his music, is simply impossible to do, after all, it is James Cotton and he is and has been for a long time, "Simply The Best" a fact that at even 75 years of age, this Album continues to re soundly confirm. If ever there was an Album worthy of my Highly Rating of 5*****, "Giant" is it. Highly Recommended for any fan of the Blues, especially those that love the good old Blues Harp... Now if you don't mind, I will be getting back to "Giant", and I will be "Burying Myself Alive In It's Blues"... Review By John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network) Other Info And Reviews The blues harp master returns to Alligator! A straight-up shot of James Cotton at his hard-blowing best, backed by his tight, road-tested touring band. The spotlight shines directly on Cotton’s ferocious playing and huge sound throughout, as he fires up the band for an exhilarating collection of breathless boogies, infectious shuffles and sweet, simmering blues. "Among the greats of all time, He blazes on harp with brilliant virtuosity,"--Rolling Stone Tracklist
1) Buried Alive In The Blues
(Gravenites) (3:31) Listen To Samples Here... Dedicated to the memory of Koko Taylor
James Cotton Harmonica Review By John Taylor In mortal hands, the diatonic harmonica is a limited instrument. In the hands of a true giant like James Cotton though, its possibilities seem virtually limitless. Even casual blues fans shouldn’t need an introduction to Cotton, one of the last of the original innovators. Along with Sonny Boy Williamson II and Little Walter, Cotton helped to define the harmonica’s place in modern blues. And he’s remained one of the instrument’s most distinct and identifiable stylists, with a high energy attack and a sound all his own. He’s getting on in years, of course (as he was born in 1935), and his voice–always a bit hoarse, even in his younger days–is long gone. But he knows how to assemble and lead a top-notch touring outfit. Here he’s working exclusively with his own road-tested band, with the results being a tough, hard-hitting collection that sounds surprisingly fresh and vital. The blues is often referred to as timeless, and Cotton’s choice of material is just that. Former employer Muddy Waters is the most prominent composer, with three tunes (“Find Yourself Another Fool,” “Sad Sad Day,” and “Going Down Main Street”). Also included is Jimmy Rodgers’ classic “That’s Alright,” and immortal standards “How Blue Can You Get?” and Ivory Joe Hunter’s “Since I Met You, Baby.” They’re all old tunes that have been covered many times, but the themes are still relevant–the blues are still with us, still part of the human emotional spectrum-and Cotton and friends tear through ‘em as though they were written in the studio that day. Cotton contributes four of his own, two with help from guitarist Slam Allen. One assumes Allen’s responsible for the lyrics on “Heard You’re Getting Married” and the deeply funky “Change,” as Cotton’s solo credits are both for instrumentals. “With The Quickness” is a short, furious blast of harmonica heaven reminiscent of Cotton’s signature tune, “The Creeper Creeps Again,” showing Cotton’s still got chops to spare. And “Blues For Koko,” a tribute to the late ‘Queen Of The Blues’ that closes the disc, is a straight-ahead 12-bar grinder with some truly astonishing work on the lickin’ stick. Cotton’s always favored a healthy dose of funk in his blues, and his rhythm section (bassist Noel and drummer Kenny Neal Jr., both members of an extended and esteemed musical clan), is an astonishingly supple yet muscular machine. (Check out the slippery bass that underpins “How Blue Can You Get?”). Guitarists Allen and Tom Holland are an ideal tag team, trading leads and rhythm with instinctive ease. Allen handles most of the vocals, with Holland stepping up on “Sad Sad Day.” They’re both sturdy and workmanlike, though Allen definitely deserves the lion’s share; there are a few shining moments when he sounds a bit like B.B. King (and that’s a very good thing!). Although he remains a giant on the harmonica, Giant isn’t overly harp-centric, as the sound here is that of a working band, with Cotton’s harp integral to the arrangements, yet never overpowering the song itself. His work has always been about tricky filigrees and sharp blasts that accent a tune. It’s the sheer expressiveness of his harmonica that matters, the subtle runs and quicksilver fills that embellish the song. And both his tone and approach remain utterly distinctive. A giant indeed, Cotton is that rarest of harmonica players, an artist with an instantly identifiable sound, tempered with the musical wisdom of a lifetime’s immersion in the blues. Given his age, stature, and health, it would be understandable if Cotton were to rest a bit, to take a reflective approach in keeping with his years of experience. Instead, Giant delivers the blues in all its sweaty, dangerous glory–blues for all the right reasons, vital, urgent and bursting with life and feel, the most important element of all–which takes priority over technical but sterile perfection. He may have seen and done it all by now, but Cotton’s still making music from the heart, aimed straight at the soul. Very highly recommended!
A legend on the blues scene for many years, harmonica player James Cotton began his career by cutting a series of great early singles for the Sun Records label, and then moved on to become a member of the Muddy Waters Blues Band. He's barely slowed down since, and even though health problem have caused him to cede the singing duties to others, his harmonica playing remains as boisterous and powerful as ever. Cotton is supported on this album by Slam Allen and Tom Holland who share the guitar and singing duties, Noel Neal on bass and Kenny Neal, Jr. on drums. The band deftly tackles twelve standards and originals, ranging from the harp centered instrumentals "With the Quickness" and "Blues For Koko" which show Cotton's powerful playing at its most unfettered, to a couple of performances of songs originally associated with B.B. King. "How Blue Can You Get" and "Since I Met You Baby" have been staples of the King band and blues in general for decades and the band does very well with them, taking the former as an uptempo shuffle, and the latter as a lovelorn lament that wrings all of the emotion out of the old warhorse. "Buried Alive in the Blues" shows the whole band getting involved, Cotton is generous with his band, giving them space, but he picks is spots well and really blows with great savvy and verve. He recently celebrated his 75th birthday, and is playing very well as this album shows. About James Cotton James Cotton (called Cotton by his friends) was born on the first day of July, 1935, in Tunica, Mississippi. He was the youngest of eight brothers and sisters who grew up in the cotton fields working beside their mother, Hattie, and their father, Mose. On Sundays Mose was the preacher in the area's Baptist church. Cotton's earliest memories include his mother playing chicken and train sounds on her harmonica and for a few years he thought those were the only two sounds the little instrument made. His Christmas present one year was a harmonica, it cost 15 cents, and it wasn't long before he mastered the chicken and the train. King Biscuit Time, a 15-minute radio show, began broadcasting live on KFFA, a station just across the Mississippi River in Helena, Arkansas. The star of the show was the harmonica legend, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller). The young Cotton pressed his little ear to the old radio speaker. He recognized sound the harmonica AND discovered something - the harp did more! Realizing this, a profound change came over him, and since that moment, Cotton and his harp have been inseparable - the love affair had begun. Soon he was able to play Sonny Boy's theme song from the radio show and, as he grew so did his repertoire of Sonny Boy's other songs. Mississippi summers are ghastly, the heat is unrelenting. He was too young to actually work in the cotton fields, so little Cotton would bring water to those who did. When it was time for him to take a break from his job, he would sit in the shadow of the plantation foreman's horse and play his harp. His music became a source of joy for his first audience. James Cotton's star began to shine brightly at a very early age. By his ninth year both of his parents had passed away and Cotton was taken to Sonny Boy Williamson by his uncle. When they met, the young fellow wasted no time - he began playing Sonny Boy's theme song on his treasured harp. Cotton remembers that first meeting well and says, "I walked up and played it for him. And I played it note for note. And he looked at that. He had to pay attention." The two harp players were like father and son from then on. "I just watched the things he'd do, because I wanted to be just like him. Anything he played, I played it," he remembers. There were dozens of juke joints in the South at the time and Sonny Boy played in nearly every one in Mississippi (pronounced "miz-sip-ee") and Arkansas. Now he had an opening act! Because Cotton was too young to go inside he would "open" for Sonny Boy on the steps of these juke joints, sometimes making more money in tips outside than Sonny Boy did at the gig inside. After a gig early one morning Sonny Boy split for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to live with his estranged wife, leaving his band to Cotton who comments, "He just gave it to me. But I couldn't hold it together 'cause I was too young and crazy in those days an' everybody in the band was grown men, so much older than me." There was no one to care for the teenager - no real home to go to - but young Cotton had his harmonica. Beale Street in Memphis was alive with the blues and Cotton played on the street for tips. Also, he put a mean shine on any paying customer's shoes. When he'd been with Sonny Boy, they had played a juke joint named "The Top Hat" in Black Fish, Arkansas. One night he heard Howlin' Wolf was playing there and he decided it was time to meet him. He was still underage but the owner let him through the door this time. He liked the young musician plus he knew if Cotton sat in with Howlin' Wolf the good times would roll even farther, deep into the night. Cotton got along well with Howlin' Wolf from the moment they met and they began to play the juke joints as far north as Caruthersville, Missouri, and as far south as Nachez, Mississippi, with Cotton doing most of the driving down old Highway 61. He learned the ways of the road from a second blues legend. At the ripe old age of 15 he cut four songs at Sun Records: "Straighten Up Baby," "Hold Me In Your Arms," "Oh, Baby," and "Cotton Crop Blues." Continue Reading This Very Extensive Biography Here... http://www.jamescottonsuperharp.com/ http://www.myspace.com/jamescotton55
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