James Cotton "best of the Verve years" 1967-1968(rec) 1995(c)****

Like so many other original bluesmen's, James Cotton's story sounds like a novel: born in Mississippi and growing up in the cotton fields, the youngest of 8 children he was orphaned at the age of 9. He had already shown some talent on harmonica, so one of his uncles took him to wandering musician Sonny Boy Williamson II to learn the trade. {Of course Sonny Boy acquired the numerical II only later, by blues scholars. He was, you see, actually an impostor previously known as Rice Miller. During the 30's there was a famous harp player with the name John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, and Miller had found out he'd make more money if he just appeared at a bar/tavern/party and impersonate Sonny Boy - and, more importantly, that he could get away with it. By the time of our story (late 40's) the original Sonny Boy was dead and Miller had made a name for himself as a live attraction - always with the name Sonny Boy Williamson.} In any case, the man was among the best harmonica players of his time and taught Cotton well, probably also introducing him to his brother-in-law Howlin' Wolf who took Cotton in his band when he moved to Chicago. It wasn't long before he was offered a spot in the best blues band of the time, that of Muddy Waters. Muddy's downhome blues style allowed a lot of space for harmonica and his previous harp players (Little Walter, Junior Wells) were legendary, so Cotton had big shoes to fill - which he did very well. He stayed with Muddy's band for 12 years but, like his predecessors, he wasn't content with just being a sideman and soon fronted his own band who quickly became a live sensation, thanks to his energetic playing and flair for entertainment. It didn't hurt to have powerful supporters, from Albert Grossman (also manager of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin etc) to guitarist/producer Michael Bloomfield. This compilation features some of the best blues musicians of Chicago, both black and white, and includes all of his debut LP (1967's "The James Cotton Blues Band") plus excerpts from 1968's "Pure Cotton" and "Cotton In Your Ear". The style is quite different from Waters' downhome style, with lots of upbeat R&B/Soul numbers delivered by a big band with lots of horns. His harmonica playing is, as expected, phenomenal and best showcased on instrumentals like the slow "Blues In My Sleep", "The Creeper", "Coach's Better Days" and signature Little Walter tune "Off The Wall", as well as his mentor Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don't Start Me Talkin'". His singing throughout is great, strong and soulful, often reminiscent of Bobby "Blue" Bland. The album opens with R&B dynamite "Good Time Charlie" and features many more soul numbers like "Turn On Your Lovelight", "Knock On Wood" and "Lovin' Cup". "Feelin' Good" is a wild rewrite of John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillun", "Sweet Sixteen" a faithful B.B. King cover. Guitarist Luther Tucker really shines on this one, though truth be told his work all over the CD is great. I'm surprised I hadn't heard of him before. There's more B.B.King/Bobby Bland-like R&B with the upbeat "Oh Why" and slow "Something on Your Mind", "Jelly Jelly". Good as the brass section is, though, I prefer the songs with the smaller band because you can listen Cotton's harp and Tucker's guitar more clearly. The Chicago Blues sound manifests itself in tunes like "She's Murder" (similar to Muddy's "Got My Mojo Workin'"), "Soul Survivor" (like Howlin' Wolf's "Built For Comfort"). Lastly, there are some slower blues numbers with a downhome sound ("Fallin' Rain", "Heart Attack", "Down At You Buryin" "Back To St. Louis") to showcase the band's late night jazz side, with atmospheric piano and emotive vocals and weeping harmonica. This CD may at first turn off blues purists who came to know Cotton by way of Muddy Waters, but I think it's really entertaining, achieves a balance between downhome blues and commercial R&B and includes some great performances by top musicians. For those of you who enjoy the high energy R&B of The Blues Brothers, this is the missing link between them and the "real thing".

***** for Don't Start Me Talkin', Turn On Your Lovelight, She's Murder (AKA "Murder in the First Degree")

**** for Good Time Charlie, Off The Wall, Jelly Jelly, Feelin' Good, Sweet Sixteen, Knock On Wood, Oh Why?, Soul Survivor, Lovin' Cup

*** for Something On Your Mind, Blues In My Sleep, Fallin' Rain, Heart Attack, The Creeper, Down At You Buryin', Back To St. Louis, The Coach's Better Days