Cotton & Co. really hit the groove here!
swampshaka | New Orleans, Louisiana | 07/22/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I'm usually not a big fan of live recordings, but these mid-70's recordings really catch the spirit of James Cotton "live & on the move", while still in his prime! Sure, there may be sentimental reasons for my liking this disc {often caught Cotton during this period at the club where these recordings were made} but putting all sentimentality aside, I've gained a whole new level of appreciation for these cuts. Listening to these tracks with fresh aged ears {the first time in 20 some years} I can't help but be impressed by Cotton and company's tightness as a unit. A tough act to follow, there weren't many shows rolling down the proverbial blues pike that packed as much punch as a James Cotton performance in it's heyday, and these cuts certainly can attest to that. Cotton's band, consisting of seasoned vets such as Matt "guitar" Murphy, know how to lay and hold down earthy funkified grooves, build energetic boogie's, shuffle and swing without ever losing so much as a beat. If I had to criticize one thing, it would be Cotton's choice of material. James Cotton had written some fine numbers while a recording artist for both the Sun and Vanguard labels, it's too bad that he doesn't showcase a few of them here. Instead, Cotton is content rekindling old chestnuts such as "Got My Mojo Working" and "Help Me". What would a review of a James Cotton disc be without mentioning his harmonica playing? James Cotton shows why he's earned the nickname "Mr. Superharp", especially on tunes such as, "One More Mile", "All Walks Of Life" and "Boogie Thang", where the deep tonal qualities and grittiness of his harp work can be heard to full effect. A nice slice of what a James Cotton live show sounded like back in the 70's, complimented by one of the tightest and hardest working bands in the blues biz, Recommended!"
Classic superharp!
Mike | Halstead, Kent United Kingdom | 09/04/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Bought this 2nd hand on the fly, 3 years back. Stunning tight band driven by beautiful manic drummer and held togeher by rock steady gtr of Micky Baker . One of the best integrated small blues groups I have heard. Magnificent foil to James' "in your face" harp - his breaks and timing are staggering! Continual "high energy" road show worthy of a government health warning. Only downsides - slightly less than desirable balance for James' vocals and an over extended Flip Flop and Caledonia, the former having gob smacking first impact which wanes on repeated listening. But this is nit-picking! - listen to James playing the audience - lose yourself in the atmosphere of the night! BUY! - If anyone knows of a "higher energy" JC recording (live!) please let me know!"
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1