Customer Reviews

100% Cotton

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I have been looking for another copy of this album for years. James Cotton is everything that you ever want to hear in the blues. He's raw, he's soulful, he sweet, he's in pain, he's sexy, he screams, wails, moans, croons, and he plays a mean harp. Wherever you need to go, James can take you there with buckets of sweat and soul. Listen to Fatuation, I Don't Know, One More Mile, and the best version of Fever ever made and you'll be hooked.

James Cotton is another of those blues artists that deserves much wider recognition. He has recorded and played live close to 60 years. I was fortunate enough to meet him in the mid 1970's when he was touring. I was an immature, drunk idiot yet he treated me graciously like the true gentleman that he is. The music on 100% Cotton is modern blues that is always grounded in the delta (where he was born - in Tunica, Mississippi, in 1935). He learned harp listening to Sonny Boy Williamson, backed Muddy Waters in the late 1950's following Little Walter Jacobs. James Cotton has recorded some remarkable albums. It's a shame that his 1971 album 'Taking Care of Business' has never been released on CD. It was produced by Todd Rundgren (who contributes some excellent guitar work) with guest appearances by Johnny Winter and Mike Bloomfield. It's a further example of the high caliber of work that James Cotton has always put forth...from his first Sun recordings in the late 1940's, and thankfully up to now.

I got my copy of this album in 1975, just after I started playing harmonica at the age of 16. In retrospect, I got lucky, because it remains one of the most-played albums in my extensive vinyl collection. The masterpiece here is "Creeper Creeps Again." It surely belongs on the Top-Ten all-time list for harmonica instrumentals, along with Little Walter's "Back Track" (and "Juke," of course), the live "Whammer Jammer" by Magic Dick (w/the J. Geils Band), Big Walter Horton's "Easy," and Kim Wilson's "Down at Antone's" (w/The Fabulous Thunderbirds). I don't know any other harp player who combines Cotton's huge unamplified growl-ized tone, amazing rhythmic vitality, endless inventiveness within a fairly repetitive arrangement, and flawless execution. At this moment in the early 1970's, he had no peer.

This guys plays the blues harp better than anyone I've heard hands down. I paid alot for this CD and it was worth every dime.

Living here in Australia, it is no wonder i had never really heard of James Cotton until an older friend, who used to live in Chicago started telling me that James Cotton was the man! Cotton plays the harmonica, sings and most importantly leads the band with hand gestures and plain mojo....I havent got any other albums by the guy, but super happy i bought this one....it stands up to any Muddy Waters and other more famous blues acts from that period in Chicago...and makes me want to look deeper into his output.

This is an awesome CD all the way through. I have seen James Cotton in concert and this CD exceeded my expectations and shows why he is a legend and one of Muddy Water's former harmonica players. The recording/production quality is great. Harmonica players and harmonica fans will love it as well as blues fans in general. There is some great musicianship on here all the way around. It is upbeat, powerful, and rocking. I even dare say non-blues fans may convert over this album as it is that good. I quickly want to note I paid $18.46 ($15.48 + shipping) as I saw it was listed for over $58.00+ now, maybe it is a collector's item!

My husband wanted this CD. He got it as a gift, and loves it. He's mentioned several times how much he's enjoying it.