James Cotton

by Phil Chesnut
3/8 @ Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC; 3/9 @ Ingraham Hotel, Victoria, BC; 3/10 @ Buffalo Bill's (Whistler Ski Resort), Whistler, BC; Monday, 3/11 (Jelly Rollers open) @ I-Spy, Seattle.

One of the last living members from the golden age of Chicago Blues, Grammy and Handy Award winning harp legend James Cotton, is making another cherished tour of the Pacific Northwest this March. After more than 50 years of performing, he is a living link to a multitude of blues history. Cotton's career actually began when he became Sonny Boy Williamson's unofficial stepson and protégé at age 9. Later, while playing in the Howlin' Wolf Band he was approached and hired by Muddy Waters to play in his band, and the rest is blues history. After 12 years with Muddy, which allowed him to refine that great Cotton stage presence and showmanship, James set out on his own; thus began the James Cotton Blues Band. 35 years later, the current incarnation of Cotton's band is still serving up pure blues from coast to coast and around the world. James has also been on the tube recently with appearances on Leno, Letterman, and (Conan) O'Brien. He was also well represented in the PBS documentary "American Roots." Cotton is again nominated for two WC Handy Awards: "Best Traditional Male Artist" and "Best Instrumentalist-Harmonica." James also appears on two Grammy nominated CDs: Jimmie Vaughan's Do You Get the Blues? and Hellhounds On Your Trail: A Tribute to Robert Johnson on the Telarc label.

Cotton's devoted road manager Tom Heimdal tells me that instead of the now familiar acoustic trio, Cotton is with a full band again. This time the band features two superb guitarists who also trade off on vocal duties, longtime bandmate Rico McFarland and old time stylist Steve Freund. The band also boasts a great rhythm section of bassist Tim Wagar and drummer Kevin Coggins, along with the awesome chromatic and diatonic harmonicas of the "Superharp" James Cotton, who after a half century just keeps getting better. The NW portion of this tour has Cotton and the band headlining three shows in B.C. before playing their last NW performance at a new Seattle venue, I-Spy (1921 5th Ave), after which they take the tour to California.

3-½ decades after The James Cotton Band was founded, the smart blues label Telarc is releasing in May, a 35th Anniversary Celebration of the James Cotton Blues Band, featuring James and his band performing all the terrific numbers Cotton has written since the band's inception along with, of course, a couple of Sonny Boy tunes. The album features all guest vocalists including Koko Taylor, Kim Wilson, Bobby Rush, Shemekia Copeland, Kenny Neal, and many more. Look in BTD this summer for a full review. See Cotton's site for mor information on this legend.

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