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Two Sides of the Blues on CD

James Cotton stands as a towering figure in the blues explosion of the 1980s. Always rooted in tradition, he remains an innovator, keeping his contemporaries and their fans on their toes. Born in Tunica, Mississippi, in 1935, Cotton moved to West Memphis, Arkansas, at age ten, where he learned harmonica from Rice Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II). By 1953, he found his way to Sam Phillips and SUN Studio, recording as a sideman for artists like Howlin' Wolf and Willie Nix. This album showcases Cotton with a big blues band - echoing Bobby "Blue" Bland - for the first four tracks, followed by a return to his country blues roots with old-style folk blues. Joined by Mike Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop on guitar, along with harmonica legends William "Billy Boy" Arnold and the late Paul Butterfield, the three weave intricate lines on "South Side Boogie," a standout track. Recorded in Chicago in the mid-1960s by producer Norman Dayron, these cuts superbly represent the blues.