James Cotton
Cotton Mouth Man

A legend of the blues harmonica! Born in 1935 and leaving us in 2017, his mentor was another legend of this instrument "Sonny Boy Williamson II." He then played with Howlin' Wolf before replacing Little Walter and Junior Wells in Muddy Waters's band for a full 11 years. Considered among the best harmonica players, he won Grammy Awards both as an instrumentalist and composer, leaving us with about twenty albums to his name and many collaborations with blues greats. This album for Alligator features stellar guests like Bonamassa, Gregg Allman, Keb Mo, Warren Haynes, Delbert McClinton, and Ruthie Foster—truly impressive. He recorded this album after turning 80, but his harmonica sounds so explosive that it makes me think he might have made a "blues pact" himself. I usually don't delve into the specifics of the various tracks, but just listen to Wrapped Around my Heart with the wonderful Ruthie Foster, and you'll run to buy the album if you still buy albums like I do. It's a fantastic performance, full of blood, sweat, and tears, and with my eyes closed, I can see the America of blues. I almost want to book a plane ticket and rent a Harley, spend a week in Chicago, and then head out on Route 66. An album that captures the entirety of Cotton and his collaborators, doing justice to the songs in a way not always achieved in his discography. A 5-star album!