The small bath town of Castel San Pietro, located 17 kms from Bologna, hosted for the 12th year its great little free blues festival. The Rolling Stones and John Mayall’s former great guitarist, Mick Taylor, was to have closed the festival, but unfortunately bowed out due to “health” problems (my sources said it was due to drugs). We had already made plans so we decided to check out the festival anyway.
And we’re glad that we did as it was indeed a lot of fun. The Saturday night show included harmonica player James Cotton, a 73 year-old bluesman from Tunica, Mississippi. At age 9 Cotton was adopted by Sonny Boy Williamson II and travelled with the incredible bluesman for 6 years. In the 1940s he hooked up with another blues legend, none other than Howlin’ Wolf, who had also been a strong influence on the Stones. But the greats don’t end there as shortly after he was called up by none other than Muddy Waters to replace Little Walter and Junior Wells. He played with Waters for 10 years until 1965 when he eventually went solo.
Cotton has recorded for some of the most important record labels around, such as Alligator, Blind Pig and Telarc. He’s also won Grammy Awards in 1996 and 2003 and has also been inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis, Tennessee. 1977 was the year that had Cotton play together with Waters and Johnny Winter. In his illustrious career, Cotton has played with the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Steve Miller, Freddie King and B.B. King.
Unfortunately, throughout the years Cotton’s voice has practically disappeared, thanks also to some rather heavy whiskey drinking. What he lacks now in singing he certainly makes up in harmonica playing. His concert that evening lasted about 90 minutes. Indeed an honour to have seen live such a legendary artist (all pics by M. Rimati)!
And we’re glad that we did as it was indeed a lot of fun. The Saturday night show included harmonica player James Cotton, a 73 year-old bluesman from Tunica, Mississippi. At age 9 Cotton was adopted by Sonny Boy Williamson II and travelled with the incredible bluesman for 6 years. In the 1940s he hooked up with another blues legend, none other than Howlin’ Wolf, who had also been a strong influence on the Stones. But the greats don’t end there as shortly after he was called up by none other than Muddy Waters to replace Little Walter and Junior Wells. He played with Waters for 10 years until 1965 when he eventually went solo.
Cotton has recorded for some of the most important record labels around, such as Alligator, Blind Pig and Telarc. He’s also won Grammy Awards in 1996 and 2003 and has also been inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis, Tennessee. 1977 was the year that had Cotton play together with Waters and Johnny Winter. In his illustrious career, Cotton has played with the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Steve Miller, Freddie King and B.B. King.
Unfortunately, throughout the years Cotton’s voice has practically disappeared, thanks also to some rather heavy whiskey drinking. What he lacks now in singing he certainly makes up in harmonica playing. His concert that evening lasted about 90 minutes. Indeed an honour to have seen live such a legendary artist (all pics by M. Rimati)!
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