On March 16, 2017, James Henry Cotton died aged 81. He was musician (harmonica), singer and songwriter, had a successful solo career, recording albums under his own name, and recording and performing with number of great blues and rock musicians including Gregg Allman, William “Billy Boy” Arnold, Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Butterfield, Grateful Dead, Pat Hare, Howlin’ Wolf, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Freddie King, Alexis Korner, Steve Miller, Charlie Musselwhite, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Keith Richards, Todd Rundgren, Santana, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Otis Spann, Taj Mahal, Big Mama Thornton, Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Louis Walker, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Johnny Winter.
Tag Archives: Taj Mahal
J. J. Cale & Eric Clapton: The Road To Escondido
On November 7, 2006, “Duck” label released “The Road to Escondido”, album by J.J. Cale, Eric Clapton and Simon Climie. It was recorded in August 2005, and was produced by J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton. The album features the final Billy Preston recordings, to whom the “The Road to Escondido” Is dedicated. In 2008, the album won “Grammy Award” for “Best Contemporary Blues Album”. “The Road to Escondido” was certified Platinum in Denmark by “IFPI Denmark”; Platinum in Germany by “BVMI”; 2 x Platinum in Greece by “IFPI Greece”, and 2 x Platinum in New Zealand by “RMNZ”.
Personnel:
- JJ Cale – vocals, guitars, keyboards
- Eric Clapton – vocals, guitars, concept.
- Derek Trucks – guitar
- John Mayer – guitar
- Doyle Bramhall II – guitar
- Christine Lakeland – vocals, guitar
- Albert Lee – guitar
- Billy Preston – Hammond Organ, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer.
- Walt Richmond – piano
- Simon Climie – piano
- David Teegarden – piano
- Taj Mahal – harmonica
- Pino Palladino – bass guitar
- Gary Gilmore – bass guitar
- Willie Weeks – bass guitar
- Jim Karstein – drums, percussion.
- James Cruce – drums, percussion.
- Steve Jordan – drums
- Abe Laboriel, Jr – drums
- Nathan East – bass guitar
- Dennis Caplinger – fiddle
- Bruce Fowler – horns
- Marty Grebb – horns
- Steve Madaio – horns
- Jerry Peterson – horns
- Simon Climie – programming, digital editing
- Alan Douglas – engineer
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
- Catherine Roylance – art direction
- Joel Evenden – digital editing
- Lee Dickson – guitar techician
Track listing:
All tracks by J.J. Cale except where noted.
- Danger
- Heads in Georgia
- Missing Person
- When This War Is Over
- Sporting Life Blues – Brownie McGhee
- Dead End Road
- It’s Easy
- Hard to Thrill – Eric Clapton,John Mayer
- Anyway the Wind Blows
- Three Little Girls – Eric Clapton
- Don’t Cry Sister
- Last Will and Testament
- Who Am I Telling You?
- Ride the River
Eric Clapton: Old Sock
On March 12, 2013, “Polydor” label release “Old Sock” the twenty first Eric Clapton studio album. It was recorded in 2012, and was produced by Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II,Justin Stanley and Simon Climie.
Personnel:
- Eric Clapton– vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, dobro, mandolin
- Doyle Bramhall II– electric guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
- J.J. Cale– vocals, guitar
- Greg Leisz– pedal steel, mandolin
- Steve Winwood– Hammond B3 organ
- Tim Carmon– Hammond B3 organ, chord organ
- Walt Richmond– upright piano, keyboards
- Chris Stainton– clavinet, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Hammond B3 organ
- Justin Stanley– clavinet, mellotron, drums
- Frank Marocco– accordion
- Taj Mahal– harmonica, banjo
- Paul McCartney– vocals, upright bass
- Willie Weeks– bass guitar, upright bass
- Steve Gadd– drums
- Jim Keltner– drums
- Abe Laboriel Jr– drums
- Henry Spinetti– drums
- Matt Chamberlain– drums
- Matt Rollings– keyboards
- Simon Climie– percussion, piano
- Joseph Sublett –tenor saxophone
- Stephen “Doc” Kupka– baritone saxophone
- Nicholas Lane –trombone
- Sal Cracchiolo – trumpet
- Gabe Witcher– fiddle
- Sharon White , Michelle John – backing vocals
- Chaka Khan, Julie Clapton, Sophie Clapton, Nikka Costa, Wendy Moten, Lisa Vaughan – guest vocals
- Nick Ingman– string arrangements
Track listing:
- Further on Down the Road – Taj Mahal, Jesse E. Davis
- Angel – J.J. Cale
- The Folks Who Live on the Hill – Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern
- Gotta Get Over – Doyle Bramhall II, Justin Stanley, Nikka Costa
- Till Your Well Runs Dry – Peter Tosh
- All of Me – Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons
- Born to Lose -Ted Daffan
- Still Got the Blues – Gary Moore
- Goodnight Irene – Huddie Ledbetter,John A. Lomax, Sr.
- Your One and Only Man – Otis Redding
- Every Little Thing – Doyle Bramhall II,Justin Stanley, Nikka Costa
- Our Love Is Here to Stay – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
- No Sympathy – Peter Tosh
Taj Mahal: The Natch’t Blues
On December 23, 1968, “Columbia” label released “The Natch’l Blues”, the second Taj Mahal studio album. It was recorded May – October 1968, and was produced by David Rubinson.
Personnel:
- Taj Mahal – vocals, harmonica, Miss “National” steel bodied guitar
- Jesse Ed Davis- guitar, piano, brass arrangements
- Al Kooper- piano
- Gary Gilmore – bass
- Chuck Blackwell – drums
- Earl Palmer- drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Taj Mahal, except where noted.
- Good Morning Miss Brown
- Corinna – Taj Mahal, Jesse Ed Davis
- Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Steal My Jellyroll
- Going Up to the Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue
- Done Changed My Way of Living
- She Caught the Katy and Left Me a Mule to Ride – Taj Mahal, Yank Rachell
- The Cuckoo – traditional
- You Don’t Miss Your Water(‘Til Your Well Runs Dry) – William Bell
- Ain’t That a Lot of Love – Homer Banks, Deanie Parker
Captain Beeheart And His Magic Band: Safe As Milk
On September 25, 1967, “Buddah” label released “Safe as Milk”, the debut Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band album. It was recorded in April 1967, at the “RCA Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Richard Perry and Bob Krasnow.
Personnel:
- Don Van Vliet– vocals, bass marimba, harmonica, arrangements, theremin
- Ry Cooder– guitar, slide guitar, bass, percussion, arrangements
- Alex St. Clair Snouffer– guitar, bass, percussion, backing vocals
- Russ Titelman– guitar
- Taj Mahal– tambourine, percussion
- Jerry Handley – bass, backing vocals
- Milt Holland– log drum, tambourine, percussion
- John French– drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Samuel Hoffman– theremin
All tracks by Herb Bermann and Don Van Vliet except where noted.
- Sure ‘Nuff ‘n Yes I Do
- Zig Zag Wanderer
- Call on Me
- Dropout Boogie
- I’m Glad
- Electricity
- Yellow Brick Road
- Abba Zaba
- Plastic Factory – Van Vliet, Herb Bermann, Jerry Handley
- Where There’s Woman
- Grown So Ugly – Robert Pete Williams
- Autumn’s Child
