by Robert Wilkinson
July 1 would have been the 109th birthday of the legendary Hoochie Coochie Back Door Man himself, Mister Willie Dixon. And he has an astro-twin also born that day 20 years later in the blues Harp Master, James Cotton!
Because of the amazing blues these two guys created for the world, along with all the others who performed with them, we begin this dance very early today. So let's jump into the amazing music of Mister Willie Dixon. In case you didn't know who this force of Nature was, here's a little from Wikipedia:
Willie Dixon (July 1, 1915 – January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the upright bass and the guitar and as a vocalist, Dixon is perhaps best known as one of the most prolific songwriters of his time. Next to Muddy Waters, Dixon is recognized as the most influential person in shaping the post-World War II sound of the Chicago blues.Dixon's songs have been recorded by countless musicians in many genres as well as by various ensembles in which he participated. A short list of the his most famous compositions includes “Little Red Rooster,” “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “Spoonful,” “Back Door Man,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” “My Babe,” “Wang Dang Doodle,” and “I Can’t Quit You Baby.” These tunes were written during the peak of Chess Records, 1950–1965, and performed by Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Little Walter; they influenced a worldwide generation of musicians.
Dixon also was an important link between the blues and rock and roll working with Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley in the late 1950s. His songs were covered by some of the biggest artists of more recent times, such as Bob Dylan, Cream, the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones.
His song output was phenomenal! All the blues classics in today’s dance were written by Willie Dixon, often based in pre-existing blues standards, and made famous by Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and many others!
Dancing to the Hoochie Coochie Back Door Man!
We begin in 1960 with a live television performance by Muddy Waters of Willie Dixon's "Hoochie Coochie Man."From 1963 on UK’s I Hear the Blues, here’s 8 minutes of pure gold video footage with Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon, Big Joe Williams, and others doing "Bye Bye Blues”
From his 1969 studio album, here's Howlin' Wolf doing “Back Door Man”
If you wonder why the Doors created excitement wherever they were, you must see this! Here’s a video clip from an early Doors concert, probably 1967, very live and waay out there, of “Back Door Man” (Jim gets as guttural as a wild man can!) Because I think the Doors were the best of the best, here’s another live performance, more subdued, on a studio soundstage in Europe in 1968. This is closer to the studio version than the Wildman performance above! “Back Door Man”
Here’s the original Howlin' Wolf studio version of “Little Red Rooster”
Here’s a great live video clip from 1964 of the VERY young Rolling Stones performing “Little Red Rooster” and here's another somewhat strange live performance from 1965 of the Stones doing “Little Red Rooster”
Here’s a great live b/w television performance by the legendary Otis Rush of “I Can’t Quit You Baby”
Here’s the original studio version by Willie Dixon of the song Led Zeppelin made famous, “I Can’t Quit You Baby”
I found this great 1970 Led Zeppelin video from their Royal Albert Hall performance of “I Can’t Quit You Baby” and here’s the original studio version by Led Zeppelin of “I Can’t Quit You Baby”
We begin our clips of the next classic tune with a studio performance by Etta James of “I Just Want To Make Love To You”
I found it again! If you don’t see one other clip, this is the one to see. This is a SMOKIN’ version by Etta James, live at Montreux in 1993, of “I Just Want To Make Love To You”
This one’s a treat from Adele, another classic female voice belting out this classic song! Here’s Adele live in 2008, backed by Jools Holland and his R&B Orchestra at his Hootenanny, giving up “I Just Want To Make Love To You”
Flashing back 56 years, I found the Rolling Stones live on The Hollywood Palace television broadcast in June 1964 cranking out “I Just Want To Make Love To You”
Fast forward to 2003 in London, and here’s a much slower and funkier version by Keef, Mick, and the boys grinding out “I Just Want To Make Love To You”
A great live 11+ minute 1974 performance on tv by Foghat in a grinding, rocking version of “I Just Want To Make Love To You”
We’ll finish this tune with a great live NYC performance in 1978 of Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker backed by Johnny Winter, Otis Blackwell, Eddie Bluesman Kirkland, Dave Honeyboy Edwards, Foghat and others doing "I Just Want To Make Love To You”
It’s back, recorded as a video from a video. That means it’s a bit distorted, but it’s still classic footage! Welcome to the full hour video of Muddy, Johnny Winter, Mike Bloomfield, and a lot of incredible stars performing at Soundstage’s 1974 Blues Summit in Chicago, featuring Harry Chapin, Mike Bloomfield, Willie Dixon, Nick Gravenites, Buddy Miles, Dr. John, Junior Wells, Koko Taylor, Randy Newman, the Pointer Sisters, Tom Waits, Roberta Flack, and Jose Feliciano! The music begins about 90 seconds into the clip. For a better, clearer version, give your local PBS a small amount.
Soundstage – Blues Summit in Chicago - 1974
Here’s the original studio version by Howlin’ Wolf of “Wang Dang Doodle”
Here’s Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, and Bob Wier live in Oakland at the 1988 Bridge School Benefit grooving on "Wang Dang Doodle."
I also found this clip of the Grateful Dead with John Popper very live in Golden Gate Park at the Bill Graham memorial concert in late 1991 doing their version of “Wang Dang Doodle”
For another take, here’s the Grateful Dead with Bruce Hornsby in Denver in 1991 doing their audio-only version of “Wang Dang Doodle”
Here’s a great studio version by Koko Taylor of “Wang Dang Doodle”
11 minutes of pure gold! Here’s Koko Taylor, Willie, Little Walter, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Victoria Spivey and others in 4 great “live in the studio“ clips from 1967. It begins with Koko and Willie, and goes into other classic tunes, including “TB Blues.” “Wang Dang Doodle”
From their 1971 album, here’s the Savoy Brown Blues Band studio version of “Wang Dang Doodle”
From the 1970 Howlin’ Wolf London Sessions album featuring Eric Clapton, Stevie Winwood, and the rhythm section of the Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts (with Ian Stewart on keyboards), the studio version of “Wang Dang Doodle” and “I Ain’t Superstitious”
Here's the original Howlin' Wolf studio version of "I Ain't Superstitious"
Here’s the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart live in 1968 set to stills, cranking out “I Ain’t Superstitious”
Here’s Jeff and Rod in a recent live video performance in LA of “I Ain’t Superstitious”
For our closing number, here’s the original Howlin' Wolf studio version of “Spoonful”
Here’s a great score from French television! It’s Ten Years After in January 1968 featuring the brilliant guitar work of Alvin Lee whipping out their 7+ minute version of “Spoonful”
And now, for one of the most famous versions in history, here’s the original studio version by Cream of “Spoonful” and from 1967, a 22 minute very live and very psychedelic audio-only recording by Cream of “Spoonful” with an amazing solo by Eric Clapton!
Here’s an awesome rare 9 minute live video performance from 1967 in London’s Revolution Club by Cream doing a very heavy version of “Spoonful” (If you don’t check out any other clip, this is the one to see. Wow!)
Here’s a fantastic live video clip from the 2012 Howlin’ for Hubert Concert at the legendary Apollo Theater featuring Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and James Cotton cranking out “Spoonful”
And finally, from the 2005 Crèam reunion at the Royal Albert Hall, a fantastic live video performance of “Spoonful”
For the encore, we have three great long videos. The first two share the same name but containing different footage!
First, a full hour video of the great Willie Dixon from 1984, Willie Dixon - I Am The Blues.
The second is a 45 minute documentary from the 1977 Berlin jazz festival called Willie Dixon – I Am The Blues 1977
The third is 51 minutes, and seems to have some of the same footage as the second one, but it also has a different intro and different performance footage, so enjoy them all! Calling all blues fanatics! Willie Dixon & The New Generation of Chicago Blues 1977 – Germany
Since he wrote or co-wrote over 500 songs, many of which have become blues classics, if you’re interested in his discography and the many groups that have covered his tunes, check out this List of songs written by Willie Dixon.
Thanks for the tunes, blues Master. I’m sure you and Muddy and Chester and Buddy and Junior and Mike are having a get-down blast on whatever frequency of the bardo you guys are hangin’ out in, cranking out the finest blues ever made!
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Yes, it’s also the birthday of another blues legend, James Cotton (July 1, 1935 – March 16, 2017). He was one of the greatest blues harmonica players in history, accompanying Howlin’ Wolf in the 50s and becoming Muddy Waters’ bandleader from 1955-65. He then went solo and continued to play right up to the end.
Time for James to strut his stuff, so enjoy this short set from Mister James Cotton! We already began with his harp work on “Spoonful” with Eric and Keith in the previous set, so let’s get down with more Chicago blues!
From 1966, Muddy and James in a classic live performance of “Got My Mojo Workin’” and from the same gig, “You Can’t Lose What You Ain’t Got”
From the late 60s on the Playboy After Dark tv show, “Someday Baby Blues” and “Murder in the First Degree” (the last half of the clip features Rod Piazza and more blues.)
From the legendary Texas International Pop Festival on the last weekend of August 1969, the James Cotton Blues Band cranks in this one hour set! The James Cotton Blues Band Live at the Texas International Pop Festival - 1969
The 20 minute set at Winterland in 1973 is gone.
From late 1975 or early 1976, an audio of James live at the Electric Lady Studio in NYC backed by Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Little Bo, Charles Calmese, and Kenney Johnson doing “One More Miles,” “Stormy Monday,” and “Boogie Thing.”
Mister James holding a Master class in “The Creeper.” From the same gig, giving us his version of a tune in the running as one of the first true Rock and Roll songs, “Rocket 88”
Jumping the years, some serious blues harp! “Angel of Mercy” “Blues in My Sleep”
From the same 2012 Howlin’ for Hubert Concert at the Apollo show that gave us “Spoonful” above, here’s Keith Richards and James Cotton rehearsing “Little Red Rooster”
For our closer, live at the 2005 Rauma Blues Festival, 14+ minutes from two blues legends, Magic Slim and James Cotton! “Ship Made of Paper”
For the encore, 13+ minutes of pure gold! It’s a piece from a documentary called Blues Deluxe, and features the James Cotton Blues Band with Luther Tucker on guitar, and Muddy Waters, Odetta, and Richie Havens!
Blues Delux with James Cotton, Odetta, Muddy Waters, and more
Thanks for the blues, gentlemen.
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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