Fire Down Under the Hill

1	Cotton Jump Boogie 5:48
2	That's All Right / Darrell Nulisch 3:53
3	Young Fashioned Ways 4:07
4	Boot Knockin' Boogie / Darrell Nulisch 4:35
5	Lightning 3:53
6	Feel Like Going Home 5:51
7	Fire Down Under the Hill 10:36
8	Woman Wanted 4:22
9	Reconsider Baby 3:01
10	Something to Remember You By 5:36

Barnes & Noble

James "Superharp" Cotton's 1954 single "Cotton Crop Blues" was released in1954 and quickly became a classic illustration of how powerful an instrument the harmonica could be. Now more than four decades later, Cotton can still play the harp as if it were a bugle calling the troops to the dance floor. But his power now shares the stage with subtle shadings, making a listen to FIRE DOWN UNDER THE HILL a deeply satisfying experience. Cotton's blues harp does the singing, crying, and shouting on the instrumentals "Cotton Jump Boogie," "Lightning," and a ten-minute version of the title cut. Cotton does still sing though and his fragile, gravely voice is perfect for the loneliness in "Woman Wanted," the weariness of "Feel Like Going Home," and the abandonment of "Something to Remember You By." Cotton is accompanied by the lean clean guitarist Rico McFarland, the tastier-than-ever pianist David Maxwell, and vocalist Darrell Nulisch, whose soulfulness and touch of vibrato give "That's Alright" and "Boot Knockin' Boogie" the authenticity of '60s Chicago blues. Completely acoustic, FIRE DOWN UNDER THE HILL is every bit as good as Cotton's Grammy-winning DEEP IN THE BLUES. Roberta Penn

All Music Guide

Fire Down Under the Hill is the first release for the Telarc label by blues harmonica legend James Cotton. These ten acoustic tracks combine new tunes with the traditional Delta style passed down to Cotton directly from Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson. Backed by his regular road band, guitarist Rico McFarland, pianist David Maxwell, and vocalist Darrell Nulisch, Cotton's exquisitely gritty harp playing still sounds great. Les Campbell

Southwest Blues

A remarkable collection of 100% Cotton...doing what he does best; no filters, no gloss, no doctoring.