Last weekend, I sat in on The Cotton Exchange radio show on San Francisco’s “KUSF In Exile Archive.” I didn’t actually say anything, I just listened intently to host David Katznelson play his favorite recordings of Mississippi hill country blues. Compared to Delta blues – which most people hear in their heads when you say “blues” – hill country blues is characterized by a distinctive driving rhythm and minimal chord changes that give it more of a droney, trancey feel. Odd as it may seem, David and I both agreed that some hill country blues hits us right in our Velvet Underground and Spacemen 3 sweet spot. If you’re not hip to the hill country sound, this archived episode of the Cotton Exchange will be a fine education. And if you already are up on it, consider this a killer compilation of essential cuts. My favorite track of the night can be heard in the YouTube video above, Junior Kimbrough and rockabilly pioneer Charlie Feathers playing “I Feel Good Again.” David Katznelson’s The Cotton Exchange (7-31-11)
The Cotton Exchange is also the name of David’s brand new blues reissue label. It’s all vinyl, of course, and subscription only. Keep your eyes (and ears) open for a Boing Boing special interview with David soon. The Cotton Exchange: A Celebration of the Recorded Blues