One of the truly unique blues artists of the 20th Century was left handed slide guitarist James “Kokomo” Arnold (1896 or 1901-1968). This 49 song set collection over two discs captures just about everything he did for Decca, as well as his real early material as “Gitfiddle Jim” on Victor. He had a unique vocal delivery, almost staccato in style, and his picking was deep and strong.
His earliest recordings from 1930 and ’34 are fairly primitive in recording quality, but are clean enough for you to pick up his rich twang and his earthy field hollars of a voice on “Paddlin’ Blues” and “Sagefield Woman Blues” while he picks up some boogie woogie on “Back to the Woods”. His slide work is rich as he howls through “How Long, How Long Blues” and his fingerwork is nimble on pices like “Big Leg Mama” and “Front Door Blues”. There are a handful of versions of “Milk Cow Blues”. Most of the time he’s all by himself, just sitting on the porch, pickin’ and grinnin’ as on “Salt Dog”, but there are some sessions with pianist Peetie Wheastraw that procuce a swinging “Set Down Gal” while another, unknown pianist jumps to “Something’s Hot”. You can feel the red clay underneath the fingernails on this one.