I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! [Bonus Tracks]

• Artist: Janis Joplin
• Rating:
• Release Date: August 31, 1999
• Total Time: 51:15
• Genre: Rock

Review

Janis Joplin's solo debut was a letdown at the time of release, suffering in comparison with Big Brother's Cheap Thrills from the previous year, and shifting her style toward soul-rock in a way that disappointed some fans. Removed from that context, it sounds better today, though it's still flawed. Fronting the short-lived Kozmic Blues Band, the arrangements are horn heavy and the material soulful and bluesy. The band sounds a little stiff, though, and although Joplin's singing is good, she would sound more electrifying on various live versions of some of the songs that have come out over the years. The shortage of quality original compositions -- indeed, there are only eight tracks total on the album -- didn't help either, and the cover selections were erratic, particularly the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody." On the other hand, "Try" is one of her best soul outings, and the reading of Rodgers & Hart's "Little Girl Blue" is inspired. The 1999 CD reissue adds three bonus tracks: a cover of Bob Dylan's "Dear Landlord" from the Kozmic Blues sessions that was first heard on the Janis box set, and previously unreleased versions of "Summertime" and "Piece of My Heart" from the Woodstock Festival. "Summertime" is okay, but this "Piece of My Heart" really pales next to the Big Brother interpretation. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)	Chip Taylor, Jerry Ragovoy	Janis Joplin	(3:57)
Maybe	Richard Barrett	Janis Joplin	(3:41)
One Good Man	Janis Joplin	Janis Joplin	(4:12)
As Good as You've Been to This World	Nick Gravenites	Janis Joplin	(5:27)
To Love Somebody	Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb	Janis Joplin	(5:14)
Kozmic Blues	Janis Joplin, Gabriel Mekler	Janis Joplin	(4:24)
Little Girl Blue	Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart	Janis Joplin	(3:51)
Work Me, Lord	Nick Gravenites, Traditional	Janis Joplin	(6:45)
Dear Landlord [Outtake from the "Kozmic Blues" Sessions][*]	Bob Dylan	Janis Joplin	(2:32)
Summertime [Live at Woodstock][#][*]	George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Dubose Heyward	Janis Joplin	(5:04)
Piece of My Heart [Live at Woodstock][#][*]	Bert Berns, Jerry Ragovoy	Janis Joplin	(6:31)

Credits

Janis Joplin (Guitar), Janis Joplin (Vocals), Janis Joplin (Main Performer), Luis Gasca (Trumpet), Steven Berkowitz (A&R), Sam Andrew (Guitar), Sam Andrew (Vocals), Sam Andrew (Vocals (Background)), Maury Baker (Drums), Brad Campbell (Bass), Brad Campbell (Brass), Lonnie Castille (Drums), Terry Clements (Saxophone), Terry Clements (Sax (Tenor)), Terry Clements (?), Robert Crumb (Lettering), Robert Crumb (Cover Lettering), Cornelius "Snookey" Flowers (Saxophone), Cornelius "Snookey" Flowers (Sax (Baritone)), Cornelius "Snookey" Flowers (Vocals (Background)), Michael Friedman (Photography), Michael Friedman (Back Cover), Jerry Hochman (Engineer), Alex Kazanegras (Engineer), Richard Kermode (Organ), Richard Kermode (Keyboards), Edwin H. Kramer (Engineer), Gabriel Mekler (Organ), Gabriel Mekler (Arranger), Gabriel Mekler (Keyboards), Gabriel Mekler (Producer), Gabriel Mekler (Original Album Producer), Sy Mitchell (Engineer), Bruce Steinberg (Photography), Bruce Steinberg (Cover Photo), Jim Marshall (Photography), Bob Irwin (Producer), Bob Irwin (Reissue Producer), David Gahr (Photography), David Gahr (Tray Photo), Vic Anesini (Mastering), Vic Anesini (Mixing), Vic Anesini (Reissue Mastering), Vic Anesini (Reissue Mixing), Fred Lombardi (Photography), Fred Lombardi (Back Cover), Elliott Landy (Photography), Patti Matheny (A&R), Nicholas Bennett (Packaging Manager), John Byrne Cooke (Liner Notes), Richard DiLello (Photography), Richard DiLello (Back Cover), Mark Feldman (Project Director), Lee Osborne (Engineer)