Koko Taylor (album)

Koko Taylor is the 1969 debut album by American blues singer Koko Taylor, released on MCA/Chess Records. It has received positive critical reception.

Reception
The editorial staff of AllMusic Guide gave Koko Taylor 4.5 out of five stars, with reviewer Bill Dahl commenting that it "is one of the strongest representations of the belter's Chess days available".

Track listing
All songs written by Willie Dixon, except where noted 2001 reissue bonus tracks
 * 1) "Love You Like a Woman" (Morris Dollison) – 2:06
 * 2) "I Love a Lover Like You" (Choice, Glover, and Merriwether) – 2:43
 * 3) "Don't Mess with the Messer" – 2:42
 * 4) "I Don't Care Who Knows" – 2:10
 * 5) "Wang Dang Doodle" – 2:58
 * 6) "I'm a Little Mixed Up" (Betty James and Clarence Johnson) – 2:39
 * 7) "Nitty Gritty" (Koko Taylor) – 2:42
 * 8) "Fire" – 2:28
 * 9) "Whatever I Am You Made Me" – 2:25
 * 10) "Twenty Nine Ways" – 3:09
 * 11) "Insane Asylum" – 4:15
 * 12) "Yes, It's Good For You" – 2:39
 * 1) "Love Sick Tears" (unknown) – 2:47
 * 2) "He Always Knocks Me Out" (unknown) – 3:04

Personnel
Personnel and recording dates for all tracks are unknown. The following details come from the 2001 CD re-release liner notes:

"Love You Like a Woman" (recorded October 1968) "I Love a Lover Like You" (recorded April 23, 1969) "Don’t Mess with the Messer" (recorded on 1965-01-20) "I Don’t Care Who Knows" (recorded October 1968) "Wang Dang Doodle" (recorded on 1965-12-07) "I’m a Little Mixed Up" (recorded in 1965) "Nitty Gritty" "Fire" (recorded August 1967) "Whatever I Am, You Made Me" (recorded 1965-01-20) "Twenty-Nine Ways" "Insane Asylum" (recorded August 1967) "Yes, It’s Good for You" (recorded October 1968) "Love Sick Tears" (recorded 20 January 1965) "He Always Knocks Me Out" Technical personnel Reissue personnel
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Willie Dixon – bass guitar
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Walter "Shakey" Horton – harmonica
 * Clifton James – drums
 * Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew – piano
 * Matt Murphy – guitar (possibly)
 * Johnny Shines – guitar (possibly)
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Willie Dixon – double bass
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Clifton James – drums
 * Lafayette Leake – piano
 * Matt Murphy – guitar
 * unknown saxophone players and background vocalists
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Gene Barge – saxophone
 * Fred Below – drums
 * Willie Dixon – backing vocals
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Donald Hankins – saxophone
 * Lafayette Leake – piano
 * Jack Meyers – bass guitar
 * Johnny "Twist" Williams – guitar
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Gene Barge – tenor saxophone
 * Willie Dixon – double bass
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Clifton James – drums
 * Lafayette Leake – piano
 * unknown background vocalists
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Walter "Shakey" Horton – harmonic
 * Clifton James – drums
 * Lafayette Leake – piano (possibly)
 * Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew – piano (possibly)
 * Jack Meyers – bass guitar
 * Matt Murphy – guitar (possibly)
 * Johnny Shines – guitar (possibly)
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Gene Barge – tenor saxophone
 * Willie Dixon – vocals
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Lafayette Leake – piano, organ
 * Johnny "Twist" Williams – guitar
 * unknown bass guitarist and drummer
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Willie Dixon – double bass
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Clifton James – drums
 * Lafayette Leake – piano
 * Matt Murphy – guitar
 * unknown saxophonist and background vocalist
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Willie Dixon – double bass
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Walter "Shakey" Horton – harmonica
 * Clifton James – drums
 * Lafayette Leake – piano (possibly)
 * Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew – piano (possibly)
 * Matt Murphy – guitar (possibly)
 * Johnny Shines – guitar (possibly)
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Gene Barge – tenor saxophone
 * Willie Dixon – vocals
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Lafayette Leake – piano, organ
 * Johnny "Twist" Williams – guitar
 * unknown bass guitarist and drummer
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Willie Dixon – double bass
 * Clifton James – drums
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Matt Murphy – guitar
 * Lafayette Leake – piano
 * Koko Taylor – vocals
 * Willie Dixon – double bass
 * Buddy Guy – guitar
 * Walter "Shakey" Horton – harmonica
 * Clifton James – drums
 * Lafayette Leake – piano (possibly)
 * Matt Murphy – guitar (possibly)
 * Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew – piano (possibly)
 * Johnny Shines – guitar (possibly)
 * Gene Barge – arrangement
 * Malcolm Chisholm – engineering
 * Willie Dixon – arrangement, production
 * Ron Malo – engineering
 * Don Wilson – illustration
 * Geary Chansley – photography
 * Bill Dahl – liner notes
 * Daily Planet – cover design
 * Mike Diehl – design
 * Doug Fulton – photography
 * Erick Labson – remastering at Universal Mastering Studios
 * Andy McKaie – reissue production
 * Bob Schnieders – research
 * Leni Sinclair – inlay photography
 * Vartan – art direction