Shuggie Otis - In Session Information (1973-77 us, spectacular blues, funky soul, roots rock, RPM digipack edition)

Around about the time that Shuggie Otis was finishing recording work for what would become his DIY soul funk magnum opus, Inspiration Information, he was also hard at work producing and appearing on a number of sessions for father Johnny Otis’ Blue Spectrum series.

Otis Sr launched the series with six titles in 1974 and followed these up with a further seven in 1977, from household R'n'B names including Charles Brown, Big Joe Turner, Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson and, inevitably, Johnny Otis himself. The 15 tracks here are drawn from the entire Blues Spectrum catalogue, with each designed to “spotlight the contribution of Shuggie as featured artist, rock steady guitarist, bass guitar pattern weaver and ‘sound stylist’”. 

With all tracks laid down at Hawk Sound Studios in LA, Otis flavours his various collaborations with a roll-call of R'n'B greats who made their name long before the funk era dawned, with generous servings of his trademark downhome funkiness. It’s an inventive cross-generational approach that pays handsome dividends, most notably on Johnny Otis’ Country Girl and The Signifying Monkey, Roy Milton’s I’ve Got A Big Fat Mama and Charles Brown’s Black Night 'n' Trouble.

by Grahame Bent

Tracks
1. Doin' It (R. Berry, J. Otis) - 3:16
2. Country Girl (J.Otis, D.Evans) - 2:35
3. The Signifying Monkey (J.Otis, D.Evans) - 3:04
4. I've Got A Big Fat Mama (R. Milton) - 2:58
5. Sugar (J.Otis) - 3:07
6. Trackin' Machine (R.Berry, J.Otis) - 2:41
7. I Wanna Make You Happy (R.Berry) - 3:13
8. Black Night (Robinson) - 3:07
9. Louie Louie (R.Berry) - 2:16
10. Willie And The Hand Jive (J.Otis) - 2:44
11. Big Legged Woman (J.Otis, S.Otis, C.Brown) - 2:53
12. Trouble (C. Brown) - 2:41
13. Ooh Baby I Love You (R.Berry) - 3:48
14. Round About Midnight (R.Berry) - 4:03
15. Boom-Chick-A-Boogie (J.Liggins, J.Otis) - 3:44

Musicians
*Shuggie Otis - Guitar, Piano, Bass
*Richard Berry - Vocals, Keyboards
*Johnny Otis - Drums, Piano, Vocals
*Kurt Sletten, Doug Wintz - Horns
*Gene Conners, Melvin Moore, John Ewing - Brass
*Jack Kelos, Rene Bloch, Freddy Clark - Reeds
*Hootie Galvan - Drums
*Melvin Wonder - Guitar
*Al Edgar Willis - Bass
*Mighty Mouth Evans Dlemar - Vocals
*Roy Milton - Vocals
*Melvin Preston Lovi - Horns
*Larry Reed - Piano
*Eddie Vinson - Vocals, Saxophone
*Charles Brown - Vocals, Piano, Organ
*Joe Liggins - Vocals, Piano
*Little Willie Jackson - Alto,  Baritone Saxophone
*Jack Kelso - Tenor Saxophone, Horns

Shuggie Otis releases
1969  The Kooper Sessions
1969-71  Plays The Blues
1970-71  Here Comes / Freedom Flight

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