SHUGGIE OTIS
''HERE COMES SHUGGIE OTIS''
1970
34:56
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1/Oxford Gray (N. Hooper, Otis, Otis, W. Felder)
2/Jennie Lee (Felder, Otis, Otis)
3/Bootie Cooler (Otis, Otis)
4/Knowing (That You Want Him) (D. Aldrich, Otis)
5/Funky Thithee (Otis, Otis)
6/Shuggie's Boogie (Otis, Otis)
7/Hurricane (Otis, Otis, W. Felder)
8/Gospel Groove (Otis, Otis)
9/Baby, I Needed You (Otis, Otis)
10/The Hawkins (Otis, Otis)
**********
Marilyn Baker - Viola
Gene "Mighty Flea" Conners - Trombone
Rollice Dale - Viola
Wilton Felder - Bass, Bass (Electric), Celeste
Hyman Gold - Cello
Leon Haywood - Organ, Keyboards
Stix Hooper - Drums
Jim Horn - Saxophone
Hank Jernigan - Saxophone
Melvin Jernigan - Wind
Tank Jernigan - Flute
Plas Johnson - Saxophone
Ray Johnson - Piano
Jackie Kelso - Saxophone
Paul Lagos - Drums
Joe Lichter - Violin
Irving Lipshultz - Cello
Preston Love - Flute, Saxophone, Wind
Richard MacKay - Horn, French Horn
Al McKibbon - Bass
Abe Mills - Drums
Bobby Mitchell - Trumpet
Mitchell - Trumpet
Melvin Moore - Trumpet
Johnny Otis - Percussion, Piano, Arranger, Drums, Producer, Tympani [Timpani]
Shuggie Otis - Bass, Guitar, Piano, Vocals
Isadore Roman - Violin
Willie Ruff - Horn, French Horn
Ginger Smock - Violin
Eunice Wennermark - Violin
**********
REVIEW/AMG
Thom Jurek
1971's Here Comes Shuggie Otis was the debut album by the guitarist and songwriter, issued by Columbia, when Shuggie was only 18. Produced and arranged by his father, R&B legend Johnny Otis, the set features nine original cuts co-written by the pair, and in some cases others, and one written by Johnny with Dan Aldrich. The album is evenly divided between vocal tunes and instrumentals. The cast for these sessions included Johnny, Wilton Felder, Stix Hooper, bassist Al McKibbon, Preston Love, Jackie Kelso, Plas Johnson, and a string section. "Oxford Gray," the album's opener, is an instrumental written by Johnny, Shuggie, Felder, and Hooper. Unlike anything that ever came before it, it's a baroque blues tune that features Shuggie playing both electric and acoustic bottleneck slide, a harpsichord, strings, and a groovy little backbeat that walks the edge of blues and funk. It feels like a suite because of its many composed sections, but Shuggie's guitar is pure improvisational poetry. This is followed by the beautiful, psychedelic pop of "Jennie Lee." Shuggie's vocals weren't quite there, and were still somewhat tentative, but his gorgeous, Albert King-inflected guitar solo is right in the pocket, and stands in wonderful contrast to his acoustic string in the verses. The horns are restrained and regal, and the textural palette of the cut is lush and spacious. There is plenty of rootsy playing here too, such as on "Bootie Cooler," a Stax-styled blues groove, and the name-dropping shimmy and shake of "Shuggie's Boogie," the wig-tightening funk of "Hurricane," and the reverentially gritty "Gospel Groove." It closes with a modern soul rocker called "Baby I Needed You," with a killer hook in the refrain even if Shuggie's vocal doesn't quite pull it all off. Here Comes Shuggie Otis stands the test of time over 30 years later, and stands as a hallmark of songwriting, improvisation, and production acumen.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Ed Hogan
Guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist Shuggie Otis may not be a household name, but his "Strawberry Letter 23" is in the record collections of millions of households. The Brothers Johnson's cover of "Strawberry Letter 23" has sold over a million copies, peaking at number one R&B and number five pop on Billboard's charts in summer 1977. It was on their LP Right on Time, which went platinum, selling over a million copies, holding the number one R&B spot for three weeks and making it to number 13 pop in spring 1977. Otis wrote "Strawberry Letter 23" for his girlfriend, who used strawberry scented paper for her letters to him. Another Otis favorite, "Inspiration Information," received substantial airplay in Chicago and other markets, charting #56 R&B in early 1975.
Born Johnny Otis, Jr. on November 30, 1953, in Los Angeles, CA, Otis' formidable musical talents appeared at an early age. He began his professional career around 1965. He played a guitar solo on his bandleader, father Johnny Otis' 1969 number 29 R&B hit, "Country Girl," issued by Kent Records. His guitar skills were so adept that during his teen years, he would have to wear dark glasses and strategically apply black ink between his nose and mouth to appear old enough to perform in clubs with his father.
Signing with CBS Records, Otis began recording virtuoso guitar-laced R&B/West Coast blues sides. His first LP was Al Kooper Introduces Shuggie Otis on CBS. Johnny Otis produced 1970's Here Comes Shuggie Otis, which was issued on the CBS imprint, Epic Records. Otis' Freedom Flight was issued September 1971 and included the original version of "Strawberry Letter 23," the heart-tugging "Someone's Always Singing," "Ice Cold Daydream," and the bluesy "Me and My Woman," co-written by Otis and Gene Barge (known best for his association with Chess Records, Chuck Willis, and Natalie Cole).
His LP Inspiration Information was issued in October 1974, with Otis playing all of the instruments on jazzy and Latin-tinged R&B numbers. The LP was one of the first releases to showcase the electronic rhythm box then found usually on organs. Besides "Inspiration Information," the LP included the sly "Sparkle City," the sweet ballad "Outtamihead," and the lush, strings-laden "Island Letter," which was the B-side of "Inspiration Information."
George Johnson of The Brothers Johnson was dating one of Otis' cousins who gave Johnson a copy of Freedom Flight. Immediately, he liked "Ice Cold Daydream" and "Strawberry Letter 23." The latter song was played at his brother Louis Johnson's wedding during the wedding march. Louis suggested the song to their producer Quincy Jones for an album track. The track's complex guitar solo was played by Lee Ritenour. The Brothers Johnson version is quite close to Otis' original version.
Later on in the '90s, Otis played with his own band around northern California and toured extensively. His son, Lucky Otis, played bass with Johnny Otis' band. Shuggie Otis is featured in the book Alligator Records Presents West Coast Blues, issued in August 1998 by Milwaukee, WI, publisher Hal Leonard.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
**********
''HERE COMES SHUGGIE OTIS''
1970
34:56
**********
1/Oxford Gray (N. Hooper, Otis, Otis, W. Felder)
2/Jennie Lee (Felder, Otis, Otis)
3/Bootie Cooler (Otis, Otis)
4/Knowing (That You Want Him) (D. Aldrich, Otis)
5/Funky Thithee (Otis, Otis)
6/Shuggie's Boogie (Otis, Otis)
7/Hurricane (Otis, Otis, W. Felder)
8/Gospel Groove (Otis, Otis)
9/Baby, I Needed You (Otis, Otis)
10/The Hawkins (Otis, Otis)
**********
Marilyn Baker - Viola
Gene "Mighty Flea" Conners - Trombone
Rollice Dale - Viola
Wilton Felder - Bass, Bass (Electric), Celeste
Hyman Gold - Cello
Leon Haywood - Organ, Keyboards
Stix Hooper - Drums
Jim Horn - Saxophone
Hank Jernigan - Saxophone
Melvin Jernigan - Wind
Tank Jernigan - Flute
Plas Johnson - Saxophone
Ray Johnson - Piano
Jackie Kelso - Saxophone
Paul Lagos - Drums
Joe Lichter - Violin
Irving Lipshultz - Cello
Preston Love - Flute, Saxophone, Wind
Richard MacKay - Horn, French Horn
Al McKibbon - Bass
Abe Mills - Drums
Bobby Mitchell - Trumpet
Mitchell - Trumpet
Melvin Moore - Trumpet
Johnny Otis - Percussion, Piano, Arranger, Drums, Producer, Tympani [Timpani]
Shuggie Otis - Bass, Guitar, Piano, Vocals
Isadore Roman - Violin
Willie Ruff - Horn, French Horn
Ginger Smock - Violin
Eunice Wennermark - Violin
**********
REVIEW/AMG
Thom Jurek
1971's Here Comes Shuggie Otis was the debut album by the guitarist and songwriter, issued by Columbia, when Shuggie was only 18. Produced and arranged by his father, R&B legend Johnny Otis, the set features nine original cuts co-written by the pair, and in some cases others, and one written by Johnny with Dan Aldrich. The album is evenly divided between vocal tunes and instrumentals. The cast for these sessions included Johnny, Wilton Felder, Stix Hooper, bassist Al McKibbon, Preston Love, Jackie Kelso, Plas Johnson, and a string section. "Oxford Gray," the album's opener, is an instrumental written by Johnny, Shuggie, Felder, and Hooper. Unlike anything that ever came before it, it's a baroque blues tune that features Shuggie playing both electric and acoustic bottleneck slide, a harpsichord, strings, and a groovy little backbeat that walks the edge of blues and funk. It feels like a suite because of its many composed sections, but Shuggie's guitar is pure improvisational poetry. This is followed by the beautiful, psychedelic pop of "Jennie Lee." Shuggie's vocals weren't quite there, and were still somewhat tentative, but his gorgeous, Albert King-inflected guitar solo is right in the pocket, and stands in wonderful contrast to his acoustic string in the verses. The horns are restrained and regal, and the textural palette of the cut is lush and spacious. There is plenty of rootsy playing here too, such as on "Bootie Cooler," a Stax-styled blues groove, and the name-dropping shimmy and shake of "Shuggie's Boogie," the wig-tightening funk of "Hurricane," and the reverentially gritty "Gospel Groove." It closes with a modern soul rocker called "Baby I Needed You," with a killer hook in the refrain even if Shuggie's vocal doesn't quite pull it all off. Here Comes Shuggie Otis stands the test of time over 30 years later, and stands as a hallmark of songwriting, improvisation, and production acumen.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Ed Hogan
Guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist Shuggie Otis may not be a household name, but his "Strawberry Letter 23" is in the record collections of millions of households. The Brothers Johnson's cover of "Strawberry Letter 23" has sold over a million copies, peaking at number one R&B and number five pop on Billboard's charts in summer 1977. It was on their LP Right on Time, which went platinum, selling over a million copies, holding the number one R&B spot for three weeks and making it to number 13 pop in spring 1977. Otis wrote "Strawberry Letter 23" for his girlfriend, who used strawberry scented paper for her letters to him. Another Otis favorite, "Inspiration Information," received substantial airplay in Chicago and other markets, charting #56 R&B in early 1975.
Born Johnny Otis, Jr. on November 30, 1953, in Los Angeles, CA, Otis' formidable musical talents appeared at an early age. He began his professional career around 1965. He played a guitar solo on his bandleader, father Johnny Otis' 1969 number 29 R&B hit, "Country Girl," issued by Kent Records. His guitar skills were so adept that during his teen years, he would have to wear dark glasses and strategically apply black ink between his nose and mouth to appear old enough to perform in clubs with his father.
Signing with CBS Records, Otis began recording virtuoso guitar-laced R&B/West Coast blues sides. His first LP was Al Kooper Introduces Shuggie Otis on CBS. Johnny Otis produced 1970's Here Comes Shuggie Otis, which was issued on the CBS imprint, Epic Records. Otis' Freedom Flight was issued September 1971 and included the original version of "Strawberry Letter 23," the heart-tugging "Someone's Always Singing," "Ice Cold Daydream," and the bluesy "Me and My Woman," co-written by Otis and Gene Barge (known best for his association with Chess Records, Chuck Willis, and Natalie Cole).
His LP Inspiration Information was issued in October 1974, with Otis playing all of the instruments on jazzy and Latin-tinged R&B numbers. The LP was one of the first releases to showcase the electronic rhythm box then found usually on organs. Besides "Inspiration Information," the LP included the sly "Sparkle City," the sweet ballad "Outtamihead," and the lush, strings-laden "Island Letter," which was the B-side of "Inspiration Information."
George Johnson of The Brothers Johnson was dating one of Otis' cousins who gave Johnson a copy of Freedom Flight. Immediately, he liked "Ice Cold Daydream" and "Strawberry Letter 23." The latter song was played at his brother Louis Johnson's wedding during the wedding march. Louis suggested the song to their producer Quincy Jones for an album track. The track's complex guitar solo was played by Lee Ritenour. The Brothers Johnson version is quite close to Otis' original version.
Later on in the '90s, Otis played with his own band around northern California and toured extensively. His son, Lucky Otis, played bass with Johnny Otis' band. Shuggie Otis is featured in the book Alligator Records Presents West Coast Blues, issued in August 1998 by Milwaukee, WI, publisher Hal Leonard.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
**********
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Obrigado irmão!!
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