Shuggie Otis • Here Comes Shuggie Otis

 

Review by 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. 
https://www.allmusic.com/album/here-comes-shuggie-otis-mw0000741347

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Reseña de Thom Jurek
Here Comes Shuggie Otis, de 1971, fue el álbum debut del guitarrista y compositor, publicado por Columbia, cuando Shuggie solo tenía 18 años. Producido y arreglado por su padre, la leyenda del R&B Johnny Otis, el álbum incluye nueve temas originales coescritos por ambos y, en algunos casos, por otros, y uno escrito por Johnny con Dan Aldrich. El álbum se divide a partes iguales entre temas vocales e instrumentales. El elenco de estas sesiones incluía a Johnny, Wilton Felder, Stix Hooper, el bajista Al McKibbon, Preston Love, Jackie Kelso, Plas Johnson y una sección de cuerdas. «Oxford Gray», el tema que abre el álbum, es un instrumental compuesto por Johnny, Shuggie, Felder y Hooper. A diferencia de todo lo que se había hecho hasta entonces, es una melodía de blues barroco en la que Shuggie toca el slide eléctrico y acústico, el clavicordio, las cuerdas y un pequeño backbeat groovy que se mueve entre el blues y el funk. Parece una suite debido a sus numerosas secciones compuestas, pero la guitarra de Shuggie es pura poesía improvisada. A continuación viene el hermoso pop psicodélico de «Jennie Lee». La voz de Shuggie aún no estaba del todo a la altura y seguía siendo algo vacilante, pero su magnífico solo de guitarra, con influencias de Albert King, encaja a la perfección y contrasta maravillosamente con su guitarra acústica en las estrofas. Los metales son sobrios y majestuosos, y la paleta de texturas del tema es exuberante y espaciosa. También hay mucho de raíces aquí, como en «Bootie Cooler», un blues al estilo Stax, y el shimmy and shake de «Shuggie's Boogie», el funk de «Hurricane» y el reverencial y descarnado «Gospel Groove». El álbum se cierra con un tema de soul rock moderno llamado «Baby I Needed You», con un estribillo pegadizo, aunque la voz de Shuggie no acaba de estar a la altura. Here Comes Shuggie Otis resiste el paso del tiempo más de 30 años después y se erige como un referente de la composición, la improvisación y la perspicacia en la producción. 
https://www.allmusic.com/album/here-comes-shuggie-otis-mw0000741347


 

Tracks:
1 - Oxford Gray - 6:51
2 - Jennie Lee - 2:11
3 - Bootie Cooler - 2:43
4 - Knowing (That You Want Him) - 2:35
5 - Funky Thithee - 3:11
6 - Shuggie's Boogie - 5:32
7 - Hurricane - 2:20
8 - Gospel Groove - 4:15
9 - Baby, I Need You - 3:45
10 - The Hawks - 2:27


Credits:
    Arranged By – Johnny Otis, Roger Spotts*
    Celesta – Johnny Otis, Shuggie Otis, Wilton Felder
    Cello – Hyman Gold, Irving Lipschultz
    Double Bass [String Bass] – Al McKibbon
    Drums – "Stix" Hooper, Abe Mills, Paul Lagos
    Electric Bass – Wilton Felder
    Engineer – Rafael O. Valentin*
    Flute – Jack Kelso*, Hank Jernigan*, Preston Love
    French Horn – Richard Mackey, Willie Ruff
    Guitar, Vocals – Shuggie Otis
    Harpsichord – Johnny Otis, Shuggie Otis, Wilton Felder
    Organ – Leon Haywood, Shuggie Otis
    Piano – Johnny Otis, Ray Johnson, Shuggie Otis
    Producer – Johnny Otis
    Saxophone – Jack Kelso*, Jim Horn, Hank Jernigan*, Plas Johnson, Preston Love
    Strings – Eunice Wennermark, Ginger Smock, Isadore Roman, Joe Lichter
    Timpani, Percussion – Johnny Otis
    Trombone – Gene "Mighty Flea" Conners
    Trumpet – Bob Mitchell (2), Melvin Moore (2)
    Violin – Marilyn Baker, Rollice Dale
    Written-By – D. Aldrich* (tracks: 4), J. Otis*, N. Hooper* (tracks: 1), S. Otis* (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 10), W. Felder* (tracks: 1, 2, 8)

Label:    Epic – BN 26511
Country:    US
Released:    1970
Genre:    Rock, Funk / Soul, Blues
Style:    Soul, Psychedelic, Blues Rock
https://www.discogs.com/master/344164-Shuggie-Otis-Here-Comes-Shuggie-Otis

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