Spirit of the Black Territory Bands
Spirit of the Black Territory Bands is an album by the American musician Johnny Otis, credited as Johnny Otis and His Orchestra.[2][3] It was released in 1992.[4] The album is a tribute to the music of the territory bands of Otis's youth; Otis played with several such bands in the 1940s.[5][6]
Spirit of the Black Territory Bands | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1992 | |||
Label | Arhoolie[1] | |||
Producer | Johnny Otis, Tom Morgan | |||
Johnny Otis chronology | ||||
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The album was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance" category.[7][8]
Production
The album was produced by Otis and Tom Morgan.[9][10] Otis's son, Shuggie, played guitar and helped to arrange the songs. His other son, Nicky, played drums.[11] Otis employed a 10-piece horn section.[12] The album was largely made up of Count Basie and Duke Ellington songs.[13] The album cover is a painting by Otis.[14]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [15] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide | [16] |
The San Francisco Chronicle wrote that "the arrangements lay curling, fine-point filigree behind blasting individual efforts with a prevailing robust spirit that simply smokes."[12]
AllMusic deemed the album "competent but hardly thrilling."[15] The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings noted Otis's "continued engagement with jazz," and concluded that "it's unlikely that swing fans will be disappointed."[17]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Swinging the Blues" | |
2. | "Margie" | |
3. | "You're Drivin' Me Crazy/Moten Swing" | |
4. | "The Mooche" | |
5. | "Flying Home" | |
6. | "Harlem Nocturne" | |
7. | "Jumpin' at the Woodside" | |
8. | "Sophisticated Lady" | |
9. | "Jumpin' the Blues" | |
10. | "Creole Love Call" | |
11. | "Rock-a-Bye Basie" |
References
- Vacher, Peter (September 17, 2015). "Swingin' on Central Avenue: African American Jazz in Los Angeles". Rowman & Littlefield – via Google Books.
- Ouellette, Dan (Mar 1993). "Johnny Otis". DownBeat. 60 (3): 14.
- "Lowell Fulson & Johnny Otis To Headline Troyce Key Music Scholarship Fund Benefit". Oakland Post. Vol. 29, no. 106. 28 Apr 1993. p. 9.
- Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 353.
- Toombs, Mikel (March 20, 1991). "Otis' drive: Keep black music alive". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. C1.
- Hale, Mike (October 16, 1994). "ROOTS OF RHYTHM & BLUES: JOHNNY OTIS PLANTS HIS FEET AND MAKES REAL AN OLD DREAM". Arts. San Jose Mercury News. p. 3.
- "Johnny Otis". Recording Academy. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
- Clark, Rick (Mar 26, 1994). "Know Your Neighbors". Billboard. 106 (13): 84.
- The Encyclopedia of Record Producers. Billboard Books. 1999. p. 600.
- Otis, Johnny (November 19, 1993). "Upside Your Head!: Rhythm and Blues on Central Avenue". Wesleyan University Press – via Google Books.
- Lipsitz, George (July 31, 2010). "Midnight at the Barrelhouse: The Johnny Otis Story". U of Minnesota Press – via Google Books.
- Selvin, Joel. "JOHNNY OTIS AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Spirit of the Black Territory Bands". SUNDAY DATEBOOK. San Francisco Chronicle. p. 39.
- Jowers, Andrew (16 Nov 1994). "SHUGGIE OTIS BACK ON THE BLUES SCENE". The Press Democrat. p. P1.
- "Johnny Otis: Black by Persuasion". JazzTimes. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
- "Johnny Otis - Spirit of the Black Territory Bands Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 438.
- The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books Ltd. 2006. p. 507.