Otis Spann Is the Blues

Otis Spann Is the Blues
Studio album by Otis Spann
Released	1960
Recorded	August 23, 1960
Studio	Fine Recording, NYC
Genre	Blues
Length	44:40
Label	Candid CJM/CJS 9001
Producer	Nat Hentoff
Otis Spann chronology
Otis Spann Is the Blues (1960) The Blues of Otis Spann (1964)

Otis Spann Is the Blues is an album by blues pianist and vocalist Otis Spann, recorded in New York in 1960 and released by the Candid label. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings	[6]
DownBeat	[7]

AllMusic reviewer Ron Wynn stated: "Spann provided wonderful, imaginative, tasty piano solos and better-than-average vocals, and was arguably the best player whose style was more restrained than animated. Not that he couldn't rock the house, but Spann's forte was making you think as well as making you dance, and the tracks on Otis Spann Is the Blues will do both". ^[5]

John Wilson assigned the album 4 stars in his DownBeat review. ^[7] He wrote, "Spann plays compelling, pungent piano accompaniment to his own singing and to Lockwood’s as well and the two men team up for an unusual mixture of starkness and polish in their accompaniment to Lockwood’s singing of My Daily Wish. Between them, they have put together an attractive collection of strongly projected, un-gimmicked blues that draw heavily on the basic essentials of the style". ^[7]

Track listing

All compositions by Otis Spann except where noted

1. "The Hard Way" − 5:02
2. "Take a Little Walk with Me" (Robert Lockwood Jr.) − 3:25
3. "Otis in the Dark" − 4:32
4. "Little Boy Blue" (Lockwood) − 3:38
5. "Country Boy" − 4:24
6. "Beat-Up Team" − 5:59
7. "My Daily Wish" (Lockwood) − 4:26
8. "Great Northern Stomp" − 4:15
9. "I Got Rumbling On My Mind #2" (Lockwood) − 4:02
10. "Worried Life Blues" − 4:20

Personnel

• Otis Spann − vocals, piano
• Robert Lockwood Jr. − guitar, vocals

References

1. Edwards, D., & Callahan, M., Candid Records discography accessed November 11, 2019
2. Jazzlists Candid Label Discography, accessed November 11, 2019
3. Wirz' American Music: Otis Spann Discography accessed November 11, 2019
4. Jazzdisco: Candid Records Catalog: 8000/9000 seriesy accessed November 11, 2019
5. Jurek, Thom. Otis Spann: Otis Spann Is the Blues – Review at AllMusic . Retrieved September 19, 2022.
6. Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings . Penguin. p. 603. ISBN   978-0-140-51384-4.
7. Wilson, John S. (March 30, 1961). "In Review". DownBeat . Vol. 28, no. 7. p. 48.