Spirit of the Black Territory Bands
Studio album by
Johnny Otis
Released1992
LabelArhoolie[1]
ProducerJohnny Otis, Tom Morgan
Johnny Otis chronology
Let's Live It Up
(1991)		 Spirit of the Black Territory Bands
(1992)		 Otisology
(1995)

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]

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

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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.TitleLength
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

  1. ↑ Vacher, Peter (September 17, 2015). "Swingin' on Central Avenue: African American Jazz in Los Angeles". Rowman & Littlefield – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ Ouellette, Dan (Mar 1993). "Johnny Otis". DownBeat. 60 (3): 14.
  3. ↑ "Lowell Fulson & Johnny Otis To Headline Troyce Key Music Scholarship Fund Benefit". Oakland Post. Vol. 29, no. 106. 28 Apr 1993. p. 9.
  4. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 353.
  5. ↑ Toombs, Mikel (March 20, 1991). "Otis' drive: Keep black music alive". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. C1.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ "Johnny Otis". Recording Academy. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  8. ↑ Clark, Rick (Mar 26, 1994). "Know Your Neighbors". Billboard. 106 (13): 84.
  9. ↑ The Encyclopedia of Record Producers. Billboard Books. 1999. p. 600.
  10. ↑ Otis, Johnny (November 19, 1993). "Upside Your Head!: Rhythm and Blues on Central Avenue". Wesleyan University Press – via Google Books.
  11. ↑ Lipsitz, George (July 31, 2010). "Midnight at the Barrelhouse: The Johnny Otis Story". U of Minnesota Press – via Google Books.
  12. 1 2 Selvin, Joel. "JOHNNY OTIS AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Spirit of the Black Territory Bands". SUNDAY DATEBOOK. San Francisco Chronicle. p. 39.
  13. ↑ Jowers, Andrew (16 Nov 1994). "SHUGGIE OTIS BACK ON THE BLUES SCENE". The Press Democrat. p. P1.
  14. ↑ "Johnny Otis: Black by Persuasion". JazzTimes. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  15. 1 2 "Johnny Otis - Spirit of the Black Territory Bands Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  16. ↑ MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 438.
  17. ↑ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books Ltd. 2006. p. 507.
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