Johnny Otis was one of the pioneers of R&B, a key but often neglected figure in the development of rock'n'roll. Otis passed away, aged 90, at his home in California in 2012, after a lifetime in show business as a performer and band leader, composer, arranger, producer, disc jockey, nightclub owner, talent scout, political activist and cartoonist. He had over 20 R&B and pop hits between 1948-60 and was responsible for the discovery of Etta James, Hank Ballard, Jackie Wilson and Little Esther Jones, among others.
Johnny Otis, one of the great rock'n'roll unknowns.
A recent three-CD compilation, That's Your Last Boogie! The Best Of Johnny Otis, part of the Fantastic Voyage label's "Architects of Rock'n'Roll" series, plugs the gap for music fans. Released in 2012, the three CDs are roughly divided into three periods in Otis' peak years: Barrelhouse Stomp (1945-1950), Rockin' Blues (1950-1952) and Going Crazy (1952-1960).
Johnny Otis was born John Alexander Veliotes in California in 1921 and grew up in the black neighbourhood of Berkeley. As a teenager he chose to identify with the African American community he lived in, saying (as the liner notes point out): "Genetically, I'm pure Greek but psychologically, environmentally, culturally, by choice, I'm a member of the black community!"
He played drums as a child, learning the jazz styles of Count Basie and the Kansas City sound. He quit school and worked as a musician, getting his break as a session musician on recordings by saxophonist Lester Young. At the same time he was building his first swing band; in his first recording session with the band, which included Basie's vocalist Jimmy Rushing, he recorded a cover of Harlem Nocturne that sold so well it became a nationwide hit.
But the timing was poor, as the big band swing era was coming to an end. Many of the bigger bands were struggling by the end of the 1940s to make ends meet. Like other band leaders, Otis downsized. In Arnold Shaw's book Honkers And Shouters: The Golden Years Of Rhythm & Blues, Otis told Shaw that before he disbanded the big band he'd noticed that when it played songs in a more blues style with a big back beat, people responded by moving and dancing. He'd caught a whiff of what was coming, so he stripped his band down to a small brass section, drums, a blues guitar and a barrel house piano. We was ready to roll.
The first CD in the compilation showcases some of his early swing and big band recordings, such as the hit Harlem Nocturne, as well as hits he produced and performed with his band on like Wynonie Harris' brilliant Good Boogei Googie, Lester Young's Jamming With Lester and Little Esther & The Robins' Double Crossing Blues — the latter star's success bankrolled his early days as a producer.
The second CD shows how the music was rapidly developing as it moved from the big band and jump jive sound to R&B. Mel walker and Little Esther trot out hit after hit on this one, such as my favourites Deceivin' Blues and Marylyn Scott's Beer Bottle Boogie.
The third CD features my all-time favourite Otis track Rock Me Baby, as well as hits by those he discovered, such as the 13-year-old Etta James for whom he wrote her first hit, The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry), and Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog, on whose recording he played drums. Interestingly, he was credited as a co-writer on Thornton's release, but when the song was covered by Elvis Presley his name did not appear. Johnny Ace's Pledging My Love and Johnny Ace and Thornton's Yes, Baby are some of the other standouts on the third CD.
I played a Johnny Otis track, Mambo Boogie, at my R&B DJ night last month, but it wasn't until I read the excellent sleeve notes (written by Dave Penny) that I realised that he wrote the song and that it was the first R&B mambo song ever recorded.
Johnny Otis should really have been as well-known as some of the rock'n'roll greats. He was the first "crossover" artist. His talents as a performer and creator are clearly evident from the wealth of great music on this compilation, which is a must-have for both R&B and rock'n'roll fans. If you can't find this compilation, check out the Otis compilation on Ace Records.
This columnist can be contacted at clewley.john@gmail.com.
