Watts Funky

by Johnny Otis

Overview

Whether as an artist, mentor, and/or small-time record label entrepreneur, Johnny Otis was continuing to make some interesting R&B-based music in the late '60s and 1970s, though little of it is familiar to anyone but devoted collectors. Watts Funky collects 20 tracks from the late '60s through the middle '70s that he was involved with, though only about half are billed to either Johnny Otis or the Johnny Otis Show. It's erratic, eccentric, but generally refreshing soul-funk, reflecting the trends of the era, but more idiosyncratic than much of the stuff being put out via more high-profile outlets. Certainly the best track by a country mile is Shuggie Otis' "Strawberry Letter 23," a spaced-out soul ballad that owes a lot to contemporary hippie singer/songwriters as well, and was covered by the Brothers Johnson for a hit in 1977. Shuggie Otis fans will be excited by the inclusion of a couple of previously unreleased cuts from the same era, but actually those are much more ordinary, with "Miss Pretty" sounding a little like Sly Stone as sung by Van Morrison. It's very unlikely you'll have heard of anyone else but the Otises on the disc's artist list, except maybe Preston Love. But there's credible funk by Vera Hamilton on "But I Ain't No More (G.S.T.S.K.D.T.S)," and the Vibrettes sound like they should be singing backup for James Brown funk sides on "The Humpty Dump." There's some pretty humorous, sly late-'60s soul by the Johnny Otis Show on "Country Girl," and Otis himself comes through with some top-drawer jazzy James Brown-ish instrumental funk on "Jaws." ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	11/26/2001
Label:	Bgp
UPC:	0029667514415

Tracks

1. Spells and Incantations  - Johnny Otis  - Debbie Lyndsey  -  Otis
2. But I Ain't No More (G.S.T.S.K.D.T.S)  - Vera Hamilton  - Johnny Otis  -  Otis
3. Country Girl  - Delmar Evans  - Johnny Otis
4. Watts Breakaway  - Johnny Otis  -  Otis
5. Miss Pretty  - Johnny Otis  - Shuggie Otis  -  Otis
6. The Humpty Dump  - Johnny Otis  - R.J. Porter  -  Vibrettes  -  Otis
7. I Don't Understand It  - Lawrence Dickens  - Johnny Otis  -  Ice Water Slim & The Fourth Floor  -  Otis
8. Funky Disco Boogie  - James Bradshaw  - Delmar Evans  - Johnny Otis  - Shuggie Otis  -  Delmar & Carla  -  Otis
9. Good to the Last Drop  - Delmar Evans  - Johnny Otis  - Nicky Otis  - Shuggie Otis
10. Don't It Make You Feel Good  - Johnny Otis  -  Otis
11. Strawberry Letter 23  - Johnny Otis  - Shuggie Otis  -  Otis
12. Cool Ade  - Preston Love  - Johnny Otis  - Shuggie Otis  -  Otis
13. Coming at Ya Baby  - Johnny Otis  - Clifford Solomon  - Willie Webb
14. Signifying Monkey  - Willie Dixon  -  Otis  -  Traditional
15. Whelp  - Johnny Otis  - Doug Wintz  -  Otis
16. Jaws  - Steve Elson  - Johnny Otis  - Shuggie Otis  -  Sletton  -  Winty
17. Skunk Booty  - Johnny Otis  -  Otis
18. Hey Boy! I Want You  - Barbara Morrison  -  Otis  -  Otis
19. You Got to Do It Right  - Johnny Otis  - Willie Jitterberg Webb  -  Otis
20. If You'd Be Mine  - Johnny Otis  - Shuggie Otis  -  Otis

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Johnny Otis   Primary Artist
Johnny Otis & Friends   Primary Artist
Ice Water Slim & The Fourth Floor   Primary Artist
Willie Jitterberg Webb   Primary Artist
Delmar & Carla   Primary Artist
Debbie Lyndsey   Primary Artist
The Vibrettes   Primary Artist
Vera Hamilton   Primary Artist
Barbara Morrison   Primary Artist,Guest Artist
Preston Love   Primary Artist
The Johnny Otis Show   Primary Artist
Shuggie Otis   Primary Artist,Guest Artist
Doug Wintz   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Delmar Evans   Composer
Curt Sletton   Composer
Lawrence Dickens   Composer
Doug Winty   Composer
R.J. Porter   Composer
Chris Popham   Package Design
Willie Webb   Composer
Willie Dixon   Composer
Johnny Otis   Composer
James Bradshaw   Composer
Steve Elson   Composer
Nicky Otis   Composer
Preston Love   Composer
Nick Robbins   Mastering
Dean Rudland   Liner Notes
Clifford Solomon   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Shuggie Otis   Composer