Twenty-seven of the
Otis aggregation's best early sides for Savoy and Excelsior, including a slew of the group's early-'50s
Little Esther and/or
Mel Walker-fronted R&B smashes ("Mistrustin' Blues," "Cry Baby," "Sunset to Dawn").
Jimmy Rushing and
the Robins also share vocal duties, as does
Otis himself on a jumping "All Nite Long." This is one time when the bonus cuts are on the vinyl version -- it contained 32 cuts appearing on a Completer Disc that Savoy Jazz reissued at the same time as this CD. The original artwork and liner notes have been reduced so much for the CD that they're unreadable (
Pete Welding's essay deserves more respect). ~ Bill Dahl