Although
Otis Spann will always be known as the piano player in the
Muddy Waters band, his solo work should not be overlooked. Possessing a beautifully expressive voice,
Spann was also a facile songwriter, and freed of the restrictions inherent in a working electric blues band, his solo sides find him stretching out on piano, as well. This set was recorded live in 1963 in a Copenhagen studio, and it features
Spann mostly solo at the piano, although at least one track, the elegant "Trouble in Mind," adds the great
Lonnie Johnson on electric guitar.
Spann sounds relaxed and in control here, and his silky smooth piano runs combine with his smoky, soulful singing to create what will be a complete revelation to listeners who only know his work with
Waters. Essentially, this is blues done at the more sophisticated end of the scale, and though it stops short of being true jazz, it has that timeless, airy feel of skillfully arranged improvisation. Highlights include the poignant and graceful "Love, Love, Love," the intriguing "Boots and Shoes," a wonderful rendition of "Worried Life Blues," and a powerful, stomping version of "Must Have Been the Devil,"
Spann's 1954 single from Chess Records. This same set, with the same running order, is also available from Storyville Records under the title
Blues Masters, Vol. 10.