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. The Biggest Thing Since Colossus LP took place in January 1969 (there are a couple tracks here that date from late in 1968), a little over a year before Spann's death in 1970, and found him working with Blue Horizon label owner Mike Vernon and the Peter Green-era version of Fleetwood Mac (who Vernon managed). Spann is in fine voice here, delivering artful blues numbers that are just this side of jazz in execution, and the Fleetwood Mac boys are surprisingly sympathetic to it, making this a delightful release and one that no real fan of Spann should be without.
by Steve Leggett
Tracks
1. My Love Depends On You - 5:19
2. Walkin' - 2:51
3. It Was A Big Thing - 3:24
4. Temperature Is Rising (100.2°F) - 6:10
5. Dig You - 3:01
6. No More Doggin' (Jules Taub, Rosco Gordon) - 2:57
7. Ain't Nobody's Business (Clarence Williams, Porter Grainger, Robert Prince) - 5:12
8. She Needs Some Loving - 3:05
9. I Need Some Air - 4:38
10.Someday Baby - 3:02
All songs by Otis Spann except where noted
Personnel
*Otis Spann - Vocal, Piano
*Peter Green - Guitar
*Danny Kirwan - Guitar
*John McVie - Bass
*S.P. Leary - Drums
Related Acts
1967-71 Live At The BBC
1968-70 Show Biz Blues
1968-70 Fleetwood Mac - The Vaudeville Years (two disc set)
1968-71 The Best Of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
1969 Shrine '69
1969 Then Play On (Deluxe Expanded 2013 edition)
1968-70 Show Biz Blues
1968-70 Fleetwood Mac - The Vaudeville Years (two disc set)
1968-71 The Best Of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
1969 Shrine '69
1969 Then Play On (Deluxe Expanded 2013 edition)
Do we think Steve didn’t really understand what the word ‘facile’ means?!?
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