Name: Watts Funky [Vinyl]
Brand: Otis, Johnny
SKU: 161625
Price: 24.51 USD
Availability: InStock

Watts Funky [Vinyl]

Rating

Album: Watts Funky [Vinyl]
#	Song Title		Time
	Disc 1
1)	Spells and Incantations - Lyndsey, Debbie	More Info...
2)	But I Ain't No More (GSTSKDTS) - Hamilton, Vera	More Info...
3)	Country Girl - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
4)	Watts Breakaway - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
5)	Miss Pretty - Otis, Shuggie	More Info...
6)	Humpty Dump - Vibrettes	More Info...
7)	I Don't Understand It - Slim	More Info...
8)	Funky Disco Boogie - Delmar & Carla	More Info...
9)	Good to the Last Drop - Otis, Johnny	More Info...
10)	Don't It Make You Feel Good - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
11)	Strawberry Letter 23 - Otis, Shuggie	More Info...
12)	Cool Ade - Love, Preston	More Info...
13)	Coming at Ya Baby - Otis, Johnny	More Info...
14)	Signifying Monkey - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
15)	Whelp - Wintz, Doug	More Info...
16)	Jaws - Otis, Johnny	More Info...
17)	Skunk Booty - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
18)	Hey Boy I Want You - Otis, Johnny Show & Barbara Morrison	More Info...
19)	You Got to Do It Right - Webb, Willie 'Jitterbug'	More Info...
20)	If You'd Be Mine - Otis, Shuggie	More Info...

Album: Watts Funky [Vinyl]
#	Song Title		Time
	Disc 1
1)	Spells and Incantations - Lyndsey, Debbie	More Info...
2)	But I Ain't No More (GSTSKDTS) - Hamilton, Vera	More Info...
3)	Country Girl - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
4)	Watts Breakaway - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
5)	Miss Pretty - Otis, Shuggie	More Info...
6)	Humpty Dump - Vibrettes	More Info...
7)	I Don't Understand It - Slim	More Info...
8)	Funky Disco Boogie - Delmar & Carla	More Info...
9)	Good to the Last Drop - Otis, Johnny	More Info...
10)	Don't It Make You Feel Good - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
11)	Strawberry Letter 23 - Otis, Shuggie	More Info...
12)	Cool Ade - Love, Preston	More Info...
13)	Coming at Ya Baby - Otis, Johnny	More Info...
14)	Signifying Monkey - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
15)	Whelp - Wintz, Doug	More Info...
16)	Jaws - Otis, Johnny	More Info...
17)	Skunk Booty - Otis, Johnny Show	More Info...
18)	Hey Boy I Want You - Otis, Johnny Show & Barbara Morrison	More Info...
19)	You Got to Do It Right - Webb, Willie 'Jitterbug'	More Info...
20)	If You'd Be Mine - Otis, Shuggie	More Info...

Performer Notes

Personnel includes: Johnny Otis, Shuggie Otis, Preston Love, Barbara Morrison, Debbie Lyndsey, Vera Hamilton, Vibrettes, Slim, Delmar & Carla, Doug Wintz, Wille Jitterbug Webb.
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

Professional Reviews

Mojo (Publisher) (1/02, p.101) - "...compilation spanning the years 1968-76 shows....gritty R&B...fluid funk...and infectious soul jazz..."