Otis Rush - Complete Discography "Otis Rush 1956-1958: Cobra Recordings": '56 - '58 Cobra -> Jewel -> Paula: PCD01 The famous original Cobra recordings which made Otis known nationally to the blues world. Songs: Double Trouble / Jump Sister Bessie / Checking On My Baby / Sit Down / Love That Woman / My Baby Is A Good 'Un / If You Were Mine / All Your Love / It Takes Time / Violent Love / I Can't Quit You Baby / Little Red Rooster / My Love Will Never Die / Groaning The Blues / Three Times A Fool / She's A Good 'Un / Keep On Loving Me Baby / I Can't Quit You Baby / Double Trouble / She's a Good 'Un ------------ "Mourning in the Morning": Early '69; Muscle Shoals, Alabama Cotillion/Atlantic: 82367 A studio album from the classic Muscle Shoals studio, with a large backing group including horns, and, among others, Duane Allman as studio guitar (that was his studio period). Allman always listed Otis as a big inflence - this chance to play with him must have been a real thrill. Listen on stereo headphones to figure out who plays which guitar lines. Overall, though, a so-so album. Quite a few good tracks (e.g. "Gambler's Blues", an excellent slow blues, "My Old Lady", a faster swingin'blues with great horn chorus), but somewhat influenced by mainstream commercial viability. Backing Personnel: Aaron Vernell - Tenor Sax Joe Arnold - Tenor Sax Ronald Eades - Baritone Sax Gene "Bowlegs" Miller - Trumpet Jimmy Johnson - Guitar Duane Allman - Guitar Jerry Jemmott - Bass Barry Beckett - Keyboard Mark Naftalin - Keyboard Roger Hawkins - Drums Songs: Me 2:55 / Working Man 2:25 / You're Killing My Love 3:00 / Feel So Bad 3:39 / Gambler's Blues 5:39 / Baby, I Love You 3:09 / My Old Lady 2:11 / My Love Will Never Die 4:33 / Reap What You Sow 4:54 / It Takes Time 3:26 / Can't Wait No Longer 3:52 ------------ "Right Place, Wrong Time": February '71; San Francisco, California Capitol -> Bullfrog -> Hightone: HCD-8007 Another studio album, originally recorded for Capitol, but unaccountably put up on the shelf, until acquired and released by Bullfrog. Backing Personnel: Doug Kilmer - Bass John Kahn - Bass Bob Jones - Drums Fred Burton - Rhythm Guitar Mark Naftalin - Piano Ira Kamin - Organ John Wilmeth - Trumpet Ron Stallings - Tenor Sax Hart McNee - Alto Sax Songs: Tore Up 3:17 / Right Place, Wrong Time 5:24 / Easy Go 4:41 / Three Times A Fool 3:11 / Rainy Night In Georgia 3:55 / Natural Ball 3:30 / I Wonder Why 4:41 / Your Turn To Cry 3:35 / Lonely Man 2:50 / Take A Look Around 5:40 ------------ "Screamin' and Cryin'": November 26, '74; Black & Blue -> Evidence: ECD 26014 A French studio album, with a more classic blues backing sound, and longer explorations of songs (3 out of 8 over 7 minutes), as well as a more classic prominent blues guitar line. The sound quality not what it could be, though. Made at a period of great personal stress in Otis' life. Some fairly intense work (e.g. on "It's My Own Fault" and "I Got News For You", both intense blues, and "Every Day I Have The Blues", a more swinging blues). Pretty much straight electric Chicago blues, with little commercial influence. Backing Personnel: Jimmy Dawkins - Guitar Willie Mabon - Piano James Green - Bass Bob Plunkett - Drums Jerome van Jones - Organ, Piano (trk 4) Sunnyland Slim - Piano (trk 1) Songs: Looking Back 5:22 / You're Gonna Need Me 7:50 / It's My Own Fault 7:13 / I Can't Quit You Baby 5:35 / Every Day I Have The Blues 5:56 / A Beautiful Memory 7:51 / I Got News For You 4:49 / I Can't Quit You Baby 6:03 ------------ "Cold Day in Hell": April 29/May 29 '75; Delmark: DE 638 Another studio album, again with a classic blues backing band, including a 2-piece horn section. Mostly longer songs, 6 minutes or more, some commercial influence in a few spots. Almost uniformly excellent tracks (e.g. smouldering "You're Breaking My Heart", "Society Woman", "Cold Day in Hell"). Excellent sound quality. Backing Personnel: Abb Locke - Tenor Sax Chuck Smith - Baritone Sax Big Moose Walker - Piano, Organ Mighty Joe Young - Guitar James Green - Bass Jesse Green - Drums Songs: Cut You Loose 3:40 / You're Breaking My Heart 8:31 / Midnight Special 4:52 / Society Woman 6:32 / Mean Old World 6:26 / All Your Love 6:32 / Cold Day In Hell 6:19 / Part Time Love 6:06 / You're Breaking My Heart (alternate) 6:52 / Motoring Along 3:08 ------------ "So Many Roads: Live in Concert": July 20/29 '75; Tokyo, Japan Trio -> Delmark: DE 643 A live album from a Japanese tour. Backing Personnel: Jimmy Johnson - Guitar Sylvester Jones - Bass Tyrone Centuray - Drums Songs: Will My Woman Be Home Tonight - Blue Guitar 4:01 / Everyday I Have The Blues 4:32 / I Can't Quit You, Baby 5:20 / Crosscut Saw 3:46 / Looking Back - Take A Look Behind 4:24 / Chitlins Con Carne 4:32 / I've Got News For You 4:54 / Mean Old World 2:55 / All Your Love - I Miss Loving 4:14 / So Many Roads 5:26 / Gambler's Blues 6:50 / Three Times A Fool 4:45 ------------ "Live In Europe": October 9, '77; Nancy, France Isabel -> Evidence: ECD 26034 Another live album, this one from a European tour. A small touring 3-piece rhythm section of rhythm guitar, bass and drums. Many truly excellent tracks (e.g. excellent slow blues of "You're Breaking My Heart" / "Feel So Bad" / "Society Woman", as well as some good faster pieces, like "I'm Tore Up") mixed in with a few less stellar pieces. Backing Personnel: Bob Levis - Rhythm Guitar Bob Stroger - Bass Jesse Green - Drums Songs: Cut You Loose 6:09 / All Your Love 6:59 / You're Breaking My Heart 8:25 / I Wonder Why 8:43 / Feel So Bad 5:13 / Society Woman - Love Is Just A Gamble 7:40 / Crosscut Saw 4:59 / I Can't Quit You Baby 4:55 / I'm Tore Up 5:25 / Looking Back 5:38 ------------ "Lost In The Blues": October 15/16 '77; Stockholm, Sweden Sonet -> Alligator: ALCD 4797 Another European studio album, originally cut with only his touring 3-piece section of rhythm guitar, bass and drums, and released by Sonet under the name "Troubles, Troubles". Following Otis' original plan to add keyboard some day, excellent keyboard work by Lucky Peterson was added for the re-release by Alligator. A number of really excellent cuts (e.g."Hold That Train", and a truly smokin' take of "Little Red Rooster"). Backing Personnel: Bob Levis - Rhythm Guitar Bob Stroger - Bass Jesse Lewis Green - Drums Lucky Peterson - Organ, Piano Songs: Hold That Train 6:22 / You've Been An Angel 5:04 / Little Red Rooster 4:37 / Trouble, Trouble 6:50 / Please Love Me 4:18 / You Don't Have To Go 4:21 / Got To Be Some Changes Made 7:46 / You Got Me Running 4:29 / I Miss You So 3:50 ------------ "Tops": September 15, '85; San Francisco, California Blind Pig: BP 73188 A US (San Francisco) live album, with a 6 piece backing band. Backing Personnel: Bob Murray - Rhythm Guitar Jimmy Pugh - Keyboards Larry Jones - Trumpet Julien Vaught - Sax Leonard Gill - Bass Kelvin Dixon - Drums Songs: Right Place, Wrong Time 6:12 / Crosscut Saw 4:38 / Tops 3:55 / Feel So Bad 4:10 / Gambler's Blues 8:58 / Keep On Lovin' Me Baby 2:54 / I Wonder Why 7:52 ------------ "Live In Japan 1986": December 12, '86; Tokyo, Japan Castle -> Sequel: Sequel 1009-2 Another Japanese live album, this time with a Japanese backing band. A number of excellent tracks, including "Tops", "Killing Floor", "Right Place, Wrong Time", and "Gambler's Blues". Backing Personnel: Yoichiro Hatta - Guitar Fusanosuke Kondo - Guitar Kenji Morita - Bass Akihiro Okachi - Drums Charles Shimizu - Piano, Organ Chikashi Takagi - Tenor Sax Weeping Harp Senoh - Harmonica Songs: Introduction - Tops 7:22 / All Your Love - I Miss Loving 5:48 / Please, Please, Please 4:51 / Killing Floor 8:43 / Stand By Me 5:36 / Lonely Man - I'm A Lonely Man 3:30 / Double Trouble 4:11 / Right Place, Wrong Time 7:19 / Got My Mojo Working 6:30 / Gambler's Blues 10:03 ------------ "Ain't Enough Comin' In": '94; Another studio album, in what will be a hopefully successful attempt to finally make a serious breakthrough into visibility (although everyone who really has a clue has revered the man for years). Done with a large backing band, including several keyboards and a 3-piece horn section ('The Texacali Horns'). Some of the songs, while first-rate playing, seem to have a slight "commercial" tinge. Others (e.g. "Somebody Have Mercy", a rocking blues, and "My Jug and I", a smouldering slow blues) are first-rate; the album is for me highlighted by a pretty good long take of "As the Years Go Passing By", which has always been a favourite blues number. Backing Personnel: Tony Braunagel - Drums, Percussion Greg Rzab - Bass Johnny Lee Schell - Guitar Joe Sublett - Tenor Marty Grebb - Baritone Darrell Leonard - Trumpet Mick Weaver - Keyboards (trks 1-2,4-5,8-12) Ian McLagan - Organ, Piano (trks 1-3,6-7) Bill Payne - Kayboards (trks 3-5,7-12) John Porter - Guitar (trks 3,5,7,9,11) Jimmy Powers - Harmonica (trk 8) Songs: Don't Burn Down the Bridge 4:27 / That Will Never Do 3:22 / Somebody Have Mercy 3:00 / A Fool For You 3:59 / Homework 3:28 / My Jug and I 5:13 / She's A Good 'Un 5:44 / It's My Own Fault 5:13 / Ain't Enough Comin' In 5:52 / If I Had Any Sense, I'd Go Back Home 4:53 / Ain't That Good News 4:14 / As the Years Go Passing By 7:55 ------------ "Live & Awesome": "recent tour of Europe" (as of '96) Gene's: GEI4131 Another live album, this time from Europe. Spotty (both from instances of poor work on the sound board, with Otis complaining audibly about the mix and monitor, as well as places where the musicians are just confused), but also has some great guitar lines and piano work (e.g. in "I Got a Woman"). Backing Personnel: Ken Vangel - Piano Duke Levine - Guitar Tim Green - Bass Julian Vaughn - Drums Songs: Intro - The Preacher 2:15 / I Got A Woman 5:32 / Gambler's Blues 9:23 / Feel So Bad 3:58 / Let's Have A Natural Ball 3:23 / Right Place, Wrong Time 7:22 / Please Love Me 5:09 / All Your Love 6:03 / Lonely Man 4:03 / Stormy Monday 6:52 / Cold Day In Hell 8:17