Hi RECORDS(FIRST PRESS ORIGINAL/WHITE LABEL PROMO)
[ULTRA RARE/MEGA RARE!No CUT/Trading At A Higher Price!/It does not come out rarely!/It is Amazing Sound Pressure!*Hi RECORDSのPROMO盤は希少!]
(Otis Clay)、1970年代にHi Recordsより(Trying to Live My Life Without You)などのHitを生んだ。Gospel Music畑出身の経験に裏打ちされた力強く/表現力豊かな歌唱法で、Deep Soul/Chicago Soulの代表的な歌手の一人として知られる。Otis Clayは、Waxhaw/Mississippiに生まれた。当初はGospel Singerとして活動を開始する。Voices of Hope/Christian TravelersといったGroupで経験を積んだのち、1957年にChicagoへ。Chicagoでは、Pilgrim Harmonizers/Holy WondersなどのGospel Groupに参加した。1965年、Soul Musicへ転向し、One-Derful Recordsと契約。1967年には、同Labelからの(That's How It Is-When You're In Love)がR&B Chartの34位を記録するHitとなった。1968年、One-Derful RecordsからCotillion Recordsへ移籍。FAME Studios in Muscle Shoalsで、Sir Douglas QuintetのCover(She's About A Mover)をRecording)した。同年、Hi RecordsのWillie Mitchellと出会い、彼のCarrierのPeak期とも言えるHi時代が始まった。1972年に、Stax Recordsにも共通するようなMemphisらしいMiddle Tempo/RhythmのHi Soundの魅力が凝縮された至極のSouthern Swamp(Trying to Live My Life Without You)が自己最高のR&B Chart24位を記録した、この作品のHitによりOtis ClayはHi Recordsの顔のひとりとなった。Jackie MooreのCover曲(Precious Precious)など彼の代表的なRepertoireとなる作品を残した。Memphis/Tennesseeの名門Label、Hi Recordsが生んだ70年代Southern Soul名盤中の名盤/収録されている曲のBalanceもよく、一切駄作なし、Otis Clay/Hi Soundの幅の広さを堪能できる内容になっている(*収録曲のほとんどは(Trying to Live My Life Without You)のHitを受けて、急遽寄せ集めでReleaseされた)Howard GrimesのDrums/Leroy Hodges(b)/Teenie Hodges(g)/Charles Hodges(org)のHodges BrothersによるHi Sound、円熟期のFull Membersで固められたRhythm Sectionが繰り出す、土臭くも色気のある魔法のGroove!/最高のHorn Section!Otis ClayのDeepで塩辛いVocalが乗る。Earthy(どろ臭い)さ/Mildさを絶妙にMixしたProducer、Willie Mitchellの手腕も冴えたHi Sound絶頂期の作品。1975年、Otis Clay はChicagoで自己のLabel、Echo Recordsを設立。1978年にはO.V. Wrightの代打という形で初来日を果たした。このときのLiveがRecord化され、日本での人気定着のきっかけとなった。1980年代以降は、Bullseye Blues/Blind PigといったLabelから作品をRelease。2016年1月8日、心臓発作のため急逝。享年73
Trying to Live My Life Without You Written-By Eugene Williams
I Die a Little Each Day Written-By Don Bryant
Holding on to a Dying Love Written-By George Jackson/James Dotson/Ronald Townsend
I Can't Make It Alone Written-By Darryl Carter/Johnny Keyes
That's How It Is (When You're in Love) Written-By Monk Higgins/Maurice Dollison
I Love You, I Need You Written-By Archie Bradley/Julius Bradley
You Can't Keep Running From My Love Written-By Bernard Miller, Bill Taylor/Don Bryant
Precious, Precious Written-By Dave Crawford/Jackie Moore
Home Is Where the Heart Is Written-By Bettye Crutcher
Too Many Hands Written-By Eugene Williams/Mabon Hodges
Backing Vocals Rhodes/Chalmers And Rhodes Baritone Saxophone James Mitchell Bass Leroy Hodges Drums Howard Grimes Engineer Willie Mitchell Guitar Teenie Hodges Mastered By Howard Craft Organ, Piano Charles Hodges Strings The Memphis Strings Strings [Arrangements] James Mitchell Tenor Saxophone Andrew Love/Ed Logan Trombone Jack Hale Trumpet Wayne Jackson
Producer/Engineer:Willie Mitchell Recorded At Royal Recording Studios, Memphis Mastered At Mastercraft
*(Rhythm Section) Drums Howard Grimes Bass Leroy Hodges Organ, Piano Charles Hodges Guitar Teenie Hodges
*(Horn Section) Wayne Jackson - trumpet Andrew Love - tenor saxophone Ed Logan - tenor saxophone James Mitchell - baritone saxophone Jack Hale - trombone
[Hi Rhythm Section-The Three Hodges Brothers] TEENIE HODGES(g) CHARLES HODGES(key) LEROY HODGES(b)
[Hi Rhythm Section] Teenie Hodges guitar Charles Hodges organ Leroy Hodges bass Howard Grimes drums Al Jackson, Jr. drums Stax Records Archie Turner - keyboards (Perry) Michael Allen - keyboards (Alt)
[The Memphis Horns] Wayne Jackson - trumpet Andrew Love - tenor saxophone Floyd Newman - baritone saxophone Lewis Collins - saxophone, flute Jack Hale - trombone Jack Hale, Jr. - trumpet, french horn Ed Logan - tenor saxophone James Mitchell - baritone saxophone Ben Cauley - trumpet Roger Hopps - trumpet Joe Arnold - saxophone Calvin Caples - baritone saxophone
1972 Trying to Live My Life Without You (Hi) 1977 I Can't Take It (Hi) 1978 Live! (Nihon Victor) 1983 Soul Man: Live in Japan (Bullseye Blues) 1984 Live Again (Yupiteru) 1989 Watch Me Now (Waylo) 1992 I'll Treat You Right (Bullseye Blues) 1993 On My Way Home - The Otis Clay Gospel Collection (Bullseye Blues) 1993 The Gospel Truth (Blind Pig) 1998 This Time Around (Bullseye Blues) 2005 Respect Yourself (Blind Pig) 2007 Walk a Mile in My Shoes (Echo) 2013 Truth Is (Echo) 2014 Soul Brothers Otis Clay&Johnny Rawls(Catfood) 2015 This Time for Real Billy Price&Otis Clay