Listening to Prestige 703: Otis Spann

LISTEN TO ONE: The Blues Nevr Die

 Prestige had closed down its Bluesville label by this time, but they weren't completely finished with the blues, although this session, featuring Muddy Waters sidemen Otis Spann and James Cotton, hadn't exactly been 0n their fall schedule. 

How did it come about, exactly? Well, according to the more or less official story, on the liner notes by Pete Welding, 

Muddy's decision to allow his bandsmen so much solo opportunity is as much prompted by purely pragmatic considerations as it is by his desire to see them receive their share of attention. Pure and simple, Muddy wants to take it easy.

With all due respect to the distinguished music historian Mr. Welding, this may be so much bullshit. According to a note appended by Larry Hoffman to the Discogs web page on the album:

The story behind this album is pretty cool. Producer Sam Charters had hosted a folk concert at Carnegie Hall where the Muddy Waters band had played. Muddy called Charters the next day to say that they hadn't been paid enough to get back to Chicago, and asked the producer to arrange a session for them. Since Muddy was on contract to Chess, he was not to sing a lead vocal or to play a slide solo. Nor could they use his name. This album predated Charters' great "Chicago /The Blues /Today!" trilogy that was a further step in the careers of both Spann and Cotton.

Muddy's train fare to Chicago is music's gain. This is a terrific album, the Chicago blues at its best, with both Spann and Cotton in top form, and "Dirty Rivers" providing great accompaniment.

The session notes give Chicago as the location for the recording session, but that can't be right. Not if they didn't have the fare back to Chicago.

Samuel Charters produced, and "The Blues Never Die!" became the title song for the Prestige release. "I Got A Feeling" / "Straighten Up, Baby" became a 45 RPM release.

A word of advice: if you put this album on your turntable. or line it up on your streaming service, don't think you'll be taking it off any time soon.