Today I'm joined by drummer Nick Otis, a member of the Otis Family, which includes Johnny Otis and Shuggie Otis, an essential musical family from the Bay Area. We talk about his experience in as a professional musician, playing with Etta James as a teenager, and why he's excited to share the recording of his father, brother and the plethora of talented artists they worked with here in the Bay, L.A. and beyond.
Playlist
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Stop Crying by Esther Phillips on The Early Years (Yorkshir Records) -
Hell of a Ride by Nourished By Time on Catching Chickens EP (XL Recordings) -
Girl From Ipanema by The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band on Hot Heat and Sweet Groove (Warner Bros) -
New York City by Lead Belly on The Midnight Special (RCA Victor) -
Drown In My Own Tears by Ray Charles on Live (Atlantic) -
I'm Going Away by Walkter Hawkins and the Love Center Choir on Love Alive II (Light) -
The Time For Telling Like It Is by Cecil Williams on You The People: Celebrating with Glides Cecil Williams (Glide Record) -
I'm Coming Home by Clifton Chenier on Live at the San Francisco Blues Festival with His Red Hot Louisiana Band (Arhoolie) -
Eh La Bas by Billie and De De on New Orleans Billie and De De and Their Preservation Hall Jazz Band (VPS) -
Inspiration Information by Sharon Jones and the Dapkings on Soul Time! (Daptone Records) -
Strawberry Letter 23 by Shuggie Otis on Freedom Flight (EPIC) - Break
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Dirty Money by Antibalas on Dirty Money (Daptone) -
I Want To Know by Sugar Pie Desanto on I Want To Know (Veltone) -
Castin' My Spell by The Johnny Otis Show on Castin' My Spell (Capitol) -
Spells & Incantations by Debbie Lyndsay (BGP) -
Special by Shuggie Otis on Wings of Love (EPIC)