A To Z: Freedom Flight - Shuggie Otis

What did you do when you were 18?

When I was 18 I graduated high school without a desire in the world. I worked my first real job - getting my hands cut up by sheet metal, my lungs filled with asbestos and my hair filled with fiberglass filaments. I started college, or rather, attended classes at a university for a quarter before transferring to a community college that offered me nothing more than the high school I had just left. I lacked motivation, the most creative thing I did was write my 2nd of what has become 7 "Top 50 Albums of the Year" list, in which I claimed Madvillain to reign supreme.

When Shuggie Otis was 18, he released what has become what I consider to be one of the most complete albums of the 70s and perhaps one of my very favorite releases of all time.

At it's heart, Freedom Flight is a blues album - but unlike those albums that came before it, it is a blues so forward thinking without sounding entirely alien, it is hard to pinpoint influences or relatable musicians. Blurring the lines between psychedelic, orchestral pop, floor-stomping blues, Hendrix and jamming in a sundazed haze, Shuggie presents 7 tracks (plus a bonus cut) ranging from lengths of 2:30 to 13:00. The longer tracks that close out the album, "Purple" and "Freedom Flight" might very well be the best instrumental rock songs to have come out by this time on albums that were not completely instrumental.

Shuggie's guitar playing is essential listening. You can hear influences of Santana and other Woodstock luminaries in his plucking, but perhaps the most striking thing is the direct line you can draw from many of his licks to some of Prince's best moments (and yes I know they look alike). Shuggie will almost certainly be remembered as the kid who wrote "Strawberry Letter 23" which was later popularized by The Brothers Johnson or maybe he will be remembered as the guy who put out Inspiration Information a few years later, inspiring many of the best musicians and jazz groups of the next 20 years. Despite this and despite the legacy of influence that Shuggie has left in his short career (he hasn't recorded much over the last 30 years), I honestly think that Freedom Flight is his most important moment. It's an album that says "hey I can do what you do better than you can, and check this out too..."

Freedom Flight is a treasure of an album, and a vision rarely matched.




Download Here

Etta Baker - One-Dime Blues (1991)

Etta Baker was one of the most important and revered musicians of all time that created music in the Piedmont Blues style. For those unknown, the Piedmont blues is a finger-picking blues style that typically alternates bass strings plucked by the thumb that supports the melody on the rest of the strings. The effect is much more in line with the white string bands of the Appalachian region than with Delta Blues. The very fact that Etta Baker is so important an influential (she taught the style to Taj Mahal and Bob Dylan just to name two), is perhaps most remarkable because of the 35-year gap between her first recording in 1956, and this recording of 20 songs that came out in 1991.

The album is primarily focused on traditional and public domain blues songs and rags, and it heavily leans on instrumental numbers. However, Etta does sing on a few tracks and the aging in her voice lends something special to these songs.

You can listen to much of this album and think it is someone like a Jack Rose or John Fahey or many of the other famous ragtime guitarists that we think of, but something about the way that Etta plays just makes it connect on a whole level. It's really really beautiful and well...American.

I meant to post this on February 7th, when I uploaded it but I waited. It's great and everyone should download it.

Download Here
Etta Baker Wiki

Muddy Waters - Real Folk Blues & More Real Folk Blues

So I'm taking this class this semester about the history of Rock N Roll. You know, the same one that all the stoner kids and liberal arts students like me have to take so we can just talk about Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull. Playing, but I needed some extra credits, so I figured why not. It's proved to be pretty damn worthless so far (pre rock n' roll though, so bonus points), but it has definitely inspired me to pull out some old blues records the last few days and here are two of the best.

To me, there is no way that Muddy Waters' early Chess recordings are not the most direct link to that classic rock n roll sound. These two records compile some of those early recordings (I think like 1947-1962?) And it's just great. You know Muddy obviously, the guitar, the band, the AAB verses. It's that classics Chicago blues sound, a true American sound if there ever was one. It's pretty essential to listen to this stuff every now and then and just remember how great the original electric sound is.

Classic, obviously.

Download Real Folk Blues Here
Download More Real Folk Blues Here

Mississippi Records

Mississippi Records is a store on said street in Portland. Very cool shop, but the coolest part about the owners is the label they run. Reissuing compilations of rare music and unheralded albums, the label was really taken off in the last years putting out super limited runs that get sold out almost immediately. Over at hipinion, I've (with the help of a few) uploaded most of their catalogue, and while I feel bad for bootlegging a cool label, oh well. Here's a few of their records.


Last Kind Words (1926-1953)
Great compilation of old blues from some familiar names, but mostly those unfamiliar.
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Lipa Kodi Ya City Council
Possibly my favorite compilation on the label (though actually probably not), this is a great collection of African highlife music mostly. Great for a sunny day.
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George Coleman - Bongo Joe
Some records you can't attach a label to. This is one of those records. Originally released in '69 (best year in music if you didn't know), this album is some sort of demented blues records played almost solely on steel drums. Screams, shouts, croaks, whistles, whatever. Blow your mind.
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Blind Boy Fuller & Sonny Terry - Harmonica & Guitar Blues 1937-1945

Just a real great classic blues collection. Been a fan of Blind Boy Fuller for a while, and had some Sonny Terry songs here and there, but together, this compilation is just like the perfect blend of badass old country blues. Just get it if you are a fan of old blues because it's great.

Download Here