Otis Grand: He Knows The Blues CD with Joe Louis Walker

Otis Grand – He Knows The Blues CD with Joe Louis. Walker, Pee Wee Ellis, Jimmy "T99" Nelson, Earl Green

Label:Sequel Records – NEXCD 219

Format:CD

Country:UK

Released:1992

Genre:Blues

Tracks:

1Things Are Getting Harder To Do

2You Hurt Me

Arranged By [Horns] – Pee Wee Ellis

3Jumpin' For Jimmy

Vocals – Jimmy Nelson (3)

4Grand Style

5Real Gone Lover

6SRV (My Mood Too)

Soloist [1st Solo] – Otis*

Soloist [2nd Solo] – Joe*

7Leave That Girl

Arranged By [Horns], Vocals – Joe L. Walker*

8Ham

Soloist [Tenor Saxophone] – Pee Wee Ellis

9Your Love Pulls No Punches

10Swing Turn

Vocals – Jimmy Nelson (3)

11Teach Me How To Love You

12He Knows The Blues

Licensed From – Broadway Records (17)
Copyright © – Broadway Records (17)
Phonographic Copyright ? – Broadway Records (17)
Phonographic Copyright ? – Sequel Records
Glass Mastered At – CDM (10)
Pressed By – Damont

Baritone Saxophone – Mike Hobart
Double Bass [Bass Fiddle], Bass [Fender] – Dan Quinton
Drums, Percussion – Marc Wilson (3)
Guitar – Joe Louis Walker (tracks: 6)
Guitar, Steel Guitar [National Steel Guitar] – Otis Grand
Organ [Hammond B3], Piano – Peter Bogart
Organ [Hammond] – Mick Weaver (tracks: 1)
Piano – Mick Weaver (tracks: 2), Steve Clayton*
Producer – Joe Louis Walker, Otis Grand
Tenor Saxophone – Pee Wee Ellis
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Peter Acock
Trumpet – Lorenzo Parry
Trumpet, Arranged By [Horns] – Calvin Owens
Vocals – Earl Green (4), Jimmy "T-99" Nelson*, Joe Louis Walker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Otis Grand

Grand at Djurs Blues Festival, Denmark

Background information

Born Fred Bishti February 14, 1950 Beirut, Lebanon

DiedJune 2023 (aged 73)

GenresBlues

Occupation(s)Guitarist, singer, songwriter

Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals

Years activeEarly 1980s–2023

LabelsSequel, various

WebsiteOfficial website

Fred Bishti (February 14, 1950 – June 2023), known professionally as Otis Grand, was a Lebanese-born American blues musician, best known for his album, Perfume & Grime (1996) and his exciting live performances.[1] He was honoured with the Presidential Medal for Arts by the Republic of Lebanon in 2009.[2]

Biography

Grand was born in Beirut, Lebanon.[1] Otis Grand spent much of his life in the United States.[3] He played with local blues musicians at Eli's Mile High Club in Oakland, California, and made contacts that would later prove useful; such as Joe Louis Walker who produced his debut album, Always Hot (1988). He later cited his early influences as being B.B. King, Otis Rush, Johnny Otis and T-Bone Walker.[4] By the late 1980s, Grand was based in the UK where he and his Dance Kings became a popular nightclub act.[3] He was voted 'Best UK Blues Guitarist' seven years running (1990–1996) by the British Blues Connection magazine.[4][5] In 1991, Grand co-starred with his backing band and Guitar Shorty, on the My Way or the Highway album.

Joe Louis Walker also played on Grand's next album, He Knows the Blues (1992) alongside Calvin Owens, Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, and the singer Jimmy Nelson.[3] The album was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award.[6] Nothing Else Matters (1994) involved Curtis Salgado, Sugar Ray Norcia, and Kim Wilson, whilst Walker and Salgado returned for Perfume & Grime (1996) which also utilised Luther Allison and Darrell Nulisch.[3]

In 1997, Grand guested on Joe Louis Walker's album, Great Guitars. In March 2009, Grand appeared on stage at the Arts Centre in Cranleigh, Surrey, England.[7]

In addition to living in Lebanon and the United States, Grand lived in France and resided for much of his later life in Croydon, England.

His death was announced on June 9, 2023, via British live music promoter Pete Feenstra's Twitter account.[8][9]

Discography

1988: Always Hot (Indigo; Sanctuary)
1991: My Way or the Highway (JSP) with Guitar Shorty
1992: He Knows the Blues (Sequel; Volt)
1993: Big Blues From Texas (JSP) with Phillip Walker
1994: The Return of Honk! (JSP) with Joe Houston
1994: Nothing Else Matters (Sequel; Sanctuary)
1996: Perfume & Grime (Sequel; Sanctuary) with Darrell Nulisch and Curtis Salgado
1998: Grand Union (Blueside; Valley Entertainment) with Anson Funderburgh and Debbie Davies
2002: Guitar Brothers (JSP) with Joe Louis Walker
2007: Hipster Blues (Bliss Street)
2012: Blues '65 (Main Gate) with Sugar Ray & The Bluetones [10]
2023: Live At Burnley Blues Festival / Collaborations & Rarities (JSP) 2-CD

References

"Otis Grand | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 28, 2014. "Otis Grand's website biography page". Otisgrand.com. Retrieved June 10, 2023. Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 114–115. ISBN 1-85868-255-X. "Otis Grand Biography". Music.us. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2009. "An interview with Otis Grand". Blues Music Now!. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2009. "Biography". Otisgrand.com. Retrieved December 1, 2009. "Eclectic Live Music presents Otis Grand's Big Blue". Forum.surrey-online.co.uk. Retrieved December 1, 2009. "OTIS GRAND RIP, HE WAS THE BLUES!". Twitter.com. Retrieved June 9, 2023. "Otis Grand (1950–2023)". Soul Bag. June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023. "Otis Grand | Discography". AllMusic. February 14, 1950. Retrieved January 28, 2014.