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Shuggie Otis – Inspiration Information (LP Reissue) [Get On Down GET51465]

Well before Shuggie Otis cut his debut album, musicianship and performance had long been a part of his life. The son of rhythm and blues legend Johnny Otis, Shuggie learned to play guitar as early as the age of two and performed professionally with his father’s band at eleven. Throughout his long and illustrious career, he’d performed on records for the likes of Frank Zappa, Al Kooper, Etta James, and George Duke, to name a few.

Despite only moderate success upon its initial release, Shuggie Otis’ third album ‘Inspiration Information’ turned into an underground smash decades later and has since maintained a level of cult status normally reserved for mysterious, unearthed legends like Sixto Rodriguez or Lee Fields. ‘Inspiration Information’ is also noteworthy among Shuggie’s other releases, as it was entirely self-produced, as opposed to being overseen by his father Johnny Otis.

Shuggie’s signature blend of baroque funk is on full display, but with a heavy dosage of psychedelic soul blended in, resulting in an album that’s equally swarthy, lush, funky, and emotional; gathering all the best bits of Marvin Gaye, Love, Miles Davis, and even Os Mutantes.

‘Inspiration Information’ is more than worthy of all acclaim awarded to it, despite the delayed reverence, and is now reissued for 2024 on opaque metallic silver vinyl.