{"id":3278,"date":"2012-01-20T23:00:42","date_gmt":"2012-01-21T07:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/?p=3278"},"modified":"2012-01-21T12:51:27","modified_gmt":"2012-01-21T20:51:27","slug":"etta-james-and-johnny-otis-rip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/2012\/01\/etta-james-and-johnny-otis-rip\/","title":{"rendered":"Etta James And Johnny Otis, RIP"},"content":{"rendered":"

The careers of Johnny Otis and Etta James emphasize Duke Ellington\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s often-quoted truth: There are two kinds of music\u00e2\u20ac\u201dgood music and the other kind. In only slightly different language, Igor Stravinsky offered the same wisdom. Otis died early this week at the age of 90, James today at 73. For \"\"<\/a>decades, they made good music. Ms. James invested everything she sang with the power and sensibility of the blues. Her huge hit, Mack Gordon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s and Harry Warren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153At Last,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d was a standard ballad made popular by Glenn Miller in 1942. With the passion of her 1961 version<\/a> Ms. James made it her own. In The New York Times<\/em>, Peter Keepnews traces her life and music<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Maintaining a jazz core, Owens and his band freshened rhythm and blues and led the way to rock and roll. Even his slimmest works were underpinned with\"\"<\/a> solid musicianship. He was an accomplished pianist, vibraphonist, drummer and singer. Most of the rockers inspired by Otis had neither his level of artistry nor the desire to achieve it. His obituary in The Los Angeles Times<\/em> quoted him addressing that point:<\/p>\n

“Today’s musicians are better technically,” Otis said in 1979, “but that’s not a virtue in itself. What’s important is the emotional impact…. Most rock or disco today doesn’t stir up anything in my heart \u00e2\u20ac\u201d not the way a Picasso does, not the way the blues or gospel does.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To read the entire article, go here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Otis on his television program in 1959 with his biggest hit and, at the end, banter with a guest.<\/p>\n