Perhaps best known for his long association with the legendary Muddy Waters, Otis Spann is largely recognized as one of the greatest blues pianists of all time, if not the greatest. Although Spann made a name for himself in Chicago by the mid 1940s, it wasn’t until 1960 that he got the opportunity to record an album of his own. The sessions Spann did with Candid Records co-founder Nat Hentoff that year resulted in the legendary album Otis Spann Is The Blues. (Incidentally, this was also the first album ever recorded for the fledgling New York City based label.) The tracks on Walking The Blues were recorded during those same sessions in August of 1960 in New York City. Left on the cutting room floor, they would not be officially released until 1972, two years after Spann’s untimely death. Robert Lockwood Jr., also from Muddy Water’s group, accompanies Spann on guitar here as he does on the Is The Blues album. But Walking The Blues also features Spann’s close friend, veteran singer and composer James Oden, better known to blues fans as St. Louis Jimmy. Stripped down to just the these musicians, this magnificently performed and produced set showcases Spann’s voice as well as piano. Spann stretches out with his pulsing two-handed rhythmic attack, and brings the barrelhouse piano style of his youth in line with the modern Chicago style he embodied.
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
-
Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
-
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Featuring a one-piece carbon fiber tonearm, precision-tuned motor, and a heavy steel platter with TPE damping, it ensures superior stability and sound quality.
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Simple Minds Once Upon A Time (Ruby Red)
A&M
October 17, 2025 -
Ritual Mass Cascading Misery
20 Buck Spin
September 5, 2025 -
Modern Nature The Heat Warps
Bella Union
September 12, 2025 -
Raekwon THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES OCEAN CRANFIRE
Corey Woods p/k/a "Raekwon"
September 19, 2025 -
Pi'erre Bourne Made in Paris [2xLP]
Interscope/Geffen/A&M
September 19, 2025 -
The Lemonheads Love Chant
Fire Records
October 24, 2025 -
Dido No Angel (Deluxe Package)
Legacy Recordings
September 19, 2025 -
Astral Doors Testament of Rock; The Best of Astral Doors (Mint Green) [2xLP]
Metalville
August 29, 2025 -
David Gilmour THE LUCK and STRANGE CONCERTS [4xLP]
Legacy Recordings
October 17, 2025 -
Grateful Dead Blues For Allah (50th Anniversary)
Grateful Dead Production
September 12, 2025 -
Jay Som Belong (White)
Polyvinyl Records
October 10, 2025 -
SWEET SAVAGE Bang
Earmusic
September 12, 2025 -
Lebanon Hanover Asylum Lullabies
Fabrika Records
September 12, 2025 -
Jens Lekman Songs for Other People's Weddings (Yellow) [2xLP]
Secretly Canadian
September 12, 2025