In 1969, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist
Al Kooper added "talent scout" to his already lengthy résumé on the follow-up to the highly successful
Super Session disc, which had been issued the previous year. One major difference between the two, however, is the relatively unknown cast featured on Kooper Session. Both albums again converge with the presentation of top-shelf musicianship and inspired performances. At only 15 years of age, guitarist
Shuggie Otis is equally potent a performer as the seasoned keyboardist/guitarist
Kooper. The duo is able to manifest an aggregate of material whose success leans as much on
Kooper's experience as it does on
Otis' sheer inspired youthful energy. The LP is divided between a side of shorter works (aka "songs") and a few extended instrumentals (aka "blues").
Kooper and
Otis steer their house band, which includes Stu Woods (bass), Wells Kelly (drums), and Mark Klingman (piano). The tight arrangements aptly reveal
Kooper's uncanny ability as a musical conduit. "Bury My Body" -- a variation on "In My Time of Dyin'" -- has been reworked into a gospel rave-up and features
Kooper on one of the album's only vocals. Conversely, "Double or Nothing" is a spot-on re-creation of a
Booker T. & the MG's track, which not only retains every Memphis-inspired intonation, but also shows off
Otis' ability to cop
Steve Cropper's guitar solo note for note. The blues instrumental jams are documented live and presented on this album the way that they originally went down at the recording sessions. The descriptively titled "Shuggie's Old Time Dee-Di-Lee-Di-Leet-Deet Slide Boogie" is endowed with a nostalgic piano/bottleneck slide duet and even features the added production value of manufactured surface noise. Both "12:15 Slow Goonbash Blues" and "Shuggie's Shuffle" are certainly no less traditional, allowing both
Otis and
Kooper the chance to stretch out and interact in real time. ~ Lindsay Planer