Born and raised in Detroit, and based in Staten Island, NY, Jeannine Otis has been a singular and substantial voice for four decades. Drawing equally from jazz, classical, dance, gospel and pop genres, her first recording, Magic Song, based on the poetry with Finnish poet Eino Leino, and his fellow countryman, pianist/composer Heikki Sarmanto, was originally released in 1980, and re-released in 2003 and 2013.
On Into My Heart, Otis’ supple and silken vocals are supported by guitarists Saul Rubin and Jimmy Ponzi, bassist Stanley Banks, Sam Jacobs on congas, and German producer, DJ Smurf (Frank Koopman), who co-penned and produced the South American-syncopated “Brazilian Jam.” Otis and company breathe new life on the CD’s standards, including two sumptuous vocal/guitar duo renditions of “In A Sentimental Mood,” and “Lover Man” that recall the indigo intimacy of Ella Fitzgerald’s and guitarist Joe Pass’ dynamic duets.
The full ensemble takes Otis on a mellow, magic carpet ride on “Mood Is For Loving,” co-written by Otis and her writing partner, Wilma Classon. “Cokika” is a moving, Latinesque number by composer Betty Shirley and arranged by Otis and Saul Rubin about a bird in fateful flight. Peitor Angeli’s “Sweet Sad Guitar,” is a hypnotic, Quiet Storm track with Rubin playing all of the instruments. Gumbs composed and produced the title track, and the bouncy “Joy of Life,” while “Touch Me Tonight’’ is Otis’ solo composition, laced with her beautiful and spare piano playing.
Otis’ broad vocal talents stem from her rich and varied artistic background. Her mother was a musical director for a number of Detroit-area churches and community centers, and Otis is a cousin to the Motor Citys’ first family of jazz, the Jones brothers: pianist Hank, drummer Elvin, and trumpeter/composer Thad. At the age of twelve, she performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as a soloist on the television show, American Youth Performs. At sixteen, she enrolled at Wellesley College, was the first African-American to become a Presser Music Scholar, earned a BA in Sociology and Musicology, and an MA in Theater Education and Performance at Emerson College, where she landed a teaching fellowship.
Otis has worked with numerous music stars including trumpeter Donald Byrd, Kool & Gang, The New Shirelles, bassist Vishnu Wood, and recorded background vocals on Grover Washington, Jr’s. track, “Do Dat” from his 1978 LP, Reed Seed. She also recorded a number of dance tracks that topped charts in Europe and Australia. A seasoned actress, The New York Times critic Anthony Tomassini described Otis as a “show-stopper” as Ella Worker in the Downtown Music Production staging of The Cradle Will Rock. Her 2007 book, The Gathering, a collection of prayers and reflections from inner city youth, was adapted into a music theater piece called Who Am I? Otis currently serves as music director for St. Marks Church.
Into My Heart is Jeannine Otis’ celebration of life and love through music.
1. Mood Is For Lovin’ (Otis/Classon) 5:16
2. Touch Me Tonight (Otis) Otis/Sherry Duo–arrangement by Johnathan Sherry 3:26
3. Brazilian Jam (Otis/Koopman; produced by Frank Koopman/DJ SMURF) 6:11
4. Sweet Sad Guitar (Angell) Otis/Rubin Duo (Rubin - all instruments) 5:42
5. Lover Man (Davis/Ramirez/Sherman) Otis/Rubin Duo 5:01
6. Cokika (Shirley) Otis/Rubin Duo 4:14
7. Joy Of Life (written and produced by Onaje Allan Gumbs) 5:33
8. In A Sentimental Mood (Ellington) Otis/Rubin Duo 5:08
9. Into My Heart (written and produced by Onaje Allan Gumbs) 3:52
Jeannine Otis - Vocals
Stanley Banks - Bass
Sam Jacobs - Congas
Saul Rubin, Jimmy Ponzi - Guitar
Stanton Davis - trumpet
Johnathan Sherry - piano
