Although you will doubtless read elsewhere that Quincy Jones was the first black man to hold down a senior executive position in a major record company, the mighty CLYDE OTIS (he stood 6'4") beat him to it by a good few years. Perhaps best known for his long, hugely rewarding collaboration with Brook Benton, songwriter / bandleader / arranger / producer, Otis possessed perfect ears and was a wildly successful writer and producer. At the outset of his career he was active as a recording artist, Clyde Otis And His Orchestra; Disc 1 of this unique compilation comprises tracks from his own LPs and 45rpms. Disc 2 presents Otis as a songwriter, arranger and producer, juxtaposing a handful of key hits and million sellers against a selection of collectors' rarities. Much of the material on Disc 1 is unavailable elsewhere on CD, as are several of the more esoteric, collectable sides on Disc 2.