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RIVETING MASTERPIECE~BRAVO ETTA JAMES!!!

Bradly Briggs | TOLUCA LAKE, CALIFORNIA | 07/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wild and supremely soulful plus funky is this definitive collection of extraordinary magical vocal performances, extraordinary masterpiece "Etta James" from 1973 is finally on CD and has been a long time coming...one of the greatest lp's ever from any Soul Legend, Etta shows in this collection of tremendous performances that nobody comes close and the lady sings a storm. Sublime vocal rifts and funky rhythm changes make "All The Way Down" a riveting and great listening experience that should have been a huge hit but the Radio Programmers of America were too busy falling all over themselves to play bland singer/songwriters and if they had no vocal skill all the better...yuck!!! Those who knew about great singers wore out many copies of "Etta James" produced by Gabriel Mekler (he produced Janis who clearly "borrowed" from Etta) and doesn't get better than this! Randy Newman's "God Song" is a classic anthem and this song is infused with so much passion and soul that it is breathtaking to experience and becomes one of Etta's greatest ever performances & that is really saying something! Funky and rocking is "Only A Fool" while "Down So Low" is another gut-wrenching stellar James performance being one of her finest ever...Randy Newman standard "Leave Your Hat On" is given a definitive performance and Etta does it naughty as it should be and this wild number was always fun to watch in her memorable seventies concerts which were always incredible events and great musical adventures. Many have recorded Randy Newman's "Sail Away" but none get inside of this great song like Etta turning it inside out...truly extraordinary and a wondrous and magical vocal treat to enjoy and experience! "Yesterday's Music" is rocking and sensual and would have been a huge hit if radio had picked up on it..."Lay Back Daddy" is another rhythm cooker that is wildly infectious while the finale is another performance from Etta James that stands as one of the greatest ever performances from any soul singer...little known Otis Redding song "Just One More Day" is turned into a soulful anthem that defines what great soul singing is all about...Otis Redding would have loved this passionate and brilliantly sung performance of his song that is turned into a lasting masterpiece...Etta wrings everything possible out of this great song and shows why she is one of the very greatest singing legends of all time...Bravo Etta!!! You did it all this time and leave us breathless"

Love it!

A. Hoxie | NH | 03/10/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great CD,its pure blues! One of my favorite Etta James cd's, never get tired of listening to it."