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After her tough blues and R&B records in the early years of the 21st century -- 2003's Let's Roll and 2004's Blues to the Bone -- Etta James throws a quiet storm changeup. All the Way's 11 tracks are pop songs -- indeed, a few are standards -- written between the 1930s and the 1990s. James song choices are curious. The Great American Songbook tunes include the title track (written by Samuel Kahn and Jimmy Van Heusen), Leonard Bernstein's and Stephen Sondheim's "Somewhere" from West Side Story, and even Bob Telson's "Calling You" from the score to the 1987 film Baghdad Cafe -- it's been recorded by everyone from Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion to Jeff Buckley and Gal Costa. Unfortunately, nothing gets added in the offering; these are decent if not remarkable renditions. Beginning with track two, James offers her own bead on what a "standard" is with her excellent rendering of Bobby Womack's "Stop on By," (as read through the Boz Scaggs fakebook). James acted as executive producer on this set, which was actually produced by her sons Sametto and Donto Metto James (the rhythm section here), as well as guitarist Joshua Skair. It's overly polished, and that's just the beginning of the problems to be found on the album. The crystalline, laid-back beat, shimmering layered keyboards, and light funky guitar are the hallmarks of a modern adult contemporary soul style that is also employed on a nearly seven-minute cover of Johnny "Guitar" Watson's laid-back soul-blues classic "Strung Out." The really curious moments here are her funk-lite take of Mick Hucknall's (Simply Red) "Holding Back the Years," and a rather boring cover of John Lennon's "Imagine"; they appear back to back here. The other odd sequencing is the way James juxtaposes R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly," James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World," Prince's "Purple Rain," and Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin On." (co-written with Al Cleveland and Renaldo Benson). This quartet of tunes makes profound sense, though, as they are all tracks by some of the great African-American song composers in history. The problem lies in the interpretation. Kelly's true, positive-thinking anthem becomes a sensitive ballad in James' treatment of it, removing its life and making it a syrupy sun poem. Likewise, "What's Goin' On" is nearly too polished, and feels more like a meditation on the past than a song interpreted to reflect the urgency of the day -- which it most certainly does. The lavish flamenco intro to the Brown tune is a bit off-putting in terms of its slickness, but the smoky, militantly female reading redeems it and makes it one of the album's best tunes. Which leaves the Prince cover: with its compressed acoustic guitar and Sklair's electric fills, dovetailed by a Rhodes piano, James reinterprets this as a mature soul workout. She adds depth, dimension, and underscores how timeless a tune it is by adding more tough-love R&B to its gospel flair. It should have been chosen to close the disc. Despite her best intentions and the authority of her voice, All the Way is far from perfect. Compared to her last two outings, it simply pales. The ambition of the concept does not yield the hoped-for results in the packaging.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
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Josh Sklair, Guitar - Josh Sklair, Director - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Donto James, Producer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Sammy Cahn, Lyricist - Sammy Cahn, Composer - Sametto James, Producer - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - Sametto James, Bass - David K. Mathews, Piano - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - Etta James, Executive Producer - Etta James, Vocal - Etta James, Performer - Jimmy Van Heusen, Composer - Jimmy Van Heusen, Lyricist
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Josh Sklair, Arranger - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Director - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Electric Guitar - Josh Sklair, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Bobby Murray, Guitar - Thomas Truman, Composer - Thomas Truman, Lyricist - Donto James, Producer - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Donto James, Drums - Donto James, Percussion - Bobby Womack, Composer - Bobby Womack, Lyricist - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Sametto James, Producer - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - Sametto James, Acoustic Bass - David K. Mathews, Piano - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - Etta James, Performer - Etta James, Executive Producer - Etta James, Vocal
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Josh Sklair, Electric Guitar - Josh Sklair, Director - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Bobby Murray, Guitar - Donto James, Drums - Donto James, Producer - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Donto James, Percussion - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Lyricist - Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Composer - Sametto James, Acoustic Bass - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - Sametto James, Producer - David K. Mathews, Piano - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - Etta James, Executive Producer - Etta James, Vocal - Etta James, Performer
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Etta James, Executive Producer - Etta James, Vocal - Etta James, Performer - Sametto James, Bass - Sametto James, Acoustic Bass - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - Sametto James, Producer - Leonard Bernstein, Composer - Leonard Bernstein, Lyricist - Stephen Sondheim, Lyricist - Stephen Sondheim, Composer - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Donto James, Percussion - Donto James, Drums - Donto James, Producer - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Electric Guitar - Josh Sklair, Synthesizer - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Josh Sklair, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Josh Sklair, Director
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Neil Moss, Lyricist - Neil Moss, Composer - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Background Vocal - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Director - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Bobby Murray, Guitar - Donto James, Producer - Donto James, Drums - Donto James, Percussion - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Randy Williams, Background Vocal - Sametto James, Background Vocal - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - Sametto James, Producer - Sametto James, Acoustic Bass - Tamara Oliver, Background Vocal - David K. Mathews, Piano - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - Michael James Hucknall, Composer - Michael James Hucknall, Lyricist - Etta James, Performer - Etta James, Executive Producer - Etta James, Vocal - Etta James, Background Vocal
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Etta James, Vocal - Etta James, Executive Producer - Etta James, Performer - Sametto James, Producer - Sametto James, Acoustic Bass - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - Sametto James, Bass - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - David K. Mathews, Piano - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Donto James, Drums - Donto James, Percussion - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Donto James, Producer - John Lennon, Lyricist - John Lennon, Composer - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Director - Josh Sklair, Electric Guitar
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Josh Sklair, Director - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Josh Sklair, Background Vocal - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Donto James, Drums - Donto James, Percussion - Donto James, Producer - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Robert Kelly, Lyricist - Robert Kelly, Composer - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Randy Williams, Background Vocal - Sametto James, Acoustic Bass - Sametto James, Background Vocal - Sametto James, Producer - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - Tamara Oliver, Background Vocal - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - David K. Mathews, Piano - Etta James, Background Vocal - Etta James, Performer - Etta James, Vocal - Etta James, Executive Producer
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
James Brown, Composer - James Brown, Lyricist - Josh Sklair, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Josh Sklair, Director - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Electric Guitar - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Bobby Murray, Electric Guitar - Donto James, Drums - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Donto James, Producer - Donto James, Percussion - Betty Newsome, Composer - Betty Newsome, Lyricist - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Sametto James, Acoustic Bass - Sametto James, Producer - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - David K. Mathews, Piano - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - Etta James, Vocal - Etta James, Performer - Etta James, Executive Producer
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Josh Sklair, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Josh Sklair, Dobro - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Director - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Bobby Murray, Guitar - Donto James, Drums - Donto James, Producer - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Prince, Lyricist - Prince, Composer - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Sametto James, Acoustic Bass - Sametto James, Producer - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - David K. Mathews, Piano - Etta James, Executive Producer - Etta James, Performer - Etta James, Vocal
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Josh Sklair, Arranger - Josh Sklair, Director - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Renaldo Benson, Lyricist - Renaldo Benson, Composer - Donto James, Programmer - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Donto James, Producer - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Al Cleveland, Composer - Al Cleveland, Lyricist - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - Sametto James, Acoustic Bass - Sametto James, Producer - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - David K. Mathews, Piano - Etta James, Performer - Etta James, Vocal - Etta James, Executive Producer - Marvin Gaye, Composer - Marvin Gaye, Lyricist
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Josh Sklair, Director - Josh Sklair, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Josh Sklair, Producer - Josh Sklair, Recording Engineer - Josh Sklair, Electric Guitar - Dave Mathews, Orchestrator - Bobby Murray, Electric Guitar - Donto James, Drums - Donto James, Percussion - Donto James, Recording Engineer - Donto James, Producer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ed Cherney, Mixing Engineer - Sametto James, Electric Guitar - Sametto James, Recording Engineer - Sametto James, Producer - Robert E. Telson, Composer - Robert E. Telson, Lyricist - David K. Mathews, Piano - David K. Mathews, Synthesizer - Etta James, Performer - Etta James, Vocal - Etta James, Executive Producer
(P) 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertianment
Album review
After her tough blues and R&B records in the early years of the 21st century -- 2003's Let's Roll and 2004's Blues to the Bone -- Etta James throws a quiet storm changeup. All the Way's 11 tracks are pop songs -- indeed, a few are standards -- written between the 1930s and the 1990s. James song choices are curious. The Great American Songbook tunes include the title track (written by Samuel Kahn and Jimmy Van Heusen), Leonard Bernstein's and Stephen Sondheim's "Somewhere" from West Side Story, and even Bob Telson's "Calling You" from the score to the 1987 film Baghdad Cafe -- it's been recorded by everyone from Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion to Jeff Buckley and Gal Costa. Unfortunately, nothing gets added in the offering; these are decent if not remarkable renditions. Beginning with track two, James offers her own bead on what a "standard" is with her excellent rendering of Bobby Womack's "Stop on By," (as read through the Boz Scaggs fakebook). James acted as executive producer on this set, which was actually produced by her sons Sametto and Donto Metto James (the rhythm section here), as well as guitarist Joshua Skair. It's overly polished, and that's just the beginning of the problems to be found on the album. The crystalline, laid-back beat, shimmering layered keyboards, and light funky guitar are the hallmarks of a modern adult contemporary soul style that is also employed on a nearly seven-minute cover of Johnny "Guitar" Watson's laid-back soul-blues classic "Strung Out." The really curious moments here are her funk-lite take of Mick Hucknall's (Simply Red) "Holding Back the Years," and a rather boring cover of John Lennon's "Imagine"; they appear back to back here. The other odd sequencing is the way James juxtaposes R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly," James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World," Prince's "Purple Rain," and Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin On." (co-written with Al Cleveland and Renaldo Benson). This quartet of tunes makes profound sense, though, as they are all tracks by some of the great African-American song composers in history. The problem lies in the interpretation. Kelly's true, positive-thinking anthem becomes a sensitive ballad in James' treatment of it, removing its life and making it a syrupy sun poem. Likewise, "What's Goin' On" is nearly too polished, and feels more like a meditation on the past than a song interpreted to reflect the urgency of the day -- which it most certainly does. The lavish flamenco intro to the Brown tune is a bit off-putting in terms of its slickness, but the smoky, militantly female reading redeems it and makes it one of the album's best tunes. Which leaves the Prince cover: with its compressed acoustic guitar and Sklair's electric fills, dovetailed by a Rhodes piano, James reinterprets this as a mature soul workout. She adds depth, dimension, and underscores how timeless a tune it is by adding more tough-love R&B to its gospel flair. It should have been chosen to close the disc. Despite her best intentions and the authority of her voice, All the Way is far from perfect. Compared to her last two outings, it simply pales. The ambition of the concept does not yield the hoped-for results in the packaging.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:51:25
- Main artists: Etta James
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: RCA Victor
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B
(P) 2006 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
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