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The legendary blues singer indeed lives up to the silly cliché about being able to sing the phone book and make it sound rich, meaningful, and soulful. Still, it's always exciting to hear her tackle materials she's missed before. Here she shifts gears impressively into the intimate jazz club mode, performing beautifully arranged takes on a wide variety of standards (from "Come Rain or Come Shine" to "Cry Me a River") under the direction of producer John Snyder and arranger/pianist Cedar Walton. Those two gathered a handful of great jazz players and recorded the initial tracks without James, who had a touch of the flu. A few months later she had recovered and did the amazing vocal sessions which truly sound live and in synch with the music. Beginning with the redemptive theme of "This Bitter Earth," each song allows her to explore both tenderness and guttural emotions, even a little irony on clever twists like "He's Funny That Way." There are also perfectly placed spotlights for the featured musicians. "This Bitter Earth" and "He's Funny That Way" feature a thoughtful improvisation by Walton, while Duke Ellington's "In My Solitude" has a passionate interlude by tenor saxophonist Red Holloway. Most of the vocals are textured over a bed of simmering brass, adding to the old school big band flavor that creates the atmosphere for the project. It's certainly common for great artists to thank their parents for various influences, but James goes one step further on the title track, allowing her mom to sing the tune; mom is no match for her daughter, but it's still a unique touch that adds emotional dimension to an already emotionally rich affair.
© Jonathan Widran /TiVo
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Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Cedar Walton, Piano - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Tony Dumas, Bass - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer - Clyde Otis, Composer - Clyde Otis, Lyricist
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Ralph Penland, Drums - Charles Daniels, Lyricist - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - Richard A. Whiting, Composer - George Bohannon, Trombone - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Tony Dumas, Bass - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Josh Sklair, Guitar - Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - Edgar DeLange, Lyricist - George Bohannon, Trombone - Irving Mills, Lyricist - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Tony Dumas, Bass - Etta James, Vocal - Duke Ellington, Composer - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Isham Jones, Composer - Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Marty Symes, Lyricist - Tony Dumas, Bass - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - Joe Greene, Composer - Joe Greene, Lyricist - George Bohannon, Trombone - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Tony Dumas, Bass - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Josh Sklair, Arranger - Ralph Penland, Drums - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Victor Young, Lyricist - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Edward Heyman, Composer - Tony Dumas, Bass - Rick Baptist, Flugelhorn - Cedar Walton, Piano - Ron Powell, Percussion - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Eric Maschwitz, Lyricist - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Harry Link, Lyricist - Jack Strachey, Composer - Tony Dumas, Bass - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Tony Dumas, Bass - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Johnny Mercer, Lyricist - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Harold Arlen, Composer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Rube Bloom, Composer - Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Ralph Penland, Drums - Ted Koehler, Lyricist - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Tony Dumas, Bass - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Arthur Hamilton, Composer - Arthur Hamilton, Lyricist - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Tony Dumas, Bass - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Dorothy Fields, Composer - Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Tony Dumas, Bass - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Jimmy McHugh, Lyricist - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Channing Pollock, Composer - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Jacques Charles, Lyricist - Tony Dumas, Bass - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Cedar Walton, Piano - Maurice Yvain, Lyricist - Albert Willemetz, Lyricist - Etta James, Vocal - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Bob Russell, Lyricist - Red Holloway, Tenor Saxophone - Josh Sklair, Guitar - Ralph Penland, Drums - Richard McKernan, 2nd Engineer - Richard McKernan, Mixing Engineer - Jay Newland, Recording Engineer - Jay Newland, Mixing Engineer - John Nelson, Mixing Engineer - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Trumpet - Ronnie Buttacavoli, Flugelhorn - George Bohannon, Trombone - Tony Dumas, Bass - Cedar Walton, Piano - Cedar Walton, Arranger - Dorothy Leatherwood, Vocal - Etta James, Vocal - Lester Lee, Composer - John Snyder, Producer - Alan Mason, 2nd Engineer
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
Albumbeschreibung
The legendary blues singer indeed lives up to the silly cliché about being able to sing the phone book and make it sound rich, meaningful, and soulful. Still, it's always exciting to hear her tackle materials she's missed before. Here she shifts gears impressively into the intimate jazz club mode, performing beautifully arranged takes on a wide variety of standards (from "Come Rain or Come Shine" to "Cry Me a River") under the direction of producer John Snyder and arranger/pianist Cedar Walton. Those two gathered a handful of great jazz players and recorded the initial tracks without James, who had a touch of the flu. A few months later she had recovered and did the amazing vocal sessions which truly sound live and in synch with the music. Beginning with the redemptive theme of "This Bitter Earth," each song allows her to explore both tenderness and guttural emotions, even a little irony on clever twists like "He's Funny That Way." There are also perfectly placed spotlights for the featured musicians. "This Bitter Earth" and "He's Funny That Way" feature a thoughtful improvisation by Walton, while Duke Ellington's "In My Solitude" has a passionate interlude by tenor saxophonist Red Holloway. Most of the vocals are textured over a bed of simmering brass, adding to the old school big band flavor that creates the atmosphere for the project. It's certainly common for great artists to thank their parents for various influences, but James goes one step further on the title track, allowing her mom to sing the tune; mom is no match for her daughter, but it's still a unique touch that adds emotional dimension to an already emotionally rich affair.
© Jonathan Widran /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 01:07:16
- Main artists: Etta James
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Private Music
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B
(P) 2001 Sony Music Entertainment
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