Etta James Blues To The Bone CD

Duke Ellington spoke of certain things being "beyond category"--such a description suits singer Etta James. Since the 1950s, James has helped to set trends and adapted to them, applying her deep, dignified voice to jazz, blues, Southern soul, and pop balladry. BLUES TO THE BONE is James's tribute to the blues, and it takes on well-worn genre standards and gives them a veritable new lease on life. James alternates between acoustic and electric renditions--"Lil' Red Rooster" becomes a country-tinged lamentation, and "Smokestack Lightnin'" gets a rare bare-bones treatment, just voice and acoustic guitar. "Got My Mojo Working" is a chugging, loping hunk of bravado, and "The Sky Is Crying" sounds like a storm about to break, James' voice the virtual definition of "soulful." Throughout, James sings the blues as one who has lived them, and her accompanists are a lean, mean, well-oiled machine, playing nary an excess note.

Personnel: Etta James (vocals); Brian Ray (guitar, slide guitar); Josh Sklair, Bobby Murray (guitar); John "Juke" Logan (harmonica); Mike Finnegan (piano); Sametto James (bass guitar); Donto Metto James (drums).

Liner Note Author: Lithoyfayne Pridgon.

Mojo (Publisher) (p.110) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[A]s this new album cogently illustrates, the LA-born chanteuse continues to record with an energetic vigour..."