Etta James – Tuff Lover,ACE 1983

Let’s stir the place up a bit. R&B today means a kind of music,
with all respect, not for me. Back in the old days, R&B would stand
for rhythm and blues, honest stuff with stunning instrumentation and
mindblowing voices. Such as this one, if you speak of a woman with
bollocks in her voice, this is her. Etta James, although quite light
coloured and with blond hair, she has a fat black sound like no one has.
Bluesy, New Orleans based rock and roll with crazy saxophones and
Etta’s unique way of singing. check track #2 in which she has
a conversation with a talking sax, greatly performed by Harold Battiste.
It’s all recorded in the 50’s, over half a century ago, don’t you just love it?

tracks;

1 Tough lover
2 The pick-up
3 By the light of the silvery moon
4 Fools we mortals be
5 Come what may
6 Dance with me Henry
7 Good lookin’
8 Tears of joy
9 Shortnin’ bread rock
10 Baby, baby, every night
11 Then I’ll care
12 Market place