Search - Etta James :: Etta James Rocks The House

One of the best live blues albums ever recorded!

bluemamma | San Luis Obispo, CA USA | 08/31/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album rivals B.B. KingÕs Live At The Regal for best live blues album ever. (Although, ironically, I think the weakest cut on the album is Sweet Little Angel, which nobody, not even Etta James can sing with the passion of B.B. King) The high points are Baby What You Want Me To Do and Woke Up This Morning. Her singing is so tough, so ballsy on these songs, I canÕt think of another singer to compare her to. She could make even Wilson Pickett and James Brown sound like wimps. She finishes both songs off with some scatting you have to hear to believe. She just takes my breath away. And several more songs on this album are almost as good.Besides the incredible singing, the other thing that makes this album a joy is the audience. The excitement is palpable. On a couple of songs, she gets a thrilling call and response going with them, and their excitement seems to feed her. You can actually hear her getting energy from the audience. The album is the next best thing to Etta James in person."

Etta is the best!!!

David G. Lucas | 11/21/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Etta James is one of the best singers ever! In this cd you hear Etta the way she's supposed to be heard. Live! Her interpretation of lyrics in each song is awe inspiring to listen to. The backing band is also full of good musicians, who have a good groove together and with Etta. There is some great guitar work in "Sweet Little Angel". I am a huge Etta fan but have played this album for many people who are not and don't even really care for the blues. But, everybody so far loves it. This album is beneficial to anyone who likes music in general, and definitely demonstrates the voice actually being used as an instrument. A must have!"

Hot! Front row seats to see Etta James, 1963!

David G. Lucas | Tsukuba Japan, Chicago IL, Milwaukee WI, Monroe WI | 05/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the greatest live club recordings in Blues, and the only one from Etta's early career. You can feel the party; folks are screaming, Etta's steaming, the whole country was still reeling from her '61 At Last! recording that will also knock your shoes off and have you rocking the house yourself. Oh, Etta sings some beautiful blues, you know, but she can rip out some heart-wrenching gutteral gospel, too; it's all here in this one-night show. Just 25 years old and in full power, Live.



The audience is up screaming and dancing from the first number and Etta immediately slides into the sexiest version of Jimmy Reed's Baby, Any Way You Want Me To Do, giving the song all new meaning. Just four years earlier Ray Charles topped the charts with What I Say, and Etta belts it out true to form with all the flavor Ray gave it, and the audience is absolutely enthralled. You are right there with them on this recording.



She puts The Beatles to shame on Money (That's What I Want), and beat them to it here, rocking out to the tune originally recorded by Motown writer Barrett Strong in 1959. The Beatles made a hit out of it in '63 only after this show. They've Etta James to thank for warming Americans up to the beat.



The house stays on their feet keeping the floor wet though a rocking bluesy Seven Day Fool and they don't get a rest till the guitarist gets to put on a show of his own with Sweet Little Angel; a B.B. King classic, sung by Etta "with a feeling" as Little Walter wrote and Paul Butterfield so famously quoted and promoted. Oh, what a feeling. The first set ends here and we break for drinks!



Encore time! Ooh Poo Pah Doo gets the fans all riled up and dancing again. You can imagine a mixed crowd of revelers, drinks and smokes set down now, see 'em Twisting in front of the band and throughout the aisles. Back to B.B. King for Woke Up This Morning in rockin' double time, and Etta finishes off her party sending everyone home sweaty and in the mood with another Jimmy Reed classic, Ain't That Lovin' You Baby.



Oh, Baby, what a night!"