Customer Reviews

Blue Gardenia

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Once again Etta works with the great Cedar Walton. Once again a great record. These collection is the perfect saga for "Mistery Lady" and "Time after Time". Etta's voice is in top form. The album has a surprise: Etta's mom sings "Blue Gardenia". My favorite tracks are "These foolish things", "Cry me a river" and "My man". Etta James is a soulful singer and a great artist. I love her!!!

This disc gives us a mature, world-weary Etta, who sings her heart out in this fabulous jazz album, mostly about the slings and arrows of love, obsession, and in "He's Funny That Way", a recognition of one's own character failures. One of the main strengths of the CD is the choice of material, which consists of some of the best melodies and strongest lyrics ever written, and Etta wrings every ounce of soul out of them.
Outstanding are "Love Letters", "Cry Me a River", and the one that sticks with me long after the CD is over is "My Man".

This is music that will be appreciated by those who have been through the mill and come out a little bruised; those unscathed by life and love might not appreciate this recording, which may be one of Etta's finest, in the same way.
The musicians are superb, and echo the vocals in feeling. Cedar Walton on piano, Ronnie Buttacavoli on trumpet, Josh Sklair on guitar, and Red Holloway on tenor sax are stellar, as well as Tony Dumas, bass / Ralph Pendland, drums / George Bohannon, trumpet, and on "Love Letters", Rick Baptist, flugelhorn and Ron Powell on percussion.
The final track is sung by Etta's mother, Dorothy Leatherwood, and she'll bring a tear to your eye with her rendition of "Blue Gardenia".

Recorded between November of 2000 and March of 2001, the sound is terrific, and has a very intimate sound, as if one were front row and center in a small club.
The fold-out insert has a song list, recording info and liner notes: no lyrics, but one of the beauties of Etta's singing is her diction, and she makes every word understandable; there are no "misheard lyrics" on this CD.
Total playing time is 61'20.

I first heard this album at Tower Records. I was hypnotized! Blue Gardenia is the first jazz album I ever bought and because of Etta James' beautiful voice it is definitely not my last. I can listen to this album over and over again. She has such a richness to her voice that I have never heard. Listen to a sample, and you'll see what I mean!

All I know about EJ is what's on this recording. I wish I had listened to her long before. But she has the right combination of tenderness and sweaty hot sexy soul and it just suits me fine. I don't think the album will ever get tired.

Favorite tracks: "In My Solitude" and "Cry Me a River" but all the rest are close behind. There is a great intimate sax solo on "...Solitude."

I don't see how I could go wrong in buying more music from the superb Etta James.

The product arrived on time, well packaged and in pristine condition. I was very happy with the purchase and experience.

I appreciate Etta James and loved this CD. Oddly, the title cut Blue Gardenia didn't impress me as the others did. Sounded as though it was recorded at a totally different time or studio. But Etta is never a disappointment to my ears so I'm happy with the CD.

You cannot cannot go wrong with this CD! I bought this CD when it was released and thought I should finally take the time to pay my respects to this work! It's beautiful. It's old stuff but modernly classic too. It's bluesy and jazzy, and altogether life-changing (at least musically speaking - to me there was a definite life before and then a life after this CD LOL!).

It's one of those "essential" CDs you would buy again and again if you somehow lost your copy. The arrangements are lush, clear, deft, and soulful. There's a certain 1:00am-ish vibe, as if most of the patrons at a jazz bar had left and the singer, having downed another cognac, has just found her groove, singing from her heart tenderly at some point, and at others, is releasing some long pent-up emotion.

I love love love this CD. All the songs here are "standards" and for the great Miss Etta James to sing these major standards on one CD is a miracle and really a gift to all her fans and music lovers. I love how these song standards are treated here - very consistently in terms of timing, arrangements and how it sets a "mood" that this CD seems to create. Because of that, you can listen to this CD and be transported to that blues/jazz bar I mentioned earlier and hang out there for an hour... or two (put this CD on shuffle play & repeat and never leave the house LOL)...

As far as her voice, I love it here. Some critics say she can't sing like she did in her "prime", to which I say effen-u because I can respect how her voice has matured. You can hear the grit, the sorrow, pain, heart and soul around the edges of her voice. And it's PERFECT for the content of the songs she sings here anyway: heartbreak, long lost loves, etc...

The seasoned musicians here are phenomenal in that they play in what I would say is in a restrained and respectful way. OK, maybe they too have drunk too much cognac as well - and that's a good thing, right?! There's a certain pace and timing to their playing that is very appealing. They seem to pepper Miss Etta's presence just so rightly, they caress Miss Etta's voice, and they play as if they are just slightly behind her in timing...lest they intrude into the heartbroken moment the great Miss James has just invoked...

Etta and her band sounds like they have played 1000 bars, it all sounds so effortless and fresh and "live" - but I'm 100% sure that sounding "effortless" takes a lifetime of practice and understanding. It's a shame this CD id not available to download on Amazon, every song is a treat!

I've heard many of these standards sung by others before an after Miss James on this CD, but I can honestly say, hers IS the new standard for me on of how these songs should be played and sung!

If you are into making MP3 "genres" or "mixes" for your car CD or ipod, the songs on this CD would make-up a great collection. I have a "mix" CD of MP3 songs I call "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" that includes all these songs plus other slow jazz/blues romantic standards from various artists. At your next late summer, nothing special get-together, when it's getting late, and smoke fills the air, turn down the lights and let your remaining family and friends (your closest friends and family members stay the latest anyway, don't they?) ...and their lovers dance nice and slow to these songs...it will make for a magical and tender evening....

If you're thinking about Diana Krall - stop. Let Etta James show you how Jazz should REALLY be done. Don't hesitate - click "BUY NOW". Great stuff!

Etta James is not dead! Perhaps you are thinking of Etta Jones?

I thought this CD would contain her classic performances -- instead I learn it was recorded last year and in early 2001. Ms. James is long past her prime. Her voice now calls for orchestral support, warmth. Instead, we get Cedar Walton's notion -- rhythm section with brass dominated by fluegel horn(!). Almost unlistenable. Everything mixed at same level, no layering, no subltely. I blame Walton's arrangements -- boring, stilted, unimaginative, lazy. Poor Etta.