The Essential Etta James

Etta James

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 8, 1993)
• Original Release Date: June 8, 1993
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Chess
• ASIN: B000002OBX
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #23,206 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Blues > Classic Female Vocal Blues

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Etta James is the dues-paying blues mama. Throughout her tragic and storied career, Miss Peaches has successfully delivered her growling soul and soaring vocals to everything from Chicago blues to pop. Her voice is one of the most distinctive in the entire blues canon and The Essential Etta James captures it in its prime; 44 tracks cover her best Chess Records work from 1960 to the early '70s. And though her early R&B hits for Modern like "Roll with Me Henry" are not here, just about everything else is: the supreme balladry of "All I Could Do Was Cry" and "At Last," the sassy bump of "Seven-Day Fool" and "Pushover," the raucous soul of "In the Basement," and even bell-bottomed funk of "All the Way Down." But the finest evidence of James's versatility can be heard in her outstanding Memphis soul covers of "Tell Mama" and "Security." There's a lot of Etta James out there, but this is likely the best compilation of her work you're going to find. --Ken Hohman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Etta James makes every song a gem., August 28, 2001

By	"bluemamma" (San Luis Obispo, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This a great sampler of the early Etta James, 1960 to 1975, when she sang like a cross between Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin. One minute her voice is gentle and yearning. the next minute sheÕs stomping, growling, and roaring Ð the greatest r&b belter of all time. She has one of the most striking, goosebump-raising voices in the history of music. If all you know of Etta James is "At Last," you owe yourself this album. Not every song on here is a winner. For years no one seemed to be able to figure out what to do with Etta JamesÕ obvious talent, and they kept trying her out in different styles of music. The album is arranged in chronological order, so you hear her move from melodramatic teenage tearjerkers like "All I Could Do Was Cry," to romantic ballads ("At Last" is her most famous song, but there are a half dozen others on this album just as beautiful), to party r&b ("In The Basement"), to the Memphis Soul of "Tell Mama" and "IÕd Rather Go Blind," and finally into adventurous explorations of challenging songwriters like Randy Newman (her version of NewmanÕs "GodÕs Song" still gives me chills no matter how many times I listen to it.) The Essential Etta James is like a history of 60s and 70s soul music. Fascinating. But itÕs not just a period piece. The truth is, thereÕs no kind of music Etta James canÕt sing. She bring soul and grace to everything she touches. She makes the dumb songs fun, and the great ones masterpieces. And sheÕs STILL doing wonderful work, more than forty years after she started. But this album is where you can hear the astonishing range of her gift. This is where any newcomer should begin.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, my, Miss Peaches..., July 1, 2002

By	LillyDale (Quail Hollow) - See all my reviews

This is an excellent cross-section of Miss James' vocal ability. It's all here - smoke-filled standards, rockin' R&B, scorching soul, and yes indeed, torch songs to put modern "divas" to shame. Though Etta's voice has spectacular range and emotional drive, these recordings do not contain the shrill vocal calesthenics forced on us by the 90's pop divas. The result was this ultra-quality collection, which I guarantee you will never loan out, even to your best friend.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Die-hard Etta James will rejoice with this compilation!, October 23, 1999

By A Customer

First off, let me say that if you are just getting into Etta and only know a few songs by her, this is not the way to start getting into her. It may have most of her stuff, but I think with a singer with power like Etta's, you need to take baby steps before you take a big dive into the blues of Etta James! I would recommended the MILLENIUM COLLECTION CD for a nice opening to her, then get this! Everything else is unnecessary when you have this! On 2 CD's, this has the best of her many albums, rare singles, and previously unreleased stuff. There's just so much on here that I can't describe it, you have to see for yourself after you've got a hankering for Etta!