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28 of 28 found the following review helpful:
Etta James makes every song a gem. Aug 28, 2001
By slomamma
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.
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
Oh, my, Miss Peaches... Jul 02, 2002
By LillyDale
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.
24 of 27 found the following review helpful:
 Die-hard Etta James will rejoice with this compilation! Oct 23, 1999
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!
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
but...look, a box set is coming Jun 06, 2000
I'm happy to see such an overwhelming positive response to this lady...I guess there is SOMETHING good about appropiating old classics for tv commercials. Hey, Aretha's great, but Etta James takes a back seat to NO ONE! Nor do the Chess productions of the 60s. This stuff is so hot you'll wonder, as I did, how you could possibly have lived without all these years. Citing highlights is futile...this is one CD where you won't use the skip button, I can assure you. If you really like Etta, though, you might want to wait for the box set.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Simply awesome Aug 11, 1999
By csanders@aol.com
I have been a fan of the likes of Billie Holliday and Ella Fitzerald for years, and have only recently been introduced to the sounds of Etta James. She is one of the best, I only wish I had known her much longer. This album is incredible...I couldn't ask for anything more.
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