Etta James The Montreux Years

Etta James
The Montreux Years
BMG

This Etta James double album is one of the initial releases (Nina Simone being the other) from the Archives of The Montreux Jazz Festival in conjunction with The Claude Nobs Foundation. The Foundation was founded to oversee the Claude Nobs audio and visual archives of recordings of performances at the Festival. There are 21 performances from six performances from 1975 to 1993 over the two CDs (and this is available in other formats including double LPs).

The CDs are packaged in a small hardback package. There are booklet notes from Bob Merlis, Etta James' press agent as well. The notes provide an overview of how her career was intertwined with her Montreux performances. There is an interview with guitarist Brian Ray who plays on her appearances from 1975, 1977, and 1978. Others heard on various selections, including guitarists Bobby Murray Josh Sklair, Cash McCall, saxophonist David 'Fathead' Newman, trumpeter Ronnie Buttacavoli, and saxophonist Ritchie Howell, Howard Johnson on tuba, and drummer Herman 'Roscoe' Ernest III. Montreux Jazz producer Claude Nobs adds harmonica to several tracks.

The first disc is a mix of performances from 1977 to 1993. Most are with the Roots Band that included guitarists Bobby Murray and Josh Sklair. The second CD is her first performance at Montreux. Although the personnel are not listed in the booklet, they include guitarist Brian Ray and saxophonist Klaus Doldinger and introduced by the announcer before Etta starts her performance. There is over two and a half-hour of music on the two discs.

As noted, the first disc is a selective ion of performances from different Festival appearances. They find James in fine form with a mix of material opening with "Break-in' Up Somebody's Home." There are several performances contemporaneous with her "Seven Year Itch" album inching stunning renditions of "I Got the Will" and "Damn Your Eyes." The two early performances on this disc are from when she was on the Chess family records. They include the powerful "Tell Mama" and one of several renditions of Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me To Do" that are on this album, including one retitled as "Running and Hiding Blues." Of particular note is the superb medley she does, "Medley: At Last/ Trust in Me/ Sunday Kind of Love." She introduces them by saying they thought she was going to be a jazz singer. Interestingly, "At Last" is not performed on its own, but this medley is superb with her timeless singing ably supported by The Roots Band. On an encore from 1978 of "Baby What You Want Me To Do," there are some fiery solos from Brain Ray and saxophonist Gene Dinwitty.

The second disc from 1975, her first European performance, features a fair amount of blues, although it opens with a fiery performance of The Staples' "Respect Yourself." This concert was a blues-heavy program with powerful renditions of "Drown in My Own Tears," "Dust My Broom," "Baby What You Want Me To Do," Rock Me Baby," and "Stormy Monday." During "Drown in My Own Tears" there is a point where she sings without a microphone to showcase her power as a singer. The high point of this set is "I'd Rather Go Blind," with one of her most compelling vocals.

 Etta James was a force of nature, and she was not simply a powerful singer but a nuanced one with an excellent sense of tonal and rhythmic dynamics. Her backing bands, whether the ones with Brian Ray or The Roots Band, are terrific throughout these performances. Sometimes they get to stretch out and solo. At other times, they wonderfully support her improvised scatting and shouts. The sound and production are excellent, and this superb album is an auspicious initial release for "The Montreux Years" series.
 
I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Etta performing at Montreux.