The Definitive Collection

The Definitive Collection

by Etta JamesEtta James

Overview

Whoa. There are many Etta James collections out there. The standard-bearers thus far have been the Chess Box and the Essential Etta James. This set attempts to do something else and goes deep into her catalog to dig out the gems from her years with Modern, Argo, Cadet, Chess, Warner Brothers, Island, and Private Music/BMG, and presents the full spectrum of her five-decade career. As such, there are many different kinds of songs here revealing the complexity of the vocalist herself, and as such, thus becomes a real portrait of the artist. Juxtapose, for instance, early sides like "The Wallflower Dance (Dance With Me Henry)," with its wild R&B bravado and the deep soul-blues of "All I Could Do Is Cry," the balladry of "The Man I Love," the bone-crushing blues of "The Sky Is Crying," and the torch song ballad technique on "My Dearest Darling," and the despairing soul inherent in songs such as "All the Way Down," and the listener begins to get an idea of just how vast and deep James talent really is. These 23 cuts give a fine and full picture of all that diversity without sacrificing a note of quality. This is a fine introduction to James for those listeners who have become acquainted with her in recent years, and a decent look at the later material for those cynical purists who think it was over and done by 1970. Recommended.

Product Details

Release Date: 01/10/2006
Label: Geffen Records
UPC: 0075021036710
catalogNumber: 000401002

Tracks

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Etta James   Primary Artist
Matt "Guitar" Murphy   Guitar
Johnny Otis   Drums
Donna McElroy   Background Vocals
Jesse Belvin   Background Vocals
Ashley Cleveland   Background Vocals
Steve Cropper   Guitar
Dobie Gray   Background Vocals
Larry Carlton   Rhythm Guitar
Red Holloway   Saxophone
Plas Johnson   Saxophone,Soloist
Cedar Walton   Piano
King Errisson   Conga
Chuck Rainey   Bass
Richard Berry   Vocals,Background Vocals
Carol Chase   Background Vocals
Don Potter   Acoustic Guitar
John Wesley Ryles   Background Vocals
Josh Sklair   Guitar
Joyce Austin   Background Vocals
Carl Banks   Organ
Eddie Bayers   Drums
Barry Beckett   Organ,Keyboards
Leard Bell   Drums
Reggie Boyd   Bass
Gary Burnette   Rhythm Guitar
Thomas Cain   Background Vocals
Charles Chalmers   Saxophone
Merry Clayton   Background Vocals
Henry Jackson Company   Background Vocals
Quitman Dennis   Horn
Cornell Dupree   Guitar
Tony Dumas   Bass
Duncan   Drums
Paul Franklin   Steel Guitar
Harvey Fuqua   Vocals
Kenny Greenberg   Guitar
Jack Hale   Horn
Jack Hall   Horn
Alexander Hamilton   Lead
Riley Hampton   Conductor
Roger Hawkins   Drums
Michael Haynes   Horn
Mike Haynes   Horn
Mabon "Teenie" Hodges   Rhythm Guitar
Yvonne Hodges   Background Vocals
David Hood   Bass,Electric Bass
Jim Horn   Horn,Saxophone,Soloist
Dann Huff   Guitar
Gilbert Ivey   Background Vocals
Mike Lawler   Synthesizer
Sam Levine   Horn
Albert Lowe   Guitar
Ken Marco   Guitar
Arik Marshall   Guitar
Chris McDonald   Horn
Terry McMillan   Percussion
Jonell Mosser   Background Vocals
Steve Nathan   Keyboards
Floyd Newman   Saxophone
Jeff Porcaro   Drums
Ralph Penland   Drums
Brian Ray   Slide Guitar
Danny Rhodes   Rhythm Guitar
Michael Rhodes   Bass
Tom Roady   Percussion
Brent Rowan   Guitar
Richard Tee   Organ,Piano
Aaron Varnell   Saxophone
Willie Weeks   Bass
Devonia Williams   Piano
Bob Wray   Bass
Big Jim Wynn   Baritone Saxophone
Reggie Young   Guitar
William D. "Smitty" Smith   Keyboards
Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis   Saxophone
Roger Dawkins   Drums
Dewey Oldham   Organ,Piano
Kenny Rice   Drums
Jean Mitchell   Background Vocals
John E Young   Piano
Jim Pugh   Keyboards

Technical Credits

Paul Gayten   Composer
Etta James   Composer,Producer,Liner Notes
Johnny Otis   Composer
George Gershwin   Composer
Louis Prima   Composer
Hank Ballard   Composer
Jerry Butler   Composer
Clarence Carter   Composer
Don Henley   Composer
Randy Meisner   Composer
Otis Redding   Composer
Cedar Walton   Arranger
Richard Berry   Composer
Dan Penn   Composer
Ralph Bass   Producer
Barry Beckett   Producer
Steve Bogard   Composer
Marcus Daniel   Composer
Bill Foster   Composer
Glenn Frey   Composer
Harvey Fuqua   Composer,Duet
Ira Gershwin   Composer
Mack Gordon   Composer
Rick Hall   Producer
Alexander Hamilton   Vocal Arrangements
Riley Hampton   Orchestral Arrangements
Jimmie Haskell   Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Jim Horn   Horn Arrangements,Saxophone Arrangement
Elmore James   Composer
Trevor Lawrence   Composer
Leroy Kirkland   Composer
Clarence Lewis   Composer
Gabriel Mekler   Composer,Producer
Morgan Robinson   Composer
John Snyder   Producer
Harry Warren   Composer
Jerry Wexler   Producer
Carson Whitsett   Composer
Catherine C. Williamson   Composer
Barbara Wyrick   Composer
Eddie Bocage   Composer
Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis   Producer
Vartan   Art Direction
Jim McCrary   Cover Photo
Anita Leonard   Composer
Bucky Lindsey   Composer
Stan Rhodes   Composer
Pearl Woods   Composer
Milton Agar   Composer
Barbara Bell   Composer
Saul Bernie   Composer
Stella Unger   Composer
Ned Wever   Composer
Jean Schwartz   Composer
Pat Lawrence   Executive Producer
Ryan Null   Photo Coordination
Ellington Jordan   Composer
Dorothy Hawkins   Composer
Gwen Gordy   Composer
Jimmy Johnson   Composer

Customer Reviews