Etta James' big, brassy and bold voice sings some great love songs in this bluesy, R & B collection, starting with her 1961 hit of the Warren/Gordon "At Last", which is one of the standouts. Others include another hit from 1961, "Trust in Me", and an earthy, scrumptious duet with Harvey Fuqua (lead and founder of the Moonglows), "If I Can't Have You". I also like her take on the Gershwin brothers' "Someone to Watch Over Me", with Ira's terrific lyrics; I always appreciate his split phrases, like "Although he may not be the man some / girls think of as handsome"
With the exception of "Lovin' Arms" which was recorded in 1974, and the cover of The Association's "Never My Love" (1973), these recordings are from the '60s, but Etta is a classic singer, and never sounds dated. Digitally remastered, they did a good job of the audio quality, with crisp highs and nice depth. there are no liner notes in the foldout insert which only includes a song list, and the total time is 45'48.
Fondly known as Miss Peaches, one wonders if Etta's huge voice, with it's powerful, slightly abrasive top notes, would have become more famous had she not been shadowed and hindered by personal problems; Etta is a major song stylist, appealing to listeners of jazz, R & B, soul, and blues, and this is a fine compilation for fans of this splendid artist.