Irma Thomas
THE STORY OF MY LIFE
Rounder 2149
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This is a disc you have been waiting for Irma Thomas to do since you first heard her. For me that was sometime in the 60's as I was cruising down the road and as I flicked the radio buttons and a voice of glorious power almost blew the speakers out of my mother's old Buick. My introduction and first taste of the glory and fervor of Irma Thomas. She could always sing with the force of that hurricane that awes you with its fury and sheer intensity of command. She has channeled all that vigor and energy with patience and shear dynamics that come only with some more age and experience. In fact there is a song on the disc at this moment titled, LOVE DON'T GET NO BETTER THAN THIS, and these were my words each time I had the pleasure of sampling her new work. But they aren't true because each one gets nothing but better than what came before it. There is more control and technique utilized by her on these cuts than I have heard from her before, but as I said I seem to repeat those words with each new disc. Her songs on this disc display an emotional power and passion that only comes from the learning of some powerful hard lessons of the heart. Her voice has the power to put the chills right up your spine and make your hair stand up just with its power, but now she is using all the growth that comes from the life lessons she has learned, to build it to a climax that is beyond even the imagination of all but a few other singers. As a bonus here this is disc is made with a cast of New Orleans musicians that are immeasurable in their ability to understand and 'play' a song. Listen to the love and compassion that oozes from every note on this stunning collection of power and love that is the latest offering from a woman known as the Soul Queen of New Orleans.
Songs, times, writers, musicians
1. NO USE TALKIN' - 3:26 - Cindy Bullens- Francesca Beghe
Irma Thomas - vocal
Michael Toles - guitars
David Torkanowsky - acoustic piano and Hammond B-3 organ
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
Bill Samuel - baritone saxophone
Jamil Sharif - trumpet
Chris Belleau - trombone
horns arranged by Bill Samuel
2. THE STORY OF MY LIFE - 4:37 - Dawn Thomas
Irma Thomas - vocal
Michael Toles - guitars
David Torkanowsky - acoustic piano
Warner Williams - keyboard
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
arranged by Warner Williams
3. I COUNT THE TEARDROPS - 3:30 - Dan Penn- Jonnie Barnett- Carson Whitsett
Irma Thomas - vocal
Dan Penn - acoustic guitar
Michael Toles - electric guitar
David Torkanowsky - Hammond B-3
Carson Whitsett - Wurlitzer electric piano
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums and Kentwood water bottle
4. CRIED TOO LONG - 4:38 - Sarah Brown - Lisa Mednick
Irma Thomas - vocal
Elaine Foster - backing vocal
Michael Toles - acoustic and electric guitars
David Torkanowsky - acoustic piano, Hammond B-3, electric piano
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
5. LOVE DON'T GET NO BETTER THAN THIS - 3:31 - John Ellison
Irma Thomas - vocal
Michael Toles - guitars
David Torkanowsky - Hammond B-3 organ and keyboard
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
Bill Samuel - tenor and baritone saxophone
Jack Williams - trumpet and valve trombone
Charles Elam III, Elaine Foster, Lisa Foster, & Earl Smith - background vocals
horns arranged by Bill Samuel
6. HOLD ME WHILE I CRY - 3:26 - Irma Thomas - Dan Penn - Jonnie Barnett - Carson Whitsett
Irma Thomas - vocal
Michael Toles - acoustic and electric guitars
David Torkanowsky - acoustic piano
Charles Elam III - tenor saxophone
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
7. I WON'T CRY FOR YOU - 2:58 - Jonnie Barnett - Carson Whitsett -Dan Penn
Irma Thomas - vocal
Michael Toles - guitars
David Torkanowsky - acoustic piano
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
8. ALL WE NEED LOVE - 3:13 - Allen Toussaint
Irma Thomas - vocal
Michael Toles - guitars
David Torkanowsky - acoustic piano and keyboards
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
9. GET HERE - 5:07 - Brenda Gordon Russell
Irma Thomas - vocal
Charles Elam III - vocal
Michael Toles - guitar
Warner Williams - keyboard
David Torkanowsky - acoustic piano
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
arranged by Warner Williams
10. KEEP THE FAITH - 4:26 - Nina Ossoff - Porter Carroll - Jeff Franzel
Irma Thomas - vocal
Michael Toles - guitars
David Torkanowsky - acoustic piano and keyboard
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
Charles Elam III, Elaine Foster, Lisa Foster, & Earl Smith - background vocals
11. DR. FEELGOOD - 4:42 - Aretha Franklin
Irma Thomas - vocal
Michael Toles - guitars
David Torkanowsky - acoustic piano and keyboard
Charles Elam III - tenor saxophone
George Porter Jr - bass
Raymond Weber - drums
Produced by Scott Billington and Irma Thomas