This is the real stuff - I was there at a similar show
The music here is raw and real and the crowd is having a ball. I had the opportunity to see Jimmy Smith at this same venue, Marla's (maid on The Jeffersons) Memory Lane in Watts section of L. A. When I was there it was a unique adventure. My friends were from the Midwest and working in L. A. and never even knew the club existed. I wanted to see Jimmy Smith; so, we went. Some well-dressed young adults parked our car with all the courtesy and care you would expect in Beverley Hills (It turned out they were some of Minister Farakhan's church in the neighborhood.) They were just making sure that we would want to return. The show was nearly as good as the third act of this series. It brings back memories.
Dot Com Blues

Etta and Cleanhead
This is a great aggregation of talents; I admire these vocalists very much and the musicians are very strong. However, there is not enough interaction between the singers; Vinson sounds somewhat out of shape and song selection is less then perfect (spiritual as a closing number?).
Four stars is therefore the maximum I can give to this live cd.

how can you go wrong?
with two blues powerhouses like Etta James and Cleanhead Vinson, there's no way you won't like this CD. This was recorded live in 1986 in blues club in L.A. featuring Red Holloway, Shuggie Otis, and Jack McDuff, and you feel like you're right there for the performance. Ettas James sounds great, and I am not really too impressed with a lot of her later stuff after the 60's and early 70's.

...they done did somethin real nice here...
the blues is beatiful...

etta and eddie got that smokey, silky, low-lush soul flowin with this...
i've been lissenin to vol. one forever!!! and i could never find this one, but i lucked up into it one day a couple months ago and found it in the basement of some back-alley, burnt-down record shop and ever since then, i keep it with me wherever i go...
this is "instant blues" - jus add bourbon and heartache and you got yourself an event!

Never Better than LIve
It's never better than live and this 1986 recording and its companion finds blues legends Etta James and Eddy "Cleanhead" Vinson at the top of their game at an L.A. blues club. Etta sounds great but don't loose sight of the band, Shugie Otis and Red Holloway, et al. create a groove and Vinson's alto brings it all home. A performance for all time. Not to be missed. Sound quality is excellent.