This Lady Rock & Rolls!
ETTA JAMES is the reigning Queen of Jazz & Blues, a terrific talent with a cornucopia of soul. The featured recording LET'S ROLL highlights the artist at top form. James delivers hard rocking message of motherly advice in Somebody to Love and Trust Yourself; a full throttle rendition of The Blues is My Business (And Business is Good); a humorous duet describing the male/female romantic relationship in Stacked Deck; and a slow blues ache of a relationship at the end of the road Please, No More.

Blues to the Bone

Great, great, great
This is just a fabulous CD.

An earlier writer said that this is an album of covers. That's not true. Most of the songs are new.

If you don't like remakes, be forewarned
My mother grew up listening to Etta James, and she played her records so much when I was growing up that I couldn't help but start to like her myself. I found out about this album, Let's Roll, which she released in 2003, so I went to pick it up. But I was a little disappointed to discover that this is an album of cover songs. I have no problem with covers, but I was hoping that she would be putting out an album of all new material. Oh well, to say that she did a great job with these remakes would be an understatement.

Like I said in my review title, you may not want to hear this album if you're not a fan of remakes. But you should also be careful if you're a fan of the smooth, soulful Etta James too. Because instead of picking R&B standards to cover, all of these songs are rock tracks. But she still does a good job on songs like "Somebody to Love" (by Delbert McClinton, not Jefferson Airplane) and even the `50s classic "Stacked Deck".

Everything else is great too, although I don't necessarily agree with Etta's mentioning in the liner notes that these songs are as great as "At Last" (and if you've never heard of that song, don't admit that to anyone). I mean, the songs ARE great, but as great as "At Last"? That's debatable. Anyway, pick up Let's Roll to enjoy some great stuff from a music legend, and if you want to hear from another 60+ soul artist that can still kick a**, check out George Benson's Irreplaceable.

Anthony Rupert

Grammy Winner
Just to update a previous review, "Let's Roll" received the 2004 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album.

Maybe her best ever.
Since the day in 1962 when I borrowed an LP titled "At Last" I have been addicted to the voice and style of Etta James; I've amassed everything she's ever recorded. We have been the benefactor of her incredible strength in overcoming serious personal problems and returning to us in the 80s.

If you've never actually experienced this dynamic lady but would like to begin, I would recommend you begin with "Let's Roll". This recent release captures Etta James at her most powerful and sensuous best. Every cut demonstrates her trademark style. If after experiencing "Let's Roll" you don't immediately seek out many of her other recordings, I can only assume you were born without a central nervous system. I believe this may be the best she's ever done. Now in her 60s, the lady can still bring it.