Irma Thomas ‎– Soul Queen Of New Orleans: 50th Anniversary Celebration (2009)

1 	Got To Bring It With You 	
2 	Let It Be Me 	
3 	I'm Your Puppet 	
4 	Loving Arms 	
5 	There Must Be A Better World Somewhere 	
6 	The New Rules 	
7 	Another Man Done Gone 	
8 	What Can I Do 	
9 	I Count The Tears 	
10 	Old Records 	
11 	Back Water Blues 	
12 	In The Middle Of It All 	
13 	Sweet Touch Of Love 	
14 	Your Ship Has Sailed 	
15 	River Is Waiting

Irma Thomas 	Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals
Leroy Aych 	Guitar
Arthur Bell 	Guitar
Chris Belleau 	Trombone
Jay Bellerose 	Drums, Percussion
Sammy Berfect 	Organ (Hammond)
Scott Billington 	Compilation Producer, Composer, Harmonica, Producer, Remixing, Tambourine
Doyle Bramhall II 	Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Juanita Brooks 	Vocals (Background)
Marc Broussard 	Vocals (Background)
Don Bryant 	Vocals (Background)
Glenn Carvin 	Keyboards
Cranston Clements 	Guitar
Tara Darnell 	Vocals (Background)
Patricia Doucette 	Viola
Elaine Foster 	Vocals (Background)
Ernie Gautreau 	Trombone (Valve)
Emile Hall 	Sax (Tenor)
Jeff Hannusch 	Liner Notes
Niki Haris 	Vocals (Background)
Guillermo Ladut 	Guitar
Howard Lamb 	Trombone
Sonny Landreth 	Slide Guitar
Pamela Landrum 	Vocals (Background)
Jean McClain 	Vocals (Background)
Kristen Miller 	Cello
Stanton Moore 	Drums
Spooner Oldham 	Fender Rhodes
Frank Parker 	Trumpet
Kim Phillips 	Organ (Hammond)
A.J. Pittman 	Trumpet
Renard Poché 	Guitar
Dirk Powell 	Fretless Banjo, Guitar (Electric)
Paul Rayner-Brown 	Vocals (Background)
Alfred "Uganda" Roberts 	Congas, Tambourine
Bill "Foots" Samuel 	Horn Arrangements, Sax (Alto), Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor)
Harold J. Scott 	Bass
Chris Severin 	Bass
James Singleton 	Bass, Bass (Acoustic), Pizzicato Bass
Jim Spake 	Sax (Tenor)
Hannah Thiem 	Violin
Marvell Thomas 	Organ (Hammond)
Michael Toles 	Guitar (Electric)
David Torkanowsky 	Organ (Hammond), Piano, Piano (Electric)
Allen Toussaint 	Piano
Terry Tullos 	French Horn, Trumpet
Percy Williams 	Percussion, Trumpet
Warner Williams 	Piano, Sax (Tenor)
Craig Wroten 	Keyboards 

For a half century, Irma Thomas has been firmly established as the undisputed queen of New Orleans soul, and over the years has issued several standout recordings for the Rounder label. This collection features 15 of her very best works with no filler or sub-standard tracks, and includes three previously unissued tracks. Thomas taps on the deep wellspring of songwriters and performers from the Crescent City, including David Torkanowsky, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Doc Pomus, Doyle Bramhall II, Sonny Landreth, James Singleton, Stanton Moore, and Henry Butler among many others. This compilation, organized from her 25 years on the Rounder label, comes from six of her eleven albums, tacking on tunes from the Rhino collections I Believe to My Soul and 'Till The Night Is Gone; A Tribute to Doc Pomus, as well as the Nonesuch label collection Our New Orleans. The CD is highlighted by three selections from her all-time best and Grammy-award winning recording After the Rain, a post-Katrina anthem for the ages in and of itself. On a pure blues side, there's the raunchy, Bayou-humid thick "Another Man Done Gone" from After the Rain, and Bessie Smith's "Back Water Blues" via the compilation Our New Orleans -- both classics. Gospel-soul is always a part of the repertoire as heard on the confirmational tune "Let It Be Me" or "There Must Be a Better World Somewhere," co-written by Dr. John and Doc Pomus. Thomas specializes in downtrodden, brokenhearted songs such as the confused, sad ballad "What Can I Do?," "I Count the Tears" (from After the Rain) with a supportive chorus amid the gloomy mood, and the regretful ballad "Loving Arms." There's a funky, more commercial cover of the Purify Brothers' hit "I'm Your Puppet" with a horn section and popping electric bass guitar, a good-time rocker "The New Rules" affirming woman power, and the song of hope "River Is Waiting" with Butler's lively piano urging the band and singers to stand up and be counted. Thomas owns the kind of voice that is universally likable, never straining for high notes, unwavering in her soulful content, and as precise as any vocalist could dream of. She's simply precious, direct, stirring, and exciting no matter the style or lyric content. Though all of her individual CD's are easily recommended, this one is a must-have for collectors of greatest-hits packages, and especially those who for some reason have not yet discovered this brilliant American artist -- truly one of a kind. ---Michael G. Nastos, AllMusic Review

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