Irma Thomas has been the undisputed Soul Queen of New Orleans for some five decades now, and the quality and consistency of the work this extraordinary singer has done makes one wonder why she isn’t more of a household name. This set, recorded at Deep South Studios in Baton Rouge and Swallow Studios in Ville Platte, Louisiana, and featuring Freddy Wall and Joey Mucia on guitar, Pete Verbois on saxophone, and Stan Kemper on drums, and with Cora Jefferson and Alice Jackson handling background vocals, was originally released in 1978 and remains one of her finest LPs. Highlights include fine Crescent City versions of
Kris Kristofferson's “For the Good Times,”
Jackie DeShannon's “Breakway,” and
Dan Penn's “Friendly,” among others. ~ Steve Leggett