Irma Thomas - Love Is The Foundation(2020)Newvelle - Soul

Returning to the studio for her first album in over a decade, soul powerhouse Irma Thomas is back. With vocals that will sweep you away into a different time and space, Irma Thomas is rooted by her phenomenal accompanying band featuring Preservation Hall Jazz Band pianist Kyle Roussel, Johnny Vidacovich on drums, and the late Alfred “Uganda” Roberts on percussion. Roberts and Vidacovich played together since the late 60s as rhythm partners for many of the 60s and 70s R&B greats, including Professor Longhair.  Providing the brass for the album are Andrew Baham on trumpet, Roderick Pauling on saxophone, and Terrence Taplin on trombone. Thomas is supported by vocal backing from Paggy Prine, Sierra Green, and Kyshona Armstrong. And, bridging two great American musical traditions, Paul Defiglia and Stephen Daly join the band to contribute bass and guitar all the way from Nashville.

In her own words
“I always choose songs that have good storylines. And on this particular session they all had great storylines. May not have been some that I would do or say personally, but you don’t always look at it from a personal standpoint. You look at it like a script, and you are playing a role and telling a story and you want it to be believable. So you have to picture yourself in that. What would you do if you were in that position? And it makes it easier to sing, because in your head while you’re singing it you are that person in that position. And since I been around since mud I’ve had a lot of life and living under my belt, so it's not hard for me to put myself in a lot of those positions.”

--Irma Thomas, January 14, 2020

Yep!  The Queen of New Orleans still has it!...Superb !

                                                      Album Review Courtesy of JJ MURA

 

                                                                      The Taster!