Etta James: Live at Montreux 1993

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Etta James made many appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival across her long and distinguished career from first concert in 1975 through to her last in 2008. Was Etta James a singer of the blues, jazz, soul or even rock 'n' roll? With such a powerful personality and such a distinctive voice, artificial categories tend to evaporate. The 1993 concert opens with two numbers from the backing band which illustrate the crossover between jazz and the blues. Etta enters for "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" and, from then on, she dominates the stage with her huge presence. "How Strong is a Woman?" and "Hard to Handle" suggest that she is a feisty lady who is not to be messed with, while "A Lover is Forever" shows her gentler side, accompanied simply by the guitars.