Ruth Brown's lengthy career has taken her from the Apollo Theater to Broadway. One of the original rhythm & blues superstars, she has emerged on the other side as one of the genre's most beloved singers. On this outing, producer
Scott Billington returns
Brown to her roots in the company of a superb New Orleans band, surrounds her with stellar arrangements of new and old songs, and just lets her rip. The kickoff track, "That Train Don't Stop Here," finds her in a bluesy groove with a lengthy rap at the end that extends the running time to almost seven minutes. Tunes like "In Another World," "Too Little Too Late," and "Break It to Me Gently" mine classic soul ballad territory, while
Brown's jazzy side comes to the fore on "Sold My Heart to the Junkman" and "Love Letters." In the blues department, fine versions of
Ivory Joe Hunter's "False Friend Blues" and
Willie Mabon's "I Don't Know" strengthen the song selection, while
Brown teams up with
Bonnie Raitt on a conversational "Outskirts of Town." On the last tune, Sarah Brown's "Can't Get Excited,"
Ruth Brown starts out militant and winds up flirtatious, making a fitting closer for this great little album.
Brown is in fine form here, and this is one terrific modern-day roots recording. ~ Cub Koda