The Soul Sessions
New Folk, 2023
8/10
The former frontman for The Meters, this collection of 12 songs that carry much importance to Willie West were fleshed out in 2008, and are remastered here to enhance the timeless sounds.
“I Got The Blues” begins the listen with West’s inimitably soulful voice alongside some bright brass and Donald Hyepockets Robinson’s fluid drums, and Sam Cooke’s “Somebody Have Mercy On Me” follows with Scotty Miller’s keyboards adding much to the rhythmic interpretation.
Arriving in the middle, “Summertime” places plenty of funk ideas amid the powerful vocals of the Gerschwin original, while “Got To Cut You Loose”, an original, spotlights Thad Simmonds’s skilled saxophone prowess alongside West’s soaring pipes.
The album gets quite emotional near the end, where “That’s Where It’s At” tugs on the heartstrings, and “Blues In The Night” exits with a stunning a cappella performance of the Johnny Mercer tune.
Originally released in 2015 as Lafourche Crossing, this version is available on vinyl for the first time, and honors one of the best to ever do it in the area of the blues.
Travels well with: Ivan Neville- Touch My Soul; The New Mastersounds- The Deplar Effect