''Heart of a Woman'' is the twenty-third studio album by

Etta James Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Starting her career in 1954, sh ...

released in June 1999 by RCA Records. The album consists of eleven love songs from her favorite female singers as well as a recording of her most popular song, " At Last". Recorded in March 1999, ''Heart of a Woman'' was produced by James and John Snyder with Lupe DeLeon as executive producer. James' two sons Donto and Sametto served as assistant producers. Guest musicians appearing on the album include Mike Finnigan, Red Holloway, and Jimmy Zavala. Critical reception of ''Heart of a Woman'' was mixed. The album peaked at number four on the Top Blues Albums chart of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' magazine.

Background and composition

''Heart of a Woman'' was released during a period of James' career in which she parted from singing blues to experiment with country, jazz, and pop music, with mixed reception. '' Rolling Stone'' grouped the album in a "trifecta" with James' previous (not counting the 1998 holiday album '' 12 Songs of Christmas''), and following studio albums, '' Life, Love & the Blues'' (1998) and '' Matriarch of the Blues'' (2000). Categorized by ''Rolling Stone'' as a jazz pop album, ''Heart of a Woman'' contains "cool, sensuous arrangements" between four and seven minutes in length. It consists of eleven love songs by James' favorite female singers, including Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae,

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "Jazz royalty, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine ...

, and Dinah Washington, along with a new recording of her most famous song " At Last". The album was recorded in March 1999, and produced by James and John Snyder, with Lupe DeLeon serving as executive producer. James' two sons, Donto and Sametto, served as assistant producers, among other contributions. Guest musicians appearing on the album included: Mike Finnigan on organ, Red Holloway and Jimmy Zavala on tenor saxophone, and Lee Thornburg on multiple instruments.

Gene de Paul Gene Vincent de Paul (June 17, 1919 – February 27, 1988) was an American pianist, composer and songwriter. Biography Born in New York City, he served in the United States Army during World War II. He was married to Billye Louise Files (Novem ...

and

Don Raye Don Raye (born Donald MacRae Wilhoite Jr., March 16, 1909 – January 29, 1985) was an American songwriter, best known for his songs for The Andrews Sisters such as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", " The House of Blue Lights", "Just for a Thr ...

's " You Don't Know What Love Is" opens the album, followed by " Good Morning Heartache", written by

Ervin Drake Ervin Drake (born Ervin Maurice Druckman; April 3, 1919 – January 15, 2015) was an American songwriter whose works include such American Songbook standards as "I Believe (1953 song), I Believe" and "It Was a Very Good Year". He wrote in a variet ...

, Dan Fisher, and Irene Higginbotham. The

bossa nova Bossa nova () is a style of samba developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is mainly characterized by a "different beat" that altered the harmonies with the introduction of unconventional chords and an innovativ ...

arrangement of Sam Coslow and Arthur Johnston's "

My Old Flame "My Old Flame" is a 1934 song composed by Arthur Johnston with lyrics by Sam Coslow for the film ''Belle of the Nineties''. It has since become a jazz standard. History "My Old Flame" first appeared in the 1934 film ''Belle of the Nineties'' when ...

" contains a saxophone solo by Red Holloway. Irving Berlin's " Say It Isn't So" is followed by James' signature song "At Last", written originally by Mack Gordon and

Harry Warren Harry Warren (born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna; December 24, 1893 – September 22, 1981) was an American composer and the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song ...

. Other love songs on the album include "

Tenderly "Tenderly" is a popular song published in 1946 with music by Walter Gross and lyrics by Jack Lawrence. Written in the key of E as a waltz in time, it has since been performed in 4/4 and has become a popular jazz standard. Notable versions have ...

" by Walter Gross and

Jack Lawrence Jack Lawrence may refer to: *Jack Lawrence (songwriter) (1912–2009), American songwriter *Jack Lawrence (artist) (born 1975), British comic book artist and animator * Jack Lawrence (bluegrass) (born 1953), American bluegrass guitarist * Jack Lawre ...

, and " I Only Have Eyes for You" by

Al Dubin Alexander Dubin (June 10, 1891 – February 11, 1945) was an American lyricist. He is best known for his collaborations with the composer Harry Warren. Life Al Dubin came from a Russian Jewish family that emigrated to the United States from Swi ...

. James' vocals on

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

and

Paul Francis Webster Paul Francis Webster (December 20, 1907 – March 18, 1984) was an American lyricist who won three Academy Awards for Best Original Song, and was nominated sixteen times for the award. Life and career Webster was born in New York City, United St ...

's "

I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good) "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" is a pop and jazz standard with music by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster published in 1941. It was introduced in the musical revue ''Jump for Joy'' by Ivie Anderson, who also provided the v ...

" are "barely audible" as she sings "... I... can't... live without him." "I Got It Bad" is followed by a cover of John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie's 1933 popular song " You Go to My Head". Mike Finnigan performs the

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

solo on "

A Sunday Kind of Love "A Sunday Kind of Love" is a popular song composed by Barbara Belle, Anita Leonard, Stan Rhodes, and Louis Prima and was published in 1946. History The song has become a pop and jazz standard, recorded by many artists. The song was first recorde ...

" and throughout the album, filling the gap between blues and jazz music. Closing the album are Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin's "If It's the Last Thing I Do", and Alice Cooper's "

Only Women Bleed "Only Women Bleed" is a song by Alice Cooper, released on his debut solo album '' Welcome to My Nightmare'' in 1975. It was written by Cooper and Dick Wagner, and was the second single from the album to be released. Background It is a ballad abo ...

". James had recorded "Only Women Bleed" previously.

Reception

Critical reception of the album was mixed. '' PopMatters'' review concluded that, given proper arrangements and material, James delivered jazz standards "with the same devastating power" demonstrated on past blues performances. Staff wrote that James combined jazz and blues elements successfully, " reatingthe sense of loneliness and desperation in which James has always excelled in expressing". ''PopMatters'' review was positive overall, claiming James' rough voice made her appear to be "in tune with the woeful nature" of the songs, though it insisted that her cover of "Only Women Bleed" was a "miscalculation of major proportions". AllMusic's

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...

called James one of the best blues performers of the twentieth century and wrote in his review of the album that "she still possesses an exceptionally strong voice, robust and filled with passion." However, Erlewine also wrote that ''Heart of a Woman'' "never has the emotional impact James intended it to have". Music critic

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

's review simply reads "Torching cocktail cool" and recommended the tracks "My Old Flame", and "I Only Have Eyes for You". ''

The Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. The Advocate, The Advocates or Advocate may also refer to: Magazines * ''The Advocate'' (LGBT magazine), an LGBT magazine based in the United States *''The Harvard Advocate'', a literary magazin ...

'' Andrew Velez felt that "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" was the album's best track. "Steve Knopper of the '' Chicago Tribune'' thought the arrangements were "tinkly" and "meandering", with James sounding as through "she's learning a foreign language". Knopper considered "Only Women Bleed" to be the album's most soulful track.

Track listing

# " You Don't Know What Love Is" (

) – 5:28 # " Good Morning Heartache" (

, Dan Fisher, Irene Higgenbotham) – 5:28 # "

" ( Sam Coslow, Arthur Johnston) – 6:20 # " Say It Isn't So" ( Irving Berlin) – 4:55 # " At Last" ( Mack Gordon,

) – 4:40 # "

" ( Walter Gross,

) – 5:27 # " I Only Have Eyes for You" (

, Warren) – 6:35 # "

" (

) – 6:25 # " You Go to My Head" ( John Frederick Coots, Haven Gillespie) – 4:21 # "

" (Barbara Belle, Anita Leonard, Louis Prima, Stan Rhodes) – 6:00 # "If It's the Last Thing I Do" ( Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin) – 5:47 # "

" ( Alice Cooper, Dick Wagner) – 4:48 Track listing adapted from AllMusic.

Personnel

* Rob Brill – assistant engineer * Lupe DeLeon –

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...

* Jeff Dunas – photography * Pete Escovedo –

conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest). ...

, horn, percussion * Mike Finnigan –

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

* Red Holloway – tenor saxophone * Donto Metto James – assistant producer, drum programming, drums *

– arranger, art direction, liner notes, photography,

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

, vocals * Sametto James – assistant producer, bass, drum programming, production assistant * Jimmy Zavala – tenor saxophone * Dave Matthews – arranger,

electric piano An electric piano is a musical instrument which produces sounds when a performer presses the keys of a piano-style musical keyboard. Pressing keys causes mechanical hammers to strike metal strings, metal reeds or wire tines, leading to vibrations ...

, piano * Sonny Mediana – art direction, photography * Bobby Murray – guitar * Jay Newland – engineer, mastering * Tom Poole –

flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B, though some ...

, trumpet * Josh Sklair –

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

, arranger, assistant producer, director, electric guitar, musical director, production assistant * John Snyder – producer * Lee Thornburg – alto horn, flugelhorn, horn arrangements, trumpet, valve trombone Credits adapted from AllMusic.

Chart history

''Heart of a Woman'' reached a peak position of number four on ''Billboard'' Top Blues Albums chart. By November 1999, the album had remained on the chart for seventeen weeks, and remained at number twelve. In 1999, James had five albums chart in the United States: ''Life, Love & the Blues'', ''Heart of a Woman'', '' 12 Songs of Christmas'' (1998), as well as two compilation albums: ''Best of Etta James'', and ''Her Best'' (1997).

References

External links

"Mama Tells All: 'Nothing Succeeds Like Singing'"
Etta James: ''Billboard'' Salutes 50 Years of Soul (Jim Bessman, August 11, 2001) {{Authority control 1999 albums Albums arranged by David Matthews (keyboardist) Covers albums Etta James albums RCA Records albums