New Orleans is, undoubtedly, a proper temple of music, which importance resonates not only in the United States but also across the whole world.
Millions of artists have been and still are inspired by the awe-inspiring soulful vibes coming from a part of the world that often has been devastated, tragically, by natural calamities but never stopped, despite all, to keep on talking the language of love, hope, resilience and courage throughout the last century.
One of the most recent music miracles that fuses the past, the present and surely the future of this city and its immense, kaleidoscopic songbook made of Soul, Funk, Blues and R&B, comes from the recent release of an album called Audience With The Queen, a fabulous collaboration between one of the greatest living legend of Soul, R&B and Blues that is the 84-years-old Irma Thomas and the Funk and Soul masters collective Galactic.
The Galactic supergroup, whose core is represented by top class musicians such as Ben Ellman (saxophones, harmonica), Robert Mercurio (bass), Stanton Moore (drums), Jeff Raines (guitar) and Rich Vogel (keyboards), has amply proved, through times and their many records, to be able to translate incredibly well and very accurately not only the opulent musical history of a city like New Orleans, but also to create sonic and often imaginative bridges between the last 6-7 decades of Funk, R&B and Soul coming from this incredible American city.
To talk about Irma Thomas' songbook, well, it's like talking about one of the Greatest American Songbook that ever existed. From her 1959 chart--topping debut single called Don’t Mess With My Man to a long string of hits, including, among others, epic songs like It's Raining and Time Is On My Side, the 2007 Grammy Awards winner has very deservedly acquired, through the decades, the title of Soul Queen Of New Orleans.
Audience With The Queen is an album that expresses huge energy and love every step of the way, through the irresistible musical time capsule created by Thomas and the Galactic and palpably present in the nine tracks part of this rather exceptional record.
From the high-octane, 70's R&B fuelled Where I Belong, a touching and fabulous sonic reflection to Thomas's life and career in music to People, an authentic Soul infused masterclass in vocal delivery and musical arrangement, Galactic and Irma Thomas bring Soul, Gospel, R&B to the highest achievable level of class, thanks to a perfect balance of tradition and experimentation that marries perfect the sound and the history of an entire community, such as New Orleans' one.
A record to listen, love and appreciate time and time again, Audience With The Queen is a sonic certificate of authenticity of respect and love for the music and the history of New Orleans from both Irma Thomas and Galactic, through a truly modern times' masterpiece, as this album truly is.
Audience With The Queen is our now and can be purchased at Galactic’s Official Website
