CD Review: Donna Greene - A girl's gotta have a little pleasure

CD Review: Donna Greene - A girl's gotta have a little pleasure
Year: 2008

Record Label: Independent

Style: Blues

Musicians: Donna Greene (vocals), Greg Loeb (guitar), Jack Lee (piano), Joel Bennett (bass), Jeff Elliott (trumpet), Vince Denham (sax), Sinclair Lott (drums), John Douglas (piano), Neal Eatherly (harmonica), Jeff Friedl (drums), Kevin Winard (percussion), Kenny Edwards, Big Rabbitt Jefferson, Margie Nelson, Anne Shaw, HiFi Watson, Jack Lee (backup vocals), Cary Hitsman (drums),

Review:
A girl's gotta have a little pleasure is a fun album full of blues, ballads and even a little humor; all these delivered by the sensual, soulful and powerful voice of Donna Greene.

Donna is in good company in this album with veterans musicians with experience in a diversity of music styles. Jeff Elliot on trumpet played with Flora and Airto Moreira; Sinclair Lott on drums played with jazz legend Freddie Hubbard and percussionist Kevin Winard played with Sergio Mendes.

There is something for every blues fan on this album; the classic blues feel on "Baby got lost" with smoking piano playing and a good dose of well played harmonies on horns. The folksy/rock feeling on "Blues on a holiday" with a nice intro of guitar and harmonica, ending with excellent vocals harmonies.

The vocal duo of "Double crossing blues", the rockin blues of "You can have my husband", plus the two originals songs by Donna Greene; "A girl's gotta have a little pleasure" and "Shoe boy" provide the humorous relief for the album. "A girl's gotta have a little pleasure" is a swinging piece that needs no explanation. The blues "Shoe boy" explains humorously women eternal fascination with shoes.

Logically, a blues album should include a tribute to a blues master. So Donna Greene also recorded two songs most people recognize in the voice of the great Billie Holiday. On "Lover man" the arrangement, and even Donna phrasing sounds similar to Holiday version with the exception of the exquisite harmony vocals with Kenny Edwards. But on "Comes Love" the cool, sassy arrangements and nice fills by Jeff Elliott in the muted trumpet are very different to the Holiday rendition.


Tracks: Baby get lost, Blues on a holiday, Comes love, Same old blues, A girl's gotta have a little pleasure, Double crossing blues, Love make a fool of me, Shoe boy, Lover man, You can have my husband, Mess around, Autumn leaves

Artist's Website: http://wwwgreeneblues.com

Reviewed by: Wilbert Sostre