Irma Thomas

Yoshi’s Jazz Club in San Francisco, California was graced with a flavorful taste of New Orleans Soul Queen, Irma Thomas on Valentines Day Weekend. Chittlin’ Circuit Magazine was in the house.

We’re told that Ms. Thomas and her band sold out their two sets at the venue on Valentines Day, Saturday February 14. Indeed, the early show on Sunday night which we attended was packed to capacity as well, despite the heavy rain drenching Northern California.
The Professionals, Irma’s fine tuned N’Awlins band hit at just past the 7:00 p.m stroke of the clock. Drummer and Musical Director Larry “Choo� Campbell spirited vocals kicked it off with Stevie Wonder’s Superstition. Campbell then introduced Ms. Thomas whose strong, unmistakable voice was heard singing off stage for a full minute before she was accompanied to the stage from the wings by her husband Emile.

Thinking Of You was Irma’s opening song. It immediately ingratiated itself with the crowd making us feel that we were the most important thing on her mind. And apparently we were. In an intimate conversation with the audience, The Crescent City Soul Queen revealed, “I’m not like most entertainers in that I believe the audience should get exactly what it wants. That’s why I have this cheat book up here. It has my whole recorded repertoire of over 200 songs. So if there is something you want to hear, just request it and I’ll do it for you, baby�.

She sang them all and granted all requests; Story Of My Life, If You Want It, Just Hold Me While I Cry, Breakaway, Time Is On My Side, You Don’t Know Nothing About Love, I Done Got Over You, If I Had Any Sense I’d Go On Home, Early In The Morning, It’s Raining, Same Old Love, Wish Someone Would Care (perennial favorite of this writer!), You Can Have My Husband (But Please Don’t Mess With My Man). Ms. Thomas closed with a 2nd Line party song entitled Sing It.

Irma Thomas’s career spans over 45 years. The sista knows how to be charm the audience. In the Crescent City prior to Hurricane Katrina, Ms. Thomas and her husband Emile, operated The Lions Den, a world famous night spot that featured The Irma Thomas show as well as home cooking from the kitchen of the Soul Queen herself.

Irma Thomas - Simply Grand

As a prelude to the Hold Me While I Cry tune, Ms. Thomas took the opportunity to educate the crowd to the fact that menopause (Men-O-Pause) is really a phenomenon that is peculiar to men in this culture who have been married for twenty or more years and want to take a pause in search of a young woman who might not make life so hard on the brotha. That is, until a few mo’ years have passed and the man finds him right back in the same old bag that caused him to pause in the first place! Irma intimated that her own husband accidentally discovered the remedy to helping a wife through the emotional difficulty that life can sometimes present-hence Hold Me While I Cry.

New Orleans musicians are a universe unto themselves. Irma’s band, The Professionals, held it down throughout. Musical Director Larry “Choo� Campbell provided solid rhythm anchor on drums along with Robert “BJ� Harvey on bottom. The amazing Arthur Bell blazed a funky guitar trail. On trumpet, Percy Williams trilled in the Crescent City, century old tradition of Buddy Bolden, King Oliver and Louis Armstrong. Saxophonist Emile Hall complimented Williams with fine reed work of his own. Kim Phillips on Hammond B3 & electric piano, not only invoked the spirit of Professor Longhair, but inserted some chops reminiscent of Dr. John & Fats Domino as well. New Orleans was definitely in the house.

As Ms. Irma Thomas and the Professionals ended their set with Sing It, she marched/danced off stage 2nd line style to a standing ovation. I spied a younger couple headed toward the exit and quickly caught them before they exited the club to ask them how they came to know the music of Irma Thomas. He responded that his mom was really into Blues & Rhythm and Blues and he had accessed her record collection and also wanted to expose his wife to the music. He also noted that he has seen Cadillac Records five times. Good to know that some parents are passing our rich traditions down.

I was also able to catch Irma & her husband Emile before they left the receiving area and thanked them for allowing Chitllin’ Circuit to cover the set.
“Oh, so you are with Chittlin’ Circuit. We appreciate you for keeping the music alive,� she said.

Spoken like a true Soul Queen who believes in treating her subjects well. Music Director “Choo� Campbell summed it up after the set saying, “Irma believes that when the audience pays their money, they should hear the songs that they want to hear.� We agree.

Irma Thomas’s latest album Simply Grand was nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album of 2008. Visit her website at www.irmathomas.com

T. Watts is a writer, radio host and music critic. Visit his Web site at www.teewatts.biz.