Stormy Monday
In 1962, when this, his first, album was made, Lou Rawls was a singer fresh off the "chitlin' circuit" who had a few years to tough out till pop stardom. Here he wraps his rich, gospel- trained baritone around jazz and blues standards, with a swinging little combo led by pianist Les McCann underpinning his relaxed cordiality. Three previously unissued tracks unearthed for the CD, notably "Blues Is a Woman," further display Rawls's concentration and his deliberation of a lyric.-- © Frank John Hadley 1993--From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD