- Denise LaSalle -- vocals

- none known

Genre: soul

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  One the Loose

Company: Westbound

Catalog: WB2016

Year: 1973

Country/State: Belzoni, Mississippi

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: minor ring wear

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4655

Price: $15.00

Cost: $66.00

Recorded in Memphis, 1973's "On the Loose" offers up a wonderful collection of old school southern soul.  LaSalle's voice is nothing short of spectacular throughout, but she also shines as a songwriter - her four contributions including 'A Man Size Job' and the snarling gospel-turns-to-blues workout 'Breaking Up Somebody's Home' are nothing short of amazing.  Other highlights include her stab at social commentary 'There Ain't Enough Hate Around (To Make Me Turn Around)' and a nice cover of Bill Withers' 'Lean On Me'.  In fact, the only mis-step on the album is a needless cover of Jeannie C. Riley's 'Harper Valley P.T.A.'. 

"On the Loose" track listing:

(side 1)
1.) A Man Size Job   (Denise La Salle) - 2:49

2.) What It Takes To Get a Good Woman (That's What It's Gonna Take To Keep Her)   (O.B. McClinton) - 2:59

3.) Harper Valley P.T.A.   (Tom T. Hall) - 3:36

4.) What Am I Doing Wrong   (John Footman) - 3:14

5.) Breaking Up Somebody's Home   (Denise La Salle) - 3:31

(side 2)
1.) There Ain't Enough Hate Around (To Make Me Turn Around) - (Haywood - Lewis) - 3:40

2.) Your Man and Your Best Friend   (Denise La Salle) - 3:01

3.) Lean On Me   (Bill Withers) - 4:07

4.) Making a Good Thing Better   (Denise La Salle) - 3:09

5.) I'm Over You   (Martha Stubbs) - 2:49

6.) I'm Satisfied   (Maurice Dollison) - 2:53

Genre: soul

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Right Place, Right Time

Company: Malaco

Catalog: 7417

Year: 1984

Country/State: Belzoni, Mississippi

Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+

Comments: minor ring wear

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 1145

Price: $9.00

Cost: $66.00

While hopelessly out of synch with contemporary mid-1980s musical tastes, 1984's "Right Place, Right Time" was a worthy addition to Denise LaSalle's recording catalog.  Co-produced by LaSalle, Tommy Couch and Wolf Stephenson, the album offered up a wonderful collection of old school soul, LaSalle's growling voice simply sounded great on lyin' and cheatin' tales of woe like the title track, 'Good Man Gone Bad' (is it just me, or did she sound like Gladys Knight on this one?) and 'Your Husband Is Cheating On Us'. Other highlights included the opening title track duet with Latimore, the subtle morality tale 'Keep Your Pants On' and the bluesy grinder 'Boogie Man'.  Malaco tapped 'Treat Your Man Like a Baby' b/w 'Come To Bed' as a single (Malaco catalog number MAL 2105). (Snotty fashion suggestion - don't wear stripes in the future ...)

"Right Place, Right Time" track listing:

(side 1)
1.) Right Place, Right Time   (Denise LaSalle) - 4:15
2.) He's Not Available   (Joe Shamwell - A.D. Prestige - Walter Godbolt) - 3:19
3.) Treat Your Man Like a Baby   (Jimmy Lewis - Denise LaSalle - Frank Johnson) - 4:12
4.) Good Man Gone Bad   (Frank Johnson) - 4:03
5.) Boogie Man   (Frank Johnson) - 3:00

(side 2)
1.) Your Husband Is Cheating On Us   (Denise LaSalle) - 4:33
2.) Why Does It Feel So Right   (Denise LaSalle) - 3:40
3.) Keep Your Pants On   (Sam Dees) - 341
4.) Bump and Grind   (B.T. Lexing) - 3:38
5.) Love School   (Elliott Small - Milton Cottrell) - 3:27

Genre: soul

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Rain and Fire

Company: Malaco

Catalog: 7434

Year: 1986

Country/State: Belzoni, Mississippi

Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+

Comments: still in shrink wrap

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5507

Price: $15.00

Denise LaSalle has one of those voices that I've always found extremely attractive - deep, rugged, pained, but full of self assurance.  She comes across as a woman you simply wouldn't want to get pissed off at you.  In other words, she epitomized the genre of Southern soul.  And that's at least part of the problem.  No matter how great a singer she is, popular tastes have moved on leaving these vinyl jewels to be overlooked by virtually everyone outside of collector circles.  LaSalle's other problem stems from her over-reliance on one gag - playing the bitchy, revenge seeking wife, or girlfriend.  Mind you she's good at it, but all too often she comes across as a Southern version of Millie Jackson.

So what was the story with 1986's "Rain and Fire"?  Co-produced by LaSalle, Tommy Couch, and Wolf Stephenson stylistically this wasn't a major departure from her standard niche, though the earlier X-rated lyrics were toned down to a PG-13, or R level.  Tracks like 'It Be's that Way Sometimes', 'I'm Sho Gonna Mess with Yo Man' and 'What's Goin' On In My House' were built on the themes of wronged wife and partner.  Lyrically it certainly got a little repetitive (you could figure out where most of these narratives were going), but when packaged with LaSalle's spirited deliveries and some first rate old school melodies, you could overlook those shortcomings.  Find someone else capable of handling the funky 'Dip, Bam, Thank You Maam' with a much swagger and self righteousness.  Yeah it wasn't perfect.  Her cover of Sylvia Robinson's 'Shame Shame Shame' didn't add anything to the original and whoever decided to let LaSalle take a stab at updating her sound with a rap track should have been shot. The LaSalle original  'Look What Can Happen To You (If You Get Messin with My Tu Tu)' was pretty hideous, though you had to smile at any song that managed to name check the likes of Kool and the Gang, Little Milton, Prince, and Springsteen.  Like most of her catalog this one was a mixed success.   Malaco also tapped the album for a single in the form of:

- 1986's 'What’s Going On In My House' b/w 'Learnin' How To Cheat On You'' (Malaco catalog number MAL 2131

"Rain and Fire" track listing:

(side 1)
1.) It Be's that Way Sometimes   (Phillip Mitchell) - 8:35

2.) I'm Sho Gonna Mess with Yo Man   (Denise LaSalle) - 4:10

3,) What's Goin' On In My House   (George Jackson - Denise LaSalle) - 4:02

4.) Look What Can Happen To You (If You Get Messin with My Tu Tu)   (Denise LaSalle) - 3:58

(side 2)
1.) Shame Shame Shame   (Sylvia Robinson) - 3:39

2.) Dip, Bam, Thank You Maam   (George Jackson - Raymond Moore - Raymond Settle) - 3:16

3.) Learnin' How To Cheat On You   (Denise LaSalle) - 3:27

4.) Rain and Fire   (Larry Addison) - 3:44

5.) It Takes You All Night   (Denise LaSalle - Larry Addison) - 3:46

6.) Is He Lovin' Someone Else Tonight   (Frank Johnson - Denise LaSalle) - 3:50