Album: Intuition /  Artist: Betty Harris /  16 tracks: 1:03:18 / Soul / Blues / Available Now

Is it hot in here? It sure is when you are playing Betty Harris’ current CD Intuition, released on the Evidence Music Inc. label. As “Is It Hot In Here?” begins to play we are greeted by Harris’ soulful vocals, which are populated by a lot of wailing, suggesting a female incarnation of James Brown. Jon Tiven cuts loose with some scintillating guitar riffs, while bending more than a few notes.

It is however, Jon Tiven and Brekka Bramlett’s song, “Intuition,” which makes you sit up and take notice of the pretty and emotive vocals belonging to Harris. Bramlett harmonizes with Harris, as well as filling in with solid background vocals. Whereas several of the songs from this album are over the top and brassier, “Intuition,” sets aside the wailing, and instead Harris and producer Jon Tiven adopt a more subtle approach. With the line, "Hey mister do you want to know me," Harris serves notice, that even though she is in her late sixties, she can still turn a seductive phrase.

Three times during the 1960’s Harris recorded singles that hit the Billboard R&B and pop charts, “Cry To Me,” in 1963, “Hiss Kiss,” (1964) and “Nearer To You,” (1967). The songs on this album are new, the majority from the husband and wife team of Jon and Sally Tiven, who collaborated with various songwriters. Even though these are new compositions, the writers channel the soulful sounds of the music we used to hear from Staxx Records and Motown during the sixties. The CD Intuition also breathes the essence of the music, that I am told, one would have heard in Chitlin’ Circuit venues such as the Cotton Club, Apollo Theater (both in New York City), Austin Texas’ The Victory Grill, Chicago’s Regal Theatre, Detroit’s Fox Theatre, and so many other venues where African American’s could both perform and be entertained, by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, The Supremes, Muddy Waters, Lena Horne, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and so many others, without anyone worrying about the color of their skin, during the grim realities of segregation. 

One of the more stirring performances on Intuition is served up in the form of a duet, “Since You Brought Your Sweet Love.” The late Freddie Scott, best known for his top ten hit, “Hey Girl,” joins Harris, and it becomes just another reason to purchase this fabulous album. Jon Tiven’s superbly played, laidback guitar licks, introduce the tune, before quickly adopting a more subtle demeanor, allowing Harris and Scott’s vocals to take center stage. As the two soul icons turn up the temperature, the listener is doubly treated to a passionate love song, and an outstanding moment in music history. Unfortunately, the music community lost Scott when he passed away in June of 2007.

Sally Tiven builds a strong bassline for, “You Do My Soul Good,” over which Jon Tiven lays down his guitar riffs and a cool electric piano groove. The spotlight however, again shines on Harris and background vocalists, Jonell Mosser and Patti Russo. Mosser co-wrote “You Do My Soul Good,” with Charlie Feldman and Jon Tiven.

The eighth track, “How To Be Nice,” is one of the few songs on this CD where the musicians actually upstage Harris, which is no easy feat. Tiven’s electric chord progressions are spectacular. On the vocal side, Harris returns to a style which incorporates a lot of wailing.

The iconic Betty Harris and producer Jon Tiven comprise a formidable team. Tiven’s production credits include working with B.B. King and Wilson Pickett. Tiven is also a prominent songwriter whose tunes have been recorded by artists such as, Rick Derringer, Huey Lewis & the News, The Jeff Healey Band and B.B. King. Tiven also has an eye for discovering new talent and recently produced blues singer Ellis Hooks’ One More Saturday Morning. A producer however, as we all know, is only as good as the talent that he works with, and Betty Harris proves without a doubt, that more than forty-five years after her first hit song, she still has the passion and the vocal chops.

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Reviewed May 2008