By Cree McCree | Published October 2021
Sass, swagger, smarts: Tia Carroll’s got ’em all in spades. Her rich, resonant voice knows how to throw a punch that stings, and slides down as easy as molasses when she wants to sweeten the pot. And though You Gotta Have It! marks Carroll’s U.S. studio debut, the Bay Area blues powerhouse is no greenhorn. She’s a globetrotting performer who soaked up the vibrant musical cultures of Brazil and Italy, where she recorded several successful albums. On her long-overdue Stateside debut, Carroll pulls out all the stops with a full horn section, gospel choir and a stellar special guests.
“Ain’t Nobody Worryin’,” soul star Anthony Hamilton’s 2005 hit, simmers with sorrow and rage. Carroll’s vocals speak to the communities where, “the kids die young and the mothers are suffering.” That segues seamlessly into “Even When I’m Not Alone,” her own intimate ballad. Elsewhere, she comes out swinging with “Don’t Put Your Hands On Me,” a no-nonsense takedown of domestic abusers. Carroll steps out of the shadows, flying under the radar for too long.
You Gotta Have It!: Ain’t Nobody Worryin’; Even When I’m Not Alone; Our Last Time; Don’t Put Your Hands On Me; Never Let Me Go; Leaving Again; Mama Told Me; Ready To Love Again; In Need Someone; Move On; Why Am I Treated So Bad. (47:00)
Personnel: Tia Carroll, vocals; Kid Andersen, guitar; Jim Pugh, piano, organ; Steve Ehrman, bass; Paul Revelli, drums; Mike Rinta, trombone; Rob Sudduth, tenor saxophone; Aaron Lington, baritone saxophone; Jeff Lewis, trumpet; The Sons Of The Soul Revivers, backing vocals; Charlie Hunter, guitar, bass (1); Derrick D’Mar Martin, drums (1); Vicki Randall, percussion, vocals (6); Gordon Beadle, saxophones (5, 8); Igor Prado, guitar (10).
Ordering Info: tiacarroll.net
