I m so FREAkING Proud that in 1983 I actually danced a few bars with Esther Phillips while she performed at the Vine Street Bar & Grill in Hollywood, California... The show was mind-blowing, we were sitting a few feet from the small intimate stage. I remember she was doing material from the "Whisper to a scream" album and while the venue was very small Esther played like she was in front of thousands of people, rather than the 40 or so in attendance that evening! Esther put on such a real show that it has stayed in my mind as if I just saw her a few minutes ago...It happened as I tried to move past the left side of the stage to go towards the men's room when Esther just danced up to me and grabbed my hands and took over, it only lasted a few minutes but the whole room lit up cheering and as soon as it started I was over and I held this hugh warm smile & feeling the rest of the night, and whenever hear one of her songs or her Iconic version of "Use me" it instantly brings that smile and warm feeling back to me as if it just happened! Sadly, Esther would leave us in1984 from Kidney failure due to drug abuse, and while I know of her pain, and I am blessed to have known & experienced music and the joyful beautiful woman she was in life and always be in my heart!!!
Saw her there myself Rob... I miss her more than I can say. What came out of that was getting to spend a lot of time with Linda Hopkins who gave me such insight into the life of Esther Phillips.
זה הקול הנשי היחודי ביותר בג'אז ובכלל ששמעתי מעודי. זה מה שנקרא יש גדולות ממנה אך אין כמוה. זמרת פרפורמרית חד פעמית צובטת בועטת רוטטת, דיווה אמיתית ניצחית אסתר פיליפס תמיד איתנו ושלנו❤❤❤
one of the TOUGHER ones to come thru the music biz. I have a lot of respect and admiration for her talent. a LOT of her story is told in David Nathan's book "The Soulful Divas". For those of you, who wont bother reading it but are curious about who Esther was, and what she was about, I'll just leave you with a bit of all that I read about her. First off, one of her 'best buddies' was Etta James...they were very close...they ran the streets together..got in trouble together..and tried to clean each other up, to no avail. Etta did, eventually...Esther couldn't. But Esther was no weak pushover. There's a story in the book about how she figured out a record company was ripping her off. She was supposed to get these royalty checks, and the CEO of the label, basically blew her off, and kept telling her "yea, come by on such and such a day, and I'll get it to you, blah, blah, blah". But he never would. So, Esther got drunk one day, and decided she was coming to get her money. She caught a cab to the record company, and shows up in a full length mink coat...buck ass naked under the coat..wearing nothing else but a pair of pumps and a baseball bat in her hands. She scared the shit out of the receptionist, who couldn't stop her, obviously...and Esther bumrushes the CEO in his office, where he was having a meeting...and she ran everybody in there, out of the meeting..and she forced the boss man to cut her check right there on the spot. That was Esther Phillips...tiny...a fundamentally good person...and an incredible friend...but if you crossed her up, she would become your worst nightmare.
@@ayeelaura its been a minute since I read it, but I do remember most of the divas Nathan interviewed and wrote about. There are 3 that stand out big time, to me (Phyllis Hyman, Nina Simone and Esther Phillips)..their stories are INCREDIBLE. But the other ones, aint nothing to sneeze at (Diana, Patti, Aretha, I think Anita Baker and Roberta Flack are in there...Millkie Jackson is another chapter that was raw and funny) Yea, you need to read it.
This is a real gem, with high video, and audio quality, just for a few ones that are still enjoying her music after decades and the ones who are discovering her, like me, our mission is to keep this great artist alive for the coming years
@@MrMossitup Yes, it sort of looks like him. He wasn't on the track but was a regular at one time on CTI/Kudu sessions, so was a good replacement for the original Joe Beck parts.
@@MrMossitup Sorry I lost the plot on my original reply. It was on her second Kudu album, Alone Again Naturally.. Wondering if this is Cornell Dupree who played on the session?
I m so FREAkING Proud that in 1983 I actually danced a few bars with Esther Phillips while she performed at the Vine Street Bar & Grill in Hollywood, California... The show was mind-blowing, we were sitting a few feet from the small intimate stage. I remember she was doing material from the "Whisper to a scream" album and while the venue was very small Esther played like she was in front of thousands of people, rather than the 40 or so in attendance that evening!
Esther put on such a real show that it has stayed in my mind as if I just saw her a few minutes ago...It happened as I tried to move past the left side of the stage to go towards the men's room when Esther just danced up to me and grabbed my hands and took over, it only lasted a few minutes but the whole room lit up cheering and as soon as it started I was over and I held this hugh warm smile & feeling the rest of the night, and whenever hear one of her songs or her Iconic version of "Use me" it instantly brings that smile and warm feeling back to me as if it just happened!
Sadly, Esther would leave us in1984 from Kidney failure due to drug abuse, and while I know of her pain, and I am blessed to have known & experienced music and the joyful beautiful woman she was in life and always be in my heart!!!
Saw her there myself Rob... I miss her more than I can say. What came out of that was getting to spend a lot of time with Linda Hopkins who gave me such insight into the life of Esther Phillips.
Nice story!
1 of the greatest ever to sing 🎤. Period
the best of the best !
Esther Phillips was in a rare class of vocalists that sang naturally from a very fine place in her heart .
Mike Vallen Well put. She was supremely original.
Her voice was extremely distinctive & polarizing for some. You always knew it was her singing!
she's awesome
זה הקול הנשי היחודי ביותר בג'אז ובכלל ששמעתי מעודי. זה מה שנקרא יש גדולות ממנה אך אין כמוה. זמרת פרפורמרית חד פעמית צובטת בועטת רוטטת, דיווה אמיתית ניצחית אסתר פיליפס תמיד איתנו ושלנו❤❤❤
Queen Esther doing what she always does, effortlessly making a song her own. World has been a lesser place since 1984. RIP your Majesty.
Her voice is very unique and a tough act to follow but I love her version up beat with a swing. Beautiful
Unforgettable, That's What You Are,
Not many of today's artiste would even attempt to perform LIVE with minimal accompaniment like this. Not even any back up vocals. Superb.
one of the TOUGHER ones to come thru the music biz. I have a lot of respect and admiration for her talent. a LOT of her story is told in David Nathan's book "The Soulful Divas". For those of you, who wont bother reading it but are curious about who Esther was, and what she was about, I'll just leave you with a bit of all that I read about her. First off, one of her 'best buddies' was Etta James...they were very close...they ran the streets together..got in trouble together..and tried to clean each other up, to no avail. Etta did, eventually...Esther couldn't. But Esther was no weak pushover. There's a story in the book about how she figured out a record company was ripping her off. She was supposed to get these royalty checks, and the CEO of the label, basically blew her off, and kept telling her "yea, come by on such and such a day, and I'll get it to you, blah, blah, blah".
But he never would. So, Esther got drunk one day, and decided she was coming to get her money. She caught a cab to the record company, and shows up in a full length mink coat...buck ass naked under the coat..wearing nothing else but a pair of pumps and a baseball bat in her hands. She scared the shit out of the receptionist, who couldn't stop her, obviously...and Esther bumrushes the CEO in his office, where he was having a meeting...and she ran everybody in there, out of the meeting..and she forced the boss man to cut her check right there on the spot. That was Esther Phillips...tiny...a fundamentally good person...and an incredible friend...but if you crossed her up, she would become your worst nightmare.
Man, I thought I couldn't love her any more than I already did, but now, hearing that!
Esther the Goddess.
thanks for sharing more about her personality and life, it seems she's been left out the history books a lot - I'll check the book out!!!
@@ayeelaura its been a minute since I read it, but I do remember most of the divas Nathan interviewed and wrote about. There are 3 that stand out big time, to me (Phyllis Hyman, Nina Simone and Esther Phillips)..their stories are INCREDIBLE. But the other ones, aint nothing to sneeze at (Diana, Patti, Aretha, I think Anita Baker and Roberta Flack are in there...Millkie Jackson is another chapter that was raw and funny) Yea, you need to read it.
I love this Woman .
Her KUDU albums were all solid gold gems. She was the greatest.
This is a real gem, with high video, and audio quality, just for a few ones that are still enjoying her music after decades and the ones who are discovering her, like me, our mission is to keep this great artist alive for the coming years
Esther is very UNIQUE!
Thanks.
Nobody could touch Esther!
One of my favs ever
אסתר פיליפס הגדולה באחת מהופעותיה המאוחרות, אהובה לנצח מנוחתה עדן.❤❤❤
This live version is wonderful. More simple than recorded version without strings. And faster. That made it more funky.
Maravillosa❤
Superb upload
Unforgettable!
My favourite 'new artiste'.............
super great !!!!
I love her
Great, thanks for the post.
Maravilhosa ♡
Nice idea to bring the guitarist upfront and add a solo. Anyone know the name? Miss Phillips..style, class and feeling.
Phil Upchurch?
@@MrMossitup Yes, it sort of looks like him. He wasn't on the track but was a regular at one time on CTI/Kudu sessions, so was a good replacement for the original Joe Beck parts.
@@MrMossitup Sorry I lost the plot on my original reply. It was on her second Kudu album, Alone Again Naturally.. Wondering if this is Cornell Dupree who played on the session?
@@mikeatturnpike could be. He and Phil..top shelf!
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Wonderfull!
Fantastic ! (and in the box) ;-)
Awesome!
Esther Phillips idol was Dinah Washington!
Esther pillips
CLASS :) XX
Does Anyone Knows Who The Guitarist Is?
Unique wasn't she !
She was always good and often GREAT, but never dull or bland. She was unique.
Whose the guitarist
this is a good remake of the Eddie Floyd hit
It's not a "remake" it's a cover version.