The first 45, 'I'm Evil Tonight' b/w 'What A Sad Feeling was an auspicious beginning. The a-side was a stylish mid-tempo tune with a classic Harris vocal. She slinks into the verse and turns up the heat - just enough - in the chorus. The b-side '..Sad Feeling' is typical of 'Toussaint's ballads. The pace is slower but it only serves to focus attention on the sophisticated melody, with Harris caressing every note.

Of the sides they recorded in 1966, the second 45 (Sansu 452) saw a pattern forming, backing a ballad with a more aggressive soul tune. This time, while the ballad 'Sometime' is good, the flip 'I Don't Want To Hear It' is a tour de force. The beat in the verse builds a sense of anticipation, and then Harris lets loose in the chorus. It's typical only in the sense that like many Toussaint crafted records, it should have been a hit.

Her third Sansu (455) 45, '12 Red Roses' b/w 'What'd I Do Wrong' is the first Betty Harris 45 that is clearly identifiable as a product of New Orleans. The hard beat of '12 Red Roses' shows the hallmarks of Toussaint's crack studio band, featuring the likes of guitar master Roy Montrell, drummer Gentleman June Gardner, and (Allen's brother) Vincent Toussaint. The sound is unmistakably that of the band that brought life to so many Lee Dorsey classics, as well as the records of Sansu label-mates like Eldridge Holmes and Curly Moore. 'What'd I Do Wrong' sounds like a Norman Whitfield tune after a pitcher of mint juleps. It moves along slowly with a vaguely sinister edge, and Harris delivers the lyric powerfully.

1967 was a hot year creatively for Allen Toussaint. In addition to classics like Curly Moore's 'Don't Pity Me' (on Sansu) and 'Hump Back' by Eldridge Holmes (on Jet Set), he had his greatest success with Betty Harris. Their second 45 of the year 'Nearer To You' (Sansu 466, with a resurrected 'I'm Evil Tonight' on the flip side) made it to #16 R&B and #85 pop. It is a languid, heartbreaking love ballad with subdued, bluesy piano (by Toussaint), and fantastic backing vocals. Harris wrings every bit of emotion out of the lyric without ever resorting to histrionics. This is perhaps her greatest talent, i.e. the ability to inject a substantial amount of real emotion into a performance without slipping into cliché. In this, and all other aspects of her incredible voice, she is a soul singer ripe for reappraisal. More focused and masterful than many better known singers of her time, and light years beyond what passes for 'soul' singing these days. While 'Nearer To You' may have been the big chart hit, 'Can't Last Much Longer' (Sansu 471) is the bravura ballad performance of her career. Taken at an almost achingly slow waltz tempo, 'Can't Last Much Longer' is injected with a tremendous amount of 'gospel' feeling. Listen for Toussaint's organ, creeping around the periphery of the tune, rising for a brief solo in the middle of the song and fading away again.

Of the four 45's she did in 1967, my favorite is her pairing with Lee Dorsey. 'Love Lots Of Lovin'' b/w 'Take Care of Our Love' (Sansu 474 and Buffalo 1002 in the UK) is one of the great two-siders in the annals of New Orleans soul. 'Love Lots of Lovin' ' is great, upbeat duet with Toussaint's piano high in the mix. 'Take Care of Our Love' is one Toussaint's best ballad compositions, and both Dorsey (who's performance suggests that he should have recorded more ballads) and Harris rise to the occasion.

In a grand tradition, Harris and Toussaint saved the best for last. Betty Harris' last 45 (in March of 1969) was written and recorded by Toussaint, but leased to SSS International (home to another great New Orleans classic, Danny White's 'Natural Soul Brother'). The ballad side, 'All I Want Is You' saw Toussaint edging back into Bacharach's territory, juxtaposing a complex melody with a polished arrangement. It was the other side of this disc however, that stands today as one of the greatest of New Orleans funk records. 'There's A Break In The Road' is as powerful and imaginative funk record as you're ever likely to hear. Here the Meters' sound is clearly evident. The record opens with a throbbing George Porter bass line, followed by the howl of feedback (?!?!), the crack of Ziggy Modeliste's snare and a burst of horns, breaking down into a wild, off-kilter beat. Harris jumps into the mix at full-tilt and powers her way through the verses. Each chorus is marked by Modeliste's wild drumming, powerful and funky enough to rival even the mighty James Black. All throughout the song, Leo Nocentelli's guitar is feeding back. Everyone, especially Harris is operating at 150%, pulling out all the stops as if they realized that this was to be her last record and they needed to make it a landmark. The end result is a masterpiece, and a must have for any serious fan of funky New Orleans.