Wonderful Woman

Ronnie Barnes' style brings back memories of the great R&B shouters of the '50s and early '60s. Every one of these 11 selections displays a high testosterone level, or maybe Ronnie loads up on coffee before recording sessions. He excels on slow, emotional ballads and midtempo compositions: "Stop Fooling' Around," "Wonderful Women" (both mixes), and "We Gotta Keep Holding On," are prime-cut deep soul numbers. Throwbacks "Who Is He," "Wondering Eyes," "Night Train" (not the James Brown song), and "Jumpin' the Gun" would make R&B pioneers Wynonie Harris, Joe Turner, and others proud that their tradition is still around in the new millennium.