Denise LaSalle - Smokin' In Bed (1997)

Smokin' in Bed is another hot one from the first lady of raunchy Southern soul, Denise LaSalle. Bright, sparkling Southern horns accent many cuts, including "Juke Joint Woman," an up-tempo saga about a barfly. The blues never sounded better than on "Blues Party Tonight," which features B.B. King-inspired guitar licks on top of a laid-back groove, or "Dirty Old Woman," a dated-sounding jump number. At times her sexual tales sound contrived, but she excels on the Southern fried ballads and mid-tempo smokers that dominate the latter half of the album -- "Goin' Through Changes," "Never Been Touch Like This," and "Why Am I Missing You" are pure LaSalle.