By Rhetta Akamatsu

Photo Credit: Sandra Richardson

Saturday night, October 29,  Annika Chambers and her band entertained at Darwin’s Blues Club’s Halloween party in Marietta, GA. They had driven 11 hours from Houston, TX to do the show, but when they hit the stage they were energetic and high-spirited. Chambers, who performed the first set looking  striking in a blonde Marilyn Monroe wig, was a real Halloween treat for the audience both for the ears and the eyes!

Chambers has a powerful voice that  can rock out on a song like “Barnyard Blues,”with its catchy hook “The hens get quiet when the cops come around”‘and get sensual on a song like “Put the Suga To Bed.” She can deliver the blues on “Jealous Kind” and “I’d Rather Go Blind,”sounding so much like Etta James that it brought tears to my eyes, and then get sassy and soulful for “I Prefer You.”

She included a mix of songs from her first album, Making My Mark,  and the newest one, which came out in August, and which is titled Wild and Free,  which she is indeed. .She was amazing, and so was the band.

Darwin’s Blues Club continues to deliver great artists and put on fantastic holiday parties, and it was a joy to get together with old friends and new in this friendly atmosphere and enjoy some good food and drink and  fun with the fabulous Annika Chambers!She is an excellent addition to the ranks of great female blues and soul divas in the tradition o Koko Taylor, Etta James and Aretha Franklin.  Make sure to see her when she comes to your area, wherever you are!!