Spanky Wilson & the Quantic Soul Orchestra

She might not be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Aretha Franklin, but Spanky Wilson’s rarity has always made her a fan of crate-digging DJs searching for their beloved scarce funk. Will Holland is one of those admirers and even managed to take things an extra step by tracking down Wilson in order to have her sweet vocals lent to his Mishaps Happening release. If you enjoyed the chemistry that resulted in Wilson getting down with Holland’s fantastic Soul Orchestra then you will no doubt love an entire album’s worth of classic funk and soul that manages to pay tribute to the past while keeping things relevant. The Quantic Soul Orchestra’s grooves are in fine form as string sections, soft horns and undeniable drum breaks make Philadelphia’s Wilson sound like an up-and-coming R&B superstar. Her vocals range from smooth and sultry on the Hurricane Katrina-inspired "That’s How It Was,” as Wilson manages to produce sweet soul to a botched tragedy, to the very fast-paced "Message to Tomorrow” and "You Can’t Judge a Book By Its Cover,” where she proves that she can still belt out massive notes while keeping up with the young cats. I’m Thankful is yet another gem for Quantic to add to his catalogue and hopefully serves as an important introduction to a forgotten soul siren.