Rolling Stone (p.88)
- 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[A] set of understated piano-based songs by Crescent City's long-reigning queen of soul....Thomas' versions of these stark, powerful tunes help SIMPLY GRAND live up to its title."Down Beat (p.81)
- 3 stars out of 5 -- "She holds one's attention with sophisticated presentations of emotion..." Dirty Linen (p.50)
- "SIMPLY GRAND celebrates the Crescent City's legacy of great piano players, with Thomas accompanied on each track by a different pianist." Billboard (p.41)
- "[Her voice] is a rare blend of smooth simplicity and heart-cracking emotion....Randy Newman's 'I Think It's Going to Rain Today' closes the set with a bittersweet touch." Paste (magazine)
(p.57)
- "There's delicate jazz with Ellis Marsalis, punchy funk with Dr. John, ornate wizardry with Tom McDermott and sophisticated beauty with Randy Newman, all held together by a singer who lands straight in the heart of every song." | 
CD
