First Take

Admittedly, I never considered myself a big fan of Ms. Flack's, although I did like a lot of her music. I especially enjoyed the work she did with the late Donny Hathaway, which was sweet, passionate and soulful. However, Roberta, on her own, seemed to be strictly a middle of the road, smooth vocalist of pop songs. I do recall this album as a small child of seven when it came out, but being that age, I couldn't appreciate it. All I cared about was the Jackson 5. Listening to FIRST TAKE forty-eight years after it was released changed my mind about Roberta and her music.Granted, Roberta is not a belter like her contemporaries Aretha, Gladys and Patti. But her brand of soul is no less satisfying than theirs. She is a musician first, like one of her influences, the great Nina Simone. This was Roberta's first album and it is smooth and smoky, like something you would expect to hear in an intimate venue. On several tracks, it's just Roberta on the piano with a few accompanying musicians playing jazz and blues, others are pop and folk tracks with string orchestration, and of course, there are songs that are kissed with gospel and soul - much more than most of her future works would be. There is not one weak track on this album; all of the tunes are gorgeously arranged. Of course, the monster hit from this album was the gossamer but powerful declaration of love, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". The song was already two years old when it was featured in Clint Eastwood's directorial debut, "Play Misty For Me" in 1971. (By then, Atlantic Records re-edited the song and released a longer version as a single.) Two of the tracks were written by Roberta's close friend Donny Hathaway, so you know they are good, the lovely ballad "Our Ages or Our Hearts" and a song that Donny himself would remake on his 1970 debut, the bluesy and socially conscious "Tryin' Times", which is still relevant today. Love that bass line!I really loved her version of Les McCann and Eddie Harris' funky jazz classic, "Compared to What" and the pop/folk standard, "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye". Roberta singing in Spanish on "Angelitos Negros (Little Black Angels)" is stunning. But the killer for me is her mournful rendition of the gospel spiritual, "I Told Jesus". Excellent in its simplicity, you will feel every word and note. She starts off singing gently, but as the song goes on, her voice builds to an amazing crescendo that we're not used to hearing from her. Then the ending hits you and leaves you breathless! There are only eight songs here, but it's all about quality, not quantity. My only beef with this recording is that it claims to be remastered, when it really isn't. You can hear some audible background hiss on several cuts, specifically on "I Told Jesus"...but otherwise, this is about as close to perfection as you can get. With age and maturity, I have learned to appreciate Ms. Flack's work and this is definitely amongst the best of it.

This is an essential recording for music in general. It cannot be put into a category of R&B, soul, jazz, or folk. There are multiple elements included. It is a time capsule for the late 1960s America which is one of the most profound periods in its history. This is not a date night album. This is a meditative soul searching recording. Kick back and take it in. [If you like this, I would liken this to M. Gaye's "What's Going On" for its timely message that seems to be applicable even now.]

If you've ever thought that Roberta Flack's famous "quiet fire" was just about the smooth stylings of most of her hit singles, this album should expand your understanding of the term. That kind of gorgeous, leisurely phrasing is well represented by the hit "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," as well as her elegant take on Leonard Cohen's "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye."But if those tracks place the emphasis on the "quiet," other smokier, more smoldering numbers let you know where the "fire" comes in. The opening cut, "Compared to What" is politically charged soul that captures the spirit of hurt, hope and rage of the era perfectly. She approaches the conviction and the cold fire of Nina Simone at her sharpest.And while she may seem "supper club elegant" a good deal of the time, she can get downright churchy on a number like "I Told Jesus."I'm sure there are those who would take issue with me for daring to compare her Spanish number "Angelitos Negros" to Grace Slick's half-Spanish (or half-"Pig-Spanish") "Manhole," but there is something about the timbre of their voices when singing in that language that is startlingly similar. Flack's song is,of course, purer both musically AND linguistically, than the pastiche that Slick comes up with, but both singers are indeed both "cool" and "fiery" simultaneously. And there's something about their singing en espanol that seems to emphasize that similarity. (If only Grace had put as much care into the language as she had put into the elaborate orchestration.) My Spanish is extremely limited, but Flack's command of the language as it's SUNG seems pretty darn impressive and authoritative.Roberta Flack's critics sometimes suggest that she sometimes confuses "languor" with "torpor." A reasonably valid opinion, I suppose, but one that probably reveals more about the listener than the perormer. I'll admit that there are been times when I'm not as up for some of her lengthy mood pieces as I am at others. A song like "Our Ages or Our Hearts" (which seems to bemoan a--gasp!--thirteen year age difference between two adult lovers!)can try my patience. And my first reaction to "The Ballad of the Sad Young Men" was that it was a bit on the mawkish side. But that's just me. And y'know, there are times--late at night--when these songs take on a certain undeniable luster. The same can be said for the entire album.

What a voice!!!!!!!! Such clarity!!! The nuances involved, my God!!! Her voice is so powerful & well trained it's as if you're listening to a fully-seated orchestra, such is her talent. And, of course, one is again left with the query, "Whatever happened to her?". Where is she?? Does she still perform?? It's a shame that such a talent is no longer given the opportunity to perform or record...

Great CD. Took me back to its 1st release.

It came so scratched that I couldn't even play it right. I had hoped to set the mood for Valentine's Day dinner with "our song," but I spent more time apologizing for the bad quality than enjoying the ambiance. I understand that old vinyl records may be scratched and skip, but someone here needs to seriously do some quality assurance before they sell their merchandise. This should hardly have been worth more than $1.00.

She sings, "The first time ever I saw you face" the absolute best! Hands down!

This is an absolute classic. Every song is outstanding. I purchased this CD to replace my original vinyl record which I have given to my grandson who - incidentally - loves this kind of music.I strongly recommend that anyone who wants to hear what a real female singer should sound like, should listen to early Roberta Flack albums.