The beautiful full scale duets set from Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack – a record that's no doubt defined by it's biggest hit – but the rest is just as great! Born To Love kicks off with "Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You" – a song that's doubtlessly one of the most inescapable slow dance classics ever – and if its ubiquity overshadows the rest of the record, that's not because it's any less excellent! Peabo's affectionate style is in top form here, and Roberta is such a perfect duet partner – with plenty of lead moments of her own. It definitely feels like a perfectly balanced partnership. The record's got some lovely slow jams on par with the aforementioned pop soul standard, plus some great ones that up the tempo a little bit. Other titles include "Blame It On Me", "Born To Love", "Heaven Above Me", "Comin' Alive", "Can We Find Love Again", "You're Looking Like Love To Me" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Certainly one of the lesser sorts of soul soundtracks that you'll find, and an easily overlooked Roberta Flack record consisting of tracks for this low-budget comedy with Cicely Tyson and Richard Pryor. The music's mostly in an electric modern soul vein – even the instrumental bits – and arrangements are by Barry Miles, Marcus Miller, Buddy Williams, and Roberta herself – who also produced the album. Titles include "Love (Always Commands)", "Lovin You (Is Such An Easy Thing To Do)", "Rollin On", "Qual E Malindrinho", and "Hittin Me Where It Hurts". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from Roberta Flack – an album that should be in the collection of any fan of righteous soul music! Forget all the wimpier modes of Flack's later years – because here, the young Roberta is a vision of positive power and spiritual soul – a singer with roots in jazz, which helps to transform some of the album's very surprising song choices – and a depth and sensitivity that goes way past the usual female soul modes of the time. Donny Hathaway handled half the arrangements for the record – a perfect choice for Flack – and Deodato handles the other, with some large arrangements that still have just the right sort of gentleness to go with her voice. Titles include a version of "Reverend Lee", penned by Eugene Daniels – and the great "Gone Away", written by Curtis Mayfield, Leroy Hutson, and Hathaway – plus the tracks "Just Like A Woman", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Business Goes On As Usual", and "Until It's Time For You To Go". CD

What can we say? We've heard this one a million times, it sold over a million copies – but it's still incredible! The record is Roberta's first, and it features her in a mellow trio format, augmented by some occasional larger arrangements by William Fischer. At most points, though, the sound is incredibly spare – with vocals that are much more soulful than any of Roberta's other records, and a sound that hints at Nina Simone, but which has it's own jazzy groove and deep sense of feeling. Includes the classic funky version of "Compared To What", plus "Angelitos Negros", "Our Ages Our Our Hearts", and "Tryin Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Roberta Flack at her most masterful – balancing righteous soul at it's most spiritually resonant and more mainstream accessible melodies – from her classic years at Atlantic when she was forging a whole new sound that was a unique blend of soul, jazz, and spiritualism. Each of Roberta's preceding albums on Atlantic were increasingly incredible – and this one caps of a pretty incredible late 60s to early 70s run of top quality work. Includes the ever-fresh title cut, remade later by The Fugees in a version that cemented it's status with the next generation – plus a great version Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne", "River", "No Tears (In The End)", "I'm The Girl", "When You Smile" and "Conversation Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Great small combo work by Roberta Flack, recorded early in her career, when she was still one of the hippest things around – and it's among her best records! Roberta's really come into her own as vocalist at this point and solidifying here personal style – with that clear tone and perfectly controlled style and phrasing – balancing a jazzy sensibility with the emotions of her gospel roots. A few tracks have some large arrangements by Arif Mardin, William Eaton, or Deodato – but most tracks feature a core group of studio jazz players that includes players like Joe Farrell, Richard Tee, Chuck Rainey, Hubert Laws, and Bernard Purdie. Includes a version of Eugene McDaniels' "Sunday & Sister Jones", plus "Go Up Moses", "To Love Somebody", "Let Them Talk", and "Sweet Bitter Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record from the team of Flack & Hathaway – one of the hippest duos in soul! Individually, each had taken the music to new heights and new audiences, through the use of jazzy phrasing and sophisticated lyrics, while never selling out in the way that earlier pop soul acts had been reduced to. Flack's somber folksy style is a perfect match for the warm spirituality of Hathaway – and the pair work beautifully in counterpoint on hits like "You've Got A Friend" and "Where Is The Love", as well as on more obscure numbers like "Be Real Black For Me", "When Love Has Grown", and "For All We Know". The album also features a 7 minute spare acoustic/electric piano instrumental called "Mood". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from Roberta Flack – an album that should be in the collection of any fan of righteous soul music! Forget all the wimpier modes of Flack's later years – because here, the young Roberta is a vision of positive power and spiritual soul – a singer with roots in jazz, which helps to transform some of the album's very surprising song choices – and a depth and sensitivity that goes way past the usual female soul modes of the time. Donny Hathaway handled half the arrangements for the record – a perfect choice for Flack – and Deodato handles the other, with some large arrangements that still have just the right sort of gentleness to go with her voice. Titles include a version of "Reverend Lee", penned by Eugene Daniels – and the great "Gone Away", written by Curtis Mayfield, Leroy Hutson, and Hathaway – plus the tracks "Just Like A Woman", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Business Goes On As Usual", and "Until It's Time For You To Go". LP, Vinyl record album

For too long we dismissed Roberta Flack out of hand because of her currency as a soft rock radio favorite, but her mid 70s output had more than its share of sublime, soulful moments, and this album is no exception. Of course, a generous helping hand from the left reverend Eugene McD and co-producer Leon Pendarvis doesn't hurt either. 9 tracks in all, including the title track, plus "Feelin That Glow", "I Can See The Sun In Late December", "Mr Magic" and "Early Ev'ry Midnite". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice collection of some of Roberta's finest moments: 'Killing Me Softly With His Song", "The Closer I Get To You", "You've Got A Friend", "Feel Like Makin' Love", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", "Where Is The Love", "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Back Together Again", "You Are My Heaven" , "If I Ever See You Again" and "Jesse". CD

An amazing record from the team of Flack & Hathaway – one of the hippest duos in soul! Individually, each had taken the music to new heights and new audiences, through the use of jazzy phrasing and sophisticated lyrics, while never selling out in the way that earlier pop soul acts had been reduced to. Flack's somber folksy style is a perfect match for the warm spirituality of Hathaway – and the pair work beautifully in counterpoint on hits like "You've Got A Friend" and "Where Is The Love", as well as on more obscure numbers like "Be Real Black For Me", "When Love Has Grown", and "For All We Know". The album also features a 7 minute spare acoustic/electric piano instrumental called "Mood". LP, Vinyl record album

We'll forget about the first Fugees LP, this is the one that really launched the career of Lauryn Hill, both as an MC and a vocalist. And back then, even Wyclef and Pras were kinda dope. 13 tracks and 2 bonus remixes in all, including "How Many MC's", "Ready Or Not", "Killing Me Softly" (Lauryn Hill's amazing version of the Roberta Flack classic), "Fu-Gee-La", and "No Woman, No Cry". CD

A tasty set that compiles tracks from Donny's three albums on Atco, plus a single, and two tracks from his work with Roberta Flack. The latter includes successful AOR ballads "You've Got A Friend" and "Where Is The Love", and Donny album cuts include "The Ghetto", "Valdez In The Country", and "Giving Up". Also includes the excellent holiday tune "This Christmas", which was only ever issued as a 45, for a total of 9 numbers in all, this set also includes "You Were Meant For Me", "A Song For You", "Someday We'll All Be Free" and "Giving Up" LP, Vinyl record album

Gregory Porter arrives on Blue Note Records – and the result is Porter's most fully-formed set so far – just the kind of album that will push him firmly into the limelight – a place that we've felt he's deserved for quite a few years! Porter's a hell of a singer, and a hell of a songwriter too – and although his roots are in jazz, he's got a rare ability to step between genres with plenty of soul – a special space that belongs to a very rare few – like Nina Simone, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack, or Gil Scott-Heron! Gregory's voice is amazing, his lyrics are both personal and pointed – and he does so much here with so little, the album should be handed out to the hundreds of mis-directed vocalists who think that a few extra tweaks in the studio is all they really need. Most numbers just feature small combo backing, with wonderfully warm piano from Chip Crawford – and the whole thing's got a timeless feel that makes us think this is the beginning of a rich new season for Porter. Titles include "Free", "Water Under Bridges", "Lonesome Lover", "Liquid Spirit", "No Love Dying", "Brown Grass", "When Love Was King", and "Wind Song". CD

20 heavy tracks of soul from Atlantic's early 70s roster: King Floyd "Groove Me" and "Baby Let Me Kiss You", Brook Benton "Shoes", Little Sister "Somebody's Watching You", Jackie Moore "Precious Precious", Wilson Pickett "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You" and "Don't Knock My Love - Part 1", Garland Green "Plain & Simple Girl", Tyrone Davis "Could I Forget You", Aretha Franklin "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Spanish Harlem", The Beginning Of The End "Funky Nassau - Part 1", Dede Warwicke "Suspicious Minds", Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway "You've Got a Friend", Barabra Lynn "(Until Then) I'll Suffer", the Persuaders "Thin Line Between Love & Hate", Clarence Carter "Slipped, Tripped & Fell In Love", King Curtis "Changes - Part 2", Sam & Dave "Don't Pull Your Love" and Betty Wright "Clean Up Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary concert from 1971 – one that features Wilson Pickett, Ike & Tina Turner, The Staple Singers, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, The Voices Of East Harlem and others joining forces for an epic concert held in Ghana, West Africa! Tracks include "Land Of 1000 Dances" and "Funky Broadway" by Wilson Pickett, "Soul To Soul" and "I Smell Trouble" by Ike & Tina, "Are You Sure" and "He's Alright" by the Staples, "Heyjorler" by Les McCann & Eddie Harris, "Soul To Soul" and "Runk Shaker Life" by Voices Of East Harlem, and "Freedom Song" and "Tryin Times" by Roberta Flack. LP, Vinyl record album

16 tracks in all, including "How Many MC's", "Ready Or Not", "Killing Me Softly" (Lauryn Hill's amazing version of the Roberta Flack classic), "Fu-Gee-La", and "No Woman, No Cry". CD

We'll forget about the first Fugees LP, this is the one that really launched the career of Lauryn Hill, both as an MC and a vocalist. And back then, even Wyclef and Pras were kinda dope. 13 tracks on double vinyl, including "How Many MC's", "Ready Or Not", "Killing Me Softly" (Lauryn Hill's amazing version of the Roberta Flack classic), "Fu-Gee-La", and "No Woman, No Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

This one was kind of Motown's answer to the Wattstax albums – a double live set, recorded in Chicago during the Push Expo, headed by Jesse Jackson. The tracks here are more of a mixed bag than some of those on the deeper soul Wattstax albums, but there are some nice moments overall, buried in the large mix of music and artists – many of whom didn't normally record for Motown. The tunes are familiar, but they're presented here in some nicely different live takes. Titles include "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers, "Country Preacher" by Cannonball Adderley, "This Child Of Mine" by Zulema, "Everybody Plays The Fool" by Main Ingredient, "Give Me Your Love" by Curtis Mayfield, "I've Gotta Be Me" by Sammy Davis Jr, "I Wanna Be Where You Are" by The Jackson 5, "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye, "Close To You" by Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee Eager, "On A Clear Day/Killer Joe" by Roberta Flack & Quincy Jones, and "Sunshine" by The O'Jays. Also features some dialogue by Jesse Jackson. LP, Vinyl record album