Roberta Flack - Roberta (1995)

Aptly entitled "Roberta", this criminally ignored album from 1994 marked the return of a prodigal daughter and a new beginning for Robert Flack whose illustrious career as a serious jazz/soul artiste suddenly ended when she chose to walk down Adult Contemporary Lane. As if to atone for her walkabout, this album returns with a vengeance to the "singer in a jazz combo" format which launched her career in 1969 with the classic "First Take". Roberta's convincing return to form on this remarkable set may thus be seen as something of a renaissance in that up until then, she hadn't recorded anything remotely worthy of her own talent for nearly twenty years. Neither had she let on that she would once again allow her stately and majestic voice (described by admirers as "quiet fire" and "the sound of velvet melting") to take centrestage and become the focal point of her performances. The material she has chosen for this comeback album is for the most part impeccable. How can you quarrel with soul standards like Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" and B B King's "The Thrill Is Gone" ? Or even the brace of cool jazz standards running seamlessly through the second half of the set ? The only trace of her misguided MOR years was in a ten-minute cover of Stephen Bishop's maudlin 70s pop hit, "It Might Be You". The other tiny miscalculation she and the producers took was in a rather stodgy and leaden version of Stevie Wonder's "Looking For Another Pure Love". Everything else on "Roberta" is perfection. Pure bliss. She hits a miraculous purple patch from "Angel Eyes" onwards with a series of jazz and swing standards that encapsulate the best singing she has done in ages.

Tracklist:

01. Let’s Stay Together
02. Sweet Georgia Brown
03. Thrill Is Gone
04. It Might Be You
05. In A Sentimental Mood
06. Looking For Another Pure Love
07. I Don’t Care Who Knows (Baby I
08. Prelude To A Kiss – Intro
09. Prelude To A Kiss
10. Angel Eyes
11. Tenderly
12. Cottage For Sale