Roberta Flack – First Take (Vinyle translucide)
ORDER LIMITED TO ONE ITEM PER CUSTOMER
Part of Atlantic Records' 75th Anniversary Vinyl Collection
Piano, Vocals – Roberta Flack
Bass – Ron Carter [click here to see more vinyl featuring Ron Carter]
Drums – Ray Lucas
Guitar – John Pizzarelli
Tenor Saxophone – Frank Wess (A1, A4)
Trombone – Bennie Powell (A1, A4)
Trumpet – Jimmy Nottingham (A1, A4), Joe Newman (A1, A4)
Baritone Saxophone – Seldon Powell (A1, A4)
Cello – Charles McCracken (A2 to B2, B4), George Ricci (A2 to B2, B4)
Viola – Alfred Brown (A2 to B2, B4), Selwart Clarke (A2 to B2, B4), Theodore Israel (A2 to B2, B4)
Violin – Emanuel Green (A2 to B2, B4), Gene Orloff (A2 to B2, B4)
String section conducted by William Fischer (A2 to B2, B4)
Horn & String Arrangements by William Fischer
Written by Gene McDaniels (A1), Manuel Alvarez Maciste (A2), Donny Hathaway (A3, B3), Robert Ayers (A3), Leonard Cohen (B1), Ewan MacColl (B2), Leroy Hutson (B3), Frances Landesman (B4), Thomas J. Wolf, Jr. (B4)
A4 is a traditional song arranged by Roberta Flack
1 LP, standard sleeve
Limited edition one-time pressing
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : crystal clear
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Optimal Media GmbH
Label : Atlantic
Original Label : Atlantic
Recorded February 24–26, 1969 at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City
Recording by William Arlt
Re-mixed by Bob Liftin at Regent Sound Studios, New York
Produced by Joel Dorn
Lacquer cut by Ian Sefchick
Photography by Ken Heinen
Originally released in January 1968
Reissued in March 2023
Tracks :
Side A:
- Compared to What
- Angelitos Negros
- Our Ages or Our Hearts
- I Told Jesus
Side B:
- Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye
- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
- Tryin' Times
- Ballad of the Sad Young Men
Awards:
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Ranked 451/500
Reviews :
“Roberta Flack's debut album, titled First Take in true underachiever fashion, introduced a singer who'd assimilated the powerful interpretive talents of Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughan, the earthy power of Aretha Franklin, and the crystal purity and emotional resonance of folksingers like Judy Collins. Indeed, the album often sounded more like vocal jazz or folk than soul, beginning with the credits: a core quartet of Flack on piano, John Pizzarelli on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Ray Lucas on drums, as fine a lineup as any pop singer could hope to recruit. With only one exception -- the bluesy, grooving opener "Compared to What," during which Flack proves her chops as a soul belter -- she concentrates on readings of soft, meditative material. A pair of folk covers, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," are heart-wrenching standouts; the first even became a surprise hit two years later, when its appearance in the Clint Eastwood film Play Misty for Me pushed it to the top of the pop charts and earned Flack her first Grammy award for Record of the Year. Her arrangement of the traditional "I Told Jesus" has a simmering power, while "Ballad of the Sad Young Men" summons a stately sense of melancholy. Flack also included two songs from her college friend and future duet partner, Donny Hathaway, including a tender examination of the classic May-December romance titled "Our Ages or Our Hearts." The string arrangements of William Fischer wisely keep to the background, lending an added emotional weight to all of Flack's pronouncements. No soul artist had ever recorded an album like this, making First Take one of the most fascinating soul debuts of the era.” AllMusic Review by John Bush
Ratings :
AllMusic : 5 / 5 , Discogs :