Search - Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway :: Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

Absolute Classic

R.B. | Flint, MI, USA | 02/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't say that I was around when this album was first released, but many current soul artists have invoked the names of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway so I figured I'd check this album out. This album is a wonderful collection of standards and original compositions. Roberta and Donny have made each of these songs their own, the emotion is overflowing. The instrumentation and vocal arrangements are superb, they help this album transcend genre. I'd recommend this album to just about anyone."

Immortal Duet Album From Two Stellar Artists!!

MUZIK4THAPEOPLE!! | Orlando, FL | 07/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was 8 yr old when this album came out and

it got heavy rotation from my mother and her freinds!

The musical marriage of Donny Hathaway & Roberta Flack

was just musical perfection!

Both were prodigious talents vocal-wise and

in their fluency as instrumentalists!

There are a few covers on here..the only one I

could've done without was their rendition of Aretha's

classic "Baby, I Love You" because they brought

absolutely nothing to it.

But make no errors!

They absolutely put their foot in "I Who Have Nothing"

with it's deep bluesy longing that just captures the

pathos perfectly of wanting someone who doesn't want

you as much as you want them! (Woo!--Timeless!)



Donny Hathaway's rendition of "For All We Know" has

become the stuff of legend, and quite a few people

actually think that he was the originator

of this standard!

Now that's when you know that an artist has put

their mark on a song!...When everybody just assumes

that their rendition is the definitive one!

(Kinda like Luther and "A House Is Not A Home"

or "Superstar"!!)

Donny's voice was like buttah!

That man was just so brilliant that it hurts!



I also like what he and Roberta did on

"You've Lost That Loving Feeling"..

a kind of early 70's R&B / Jazz experiment that

opened it up more.

But now, nobody can top the Righteous Brothers version!



Donny & Roberta's version of "You've Got A Freind"

has also become one of legend!--(Just wonderful!)



"Come Ye Dissconsolate" is a church standard and

both Donny and Roberta put some down-home stank on it!

They both were raised up in the black gospel tradition

and it truly shows on this track!



Now on to the original compositions of this album...



"Be Real Black For Me" was a smooth but militant song

about not having to change your african-american

attributes to appeal to the object of your affection.

They did it to death, and any fan of either

Donny or Roberta would be remiss if they

didn't like this one!



"Where Is The Love" was a huge hit and won a

grammy back in 1972 for the duo!

It is another song that just lives on and on!



"When Love Has Grown" has a smooth early 70's

Carpenters meets Fifth Dimension kind of groove

and the two give a laid back but nonetheless

stirring performance on it.



"Mood" is a very dark and moving classical instrumental

piece that shows off their instrumental genius

and well as their Howard University School of

Music training.

All-n-All, this album is just plain CLASSIC!!



Though Donny's been gone 27 yrs now and is a legend

of epic proportions whose influence to black music

as a vocalist / songwriter / arranger & instrumentalist

is immeasurable, and of course Roberta Flack is

no slouch either! This was the first of their

timeless and perfect pairing, and a must-have for any

fan of great music!--Bar None!!



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