The Supper Table

Roberta Flack's "First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" was a ubiquitous part of my childhood.  One of those songs that played so constantly, in so many random places, that it had become part of the background, like muzak.  I had stopped hearing it, I'm not sure if I had ever listened to it.  And then I did.  It's so much better than I ever realized.  The entire album is a collection of beautiful and subtle work.  Roberta's voice is wielded like an instrument, both brass and string, woven into the fabric of the music instead of rising above it.  Ron Carter's bass work is amazing, huge and spacious.  His work on "I Told Jesus' along with the strings and horns make the traditional number timeless. Roberta Flack First Take Side 1 Compared to What Angelitos Negros Our Ages or Our Hearts I Told Jesus

Since I served up all three tracks from side 2 of The Quest the only logical thing to do is add side 1, and I love logic the way that I love this album...close enough. Waldron's compositions are sparse and evocative, highly emotive, spacious enough to give the soloists freedom, tightly woven enough to trap them like butterflies without trapping their wings. Do you know why I say that? It's because it's true, not exactly factual, but after listening to this album for 10 years I can say it's true. This is like a hurricane in a bottle. 1. Status Seeking 2. Duquility 3. Thirteen 4. We Diddit