Roberta Flack - First Take -1969 Soul- -flac 24... < DIRECT × Manual >
In recent years, "First Take" has been reissued in various formats, including a stunning 24-bit FLAC remastering. This premium digital version offers an unprecedented level of sonic clarity, allowing listeners to experience Flack's sublime vocals and piano playing in breathtaking detail. The FLAC 24-bit remastering is a testament to the enduring quality of Flack's music and the timeless appeal of "First Take."
When Roberta Flack, a former schoolteacher from North Carolina, walked into Atlantic Studios in 1968, she was not trying to compete with Aretha Franklin’s fire or Nina Simone’s fury. Her vision was a hybrid: the rigor of classical music, the storytelling of folk, and the emotional depth of jazz-infused Soul. Roberta Flack - First Take -1969 Soul- -Flac 24...
In 1968, Flack signed with Atlantic Records and began working on her debut album, "First Take." Produced by Joel Dorn and recorded at Atlantic's iconic Studio A in New York City, the album would showcase Flack's remarkable vocal range, interpretive skills, and piano prowess. The sessions, which took place over several days in March 1969, featured a talented cast of musicians, including guitarist Eric Gale, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Connie Kay. In recent years, "First Take" has been reissued
Born on July 11, 1938, in Irmo, South Carolina, Roberta Flack grew up surrounded by music. Her mother, a church organist, instilled in her a love for gospel and classical music from an early age. Flack's natural talent on the piano and vocals earned her a scholarship to Howard University, where she studied music education. After college, she began performing in jazz clubs and recording sessions in Washington, D.C., eventually catching the attention of Atlantic Records. Her vision was a hybrid: the rigor of
The search term is highly specific, and for good reason. Standard CD-quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) does a fine job, but the 24-bit high-resolution transfer captures three critical elements of this recording that lower resolutions obscure:
Upon its release in 1969, First Take was a critical darling but a commercial sleeper. It wasn't until 1972, when Clint Eastwood used the album's closing track, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," as the sonic backdrop for a love scene in Play Misty for Me , that the album exploded, spending five weeks at #1 on the Billboard charts. But the 1972 mass-market pressings were compressed for AM radio. To truly understand the 1969 masterwork, we must go back to the source.