One of the true giants of pop music, and possibly the definition of “soul” vocals, Aretha Franklin (who just recently left us for her reward) is celebrated here with a collection of five of her most important albums of the 1970s,when she was coming into her own as the Queen of Soul. These studio albums were the first of hers that were not simply a collection of “singles” pasted together; they each had a certain feel of their own.
1970’s Spirit In The Dark was a break from her “pop” leanings, not only with arranging by Arif Mardin and engineered by producer Tom Dowd, but including King Curtis/ts and Duane Allman on guitar. Her take of “The Weight” with Allman’s slide guitar, is legendary, while a version of “ Let It Be” and “Eleanor Rigby” rival that of the Fab Four.
The same year, Franklin really hit a bull’s eye with Spirit In The Dark, with her backed by either The bluegrass Dixie Flyers or Muscle Shoals rhythm section, making for some eclectic ideas. Her selection of material is just as tasty, with renditions of BB King’s “The Thrill Is Gone” and “Why I Sing The Blues” as well as Dr. John’s “ When The Battle Is Over” and Jimmy Reed’s “Honest I Do”. Aretha gets home grown.
Franklin’s apotheosis in the studio just may be 1972’s Young, Gifted and Black, which includes some of her most associated songs like “Day Dreaming” and “Rock Steady”, but then you ‘ve also got an eye-opening version of The Beatles’ “The Long And Winding Road” that shows the depth of Franklin’s creativity and church upbringing. She’s backed by some of the best session players, like Hubert Laws/fl, Eric Gale/b, Donny Hathaway/key, Dr. John/perc, Cornel Dupree/g, Chuck Rainey/b, Billy Preston/key and Bernard Purdie/dr, so the music is as tight and gritty as the local juke joint.
Next year was Franklin’s last “classic” soul album and is a bit of a patchwork, ranging from a gorgeous read of Leonard Bernstein’s “Somewhere” to a jazzy vocalese “Moody’s Mood” and a gospel tinged “Angel”. The Quincy Jones-produced session includes appearances by Phil Woods/as, Joe Farrell/ts, Billy Preston/key and members of The Memphis Horns.
Last but not least is her 1974 Let Me Into Your Life, with Ms. Franklin pulling out all of the stops on Bobby Womack’s “I’m In Love” and owning Stevie Wonder’s “Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)”. She’s again backed by jazz all star session players like Bob James/key, Chuck Rainey/b, Deodato/key, David Spinozza/g and Stanley Clarke/b, making thi s her last album before disco came over her and all other singers of the time like a giant tsunami.
There is also a bonus album of session demos, outtakes and alternate takes of tunes like “Spanish Harlem”, “Pledging My Love/The Clock” and “Lean On Me”. This is a boxed set that makes you want to sit down, relax and take in a woman who sang with all that was in her, and there was a lot.