Masterpiece :The album Blue a favourite

[after you]

Allmusic editor Rob Theakston found that "Gil Askey's arrangements are top-notch without sounding like dinner theater knock-offs. Blue is an album every bit as bold an artistic statement as her contemporaries Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, who were recording the opuses Where I'm Coming From and What's Going On around the same time, and for Ross fans, Blue is every bit as enjoyable as her sultriest moments as the supreme Supreme."^[3

[TNSUN]

"What A Difference A Day Makes" : Diana and Gil made beautiful music together. https://youtu.be/ja5HPp_GH8k

[thanxal]

It is one of my favorite Ross solo albums, topped only by Baby Its Me.

[jobeterob]

I think it my favourite Diana album

[thanxal]

I’m re-listening to both. Gettin’ Ready for Love [[2014 remaster)is hard to beat.

[RanRan79]

"What A Difference A Day Makes" : Diana and Gil made beautiful music together. https://youtu.be/ja5HPp_GH8k

Absolutely beautiful. I play it often.

My only critique of the Blue album is that Billie Holliday cuts were re-recorded and some additional ones were added. I would have liked the album to move away from a Lady Sings the Blues...Again type thing. "What a Difference" was a great choice. Would have loved if she had cut "Unforgettable" and "When I Fall In Love". Ooh, what about "The Glory of Love"? "Summertime"?

[daviddh]

Think we need that expanded edition

[sup_fan]

her jazz work was excellent and i agree. as compelling of an artistic statement as what Stevie or Marvin were doing

I will make a teeny tiny pick on the album we received as Blue. a couple of the songs had slightly better versions elsewhere. like Little Girl Blue. the version on TMITM is perfect. the version on Blue is fascinating to hear and truly wonderful. but my pick would be the TMITM version. I'm assuming that if Blue had been released at the time, they would have used that version

[daviddh]

I think Crazy He Calls Me is an out take from this album..

[gman]

It is one of my favorite Ross solo albums, topped only by Baby Its Me.

I think I may share the same opinion on BABY IT'S ME....I actually think Ross '78 is my 2nd fav...with Blue coming in 3rd...

[Ollie9]

her jazz work was excellent and i agree. as compelling of an artistic statement as what Stevie or Marvin were doing

That will never be the general consensus as far as music history is concerned. Diana does a fine job……..but.

[sup_fan]

That will never be the general consensus as far as music history is concerned. Diana does a fine job……..but.

i agree that the industry and history won't acknowledge her work in the same way. still i stand by it. this was a totally new endeavor for her, a genre she had little direction experience with. plus her age [[mid 20s) and so she hadn't had the life experiences like Billie, Ella and others.

it's not about whether or not it's better than what stevie or marvin were doing. the idea is that they were making artistic statements, experimenting, going in new directions. i think you can clearly say the same with Diana's blues work

[lucky2012]

i agree that the industry and history won't acknowledge her work in the same way. still i stand by it. this was a totally new endeavor for her, a genre she had little direction experience with. plus her age [[mid 20s) and so she hadn't had the life experiences like Billie, Ella and others.

it's not about whether or not it's better than what stevie or marvin were doing. the idea is that they were making artistic statements, experimenting, going in new directions. i think you can clearly say the same with Diana's blues work

I hear you, sup_fan. I agree Diana's work on the LTSB soundtrack is a remarkable artistic achievement. Some critics think it is her best recorded work. She did not write or produce the work, as Marvin & Stevie did, but her belief in and soulful passion for the songs resulted in as great an artistic statement. It's remarkable how What's Going On, Talking Book and LTSB [and Blue] were all birthed around the same time!

[sup_fan]

I hear you, sup_fan. I agree Diana's work on the LTSB soundtrack is a remarkable artistic achievement. Some critics think it is her best recorded work. She did not write or produce the work, as Marvin & Stevie did, but her belief in and soulful passion for the songs resulted in as great an artistic statement. It's remarkable how What's Going On, Talking Book and LTSB [and Blue] were all birthed around the same time!

i think that you could make the argument that no one has Diana's talent of interpretation of lyrics. this isn't a knock to Stevie or Marvin or anyone else. but an acknowledgement of Diana's mastery. IMO her interpretation of songs [[whether its blues, an A&S tune, something of Masser, etc) in unparalleled. even Stevie and Marvin writing and producing their own material and their singing their own songs doesn't quite hit this level. it's just that magic which makes Diana Ross into DIANA ROSS.

[sup_fan]

and you're spot on - 1971 and 72 resulted in some amazing album output by motown

Lady Sings the Blues
Touch
What's Going On
Nature Planned it
Talking Book
Black Magic
Sky's The Limit
Maybe Tomorrow

[Ollie9]

i think that you could make the argument that no one has Diana's talent of interpretation of lyrics. this isn't a knock to Stevie or Marvin or anyone else. but an acknowledgement of Diana's mastery. IMO her interpretation of songs [[whether its blues, an A&S tune, something of Masser, etc) in unparalleled. even Stevie and Marvin writing and producing their own material and their singing their own songs doesn't quite hit this level. it's just that magic which makes Diana Ross into DIANA ROSS.

I think in the real world there might be one or two who might disagree with that sweeping statement. It all depends on which fan site you happen to be a member of judging by the internet lol. Personally i think Marvin and Stevie are equally as talented as far as song interpretation is concerned, with their songwriting and producing skills adding an extra dimension to their unique talents.

[Boogiedown]

I think in the real world there might be one or two who might disagree with that sweeping statement. It all depends on which fan site you happen to be a member of judging by the internet lol. Personally i think Marvin and Stevie are equally as talented as far as song interpretation is concerned, with their songwriting and producing skills adding an extra dimension to their unique talents.

yes and , Diana's project was a retro exercise ....Stevie and Marvin were moving music forward ...

[Ollie9]

yes and , Diana's project was a retro exercise ....Stevie and Marvin were moving music forward ...

It’s also worth noting that Bille Holiday songs had been covered by many artists who would not be traditionally categorised as jazz singers.

[RanRan79]

It’s also worth noting that Bille Holiday songs had been covered by many artists who would not be traditionally categorised as jazz singers.

Yeah, for me there is no comparison between Blue and the masterpieces Marvin and Stevie were hitting on. The Lady material and Blue material weren't really all that different from the stuff Diana had been recording as a Supreme since 1964/65. The early MOR stuff, the R&H sessions, the Funny Girl album...Diana had been there and done that. As a vocalist she had surely grown, and the Lady and Blue material certainly showcased her depth as a songstress, but she was indeed following a decades old trend of covering someone's previously released recording. It's one thing to point out how great the project turned out, creatively, but then a whole other thing to suggest this was on par with Marvin and Stevie. What Diana did had been done before, even for herself, and at the time there were other artists recording these same songs, surely. Meanwhile Marvin and Stevie were coming up with fresh, new directions.

To Sup's point about Diana's interpretation skills, it should not be overlooked the importance of having the ability to sing a song and convey the feeling of a song that people can feel in the heart. Diana was great at this. She didn't need to be a singer/songwriter. That was not the gift God gave her. Her beautiful voice and her interpretation skills were a great combination. And to that point, I personally feel the Surrender and Touch Me In the Morning albums are the ones to talk about in the same conversation as What's Goin On or Talking Book. No, she did not write any of the songs, but her emotional readings of them, from the heartbreaking "A Simple Thing Like Cry" on Surrender to the haunting lullaby of "Brown Baby" on TMITM, should firmly place these two works as evidence of her artistry.

[Boogiedown]

It’s also worth noting that Bille Holiday songs had been covered by many artists who would not be traditionally categorised as jazz singers.

Billie Holiday was herself a singer doing mostly covers .... creating jazzy spins of mostly Broadway stuff.

[Ollie9]

Yeah, for me there is no comparison between Blue and the masterpieces Marvin and Stevie were hitting on. The Lady material and Blue material weren't really all that different from the stuff Diana had been recording as a Supreme since 1964/65. The early MOR stuff, the R&H sessions, the Funny Girl album...Diana had been there and done that. As a vocalist she had surely grown, and the Lady and Blue material certainly showcased her depth as a songstress, but she was indeed following a decades old trend of covering someone's previously released recording. It's one thing to point out how great the project turned out, creatively, but then a whole other thing to suggest this was on par with Marvin and Stevie. What Diana did had been done before, even for herself, and at the time there were other artists recording these same songs, surely. Meanwhile Marvin and Stevie were coming up with fresh, new directions.

To Sup's point about Diana's interpretation skills, it should not be overlooked the importance of having the ability to sing a song and convey the feeling of a song that people can feel in the heart. Diana was great at this. She didn't need to be a singer/songwriter. That was not the gift God gave her. Her beautiful voice and her interpretation skills were a great combination. And to that point, I personally feel the Surrender and Touch Me In the Morning albums are the ones to talk about in the same conversation as What's Goin On or Talking Book. No, she did not write any of the songs, but her emotional readings of them, from the heartbreaking "A Simple Thing Like Cry" on Surrender to the haunting lullaby of "Brown Baby" on TMITM, should firmly place these two works as evidence of her artistry.

Agree that to compare and contrast “Blue” to an album generally regarded as one of the greatest of all time is pushing it. Both Marvin and Stevie albums explored different themes as opposed to just love, being considered landmark recordings that were universally critically acclaimed and commercially successful.
Touch Me In The Morning” was the nearest Diana got to a socially themed album. Rightly or wrongly, the fact she was singing mostly covers reduces it to being a very good recording though hardly groundbreaking.
I personally have never believed Diana produced anything on the album, thinking it a ploy by Motown for her to be viewed in a similar way to Marvin and Stevie.
Releasing “LTISH” as a followup kind of put an end to any such thoughts.

[after you]

It is one of the best albums ever , my favourite cut is -Had you been around - the entire album is a gem

[jobeterob]

I forgot some of the songs were first done on other albums - I skip those songs and listen to Let’s Do It, Solitude etc

Regarding a legacy, Diana is not a singer songwriter from the 70’s era like Stevie and Marvin. I don’t think her albums rank in the same category as those written and produced by Stevie Marvin and others.

However I think there’s an argument that her impact is more far reaching and greater than the others because she’s an entertainer, an actress, a performer as much as she is a recording artist and singer. Marvin never had an opportunity to be a performer for a long period of time and while he was with us, was handicapped by his problems.

Stevie and Marvin are among the greatest ever - it’s just that the comparisons are unfair to all of them - they are different kettles of fish

[Ollie9]

I forgot some of the songs were first done on other albums - I skip those songs and listen to Let’s Do It, Solitude etc

Regarding a legacy, Diana is not a singer songwriter from the 70’s era like Stevie and Marvin. I don’t think her albums rank in the same category as those written and produced by Stevie Marvin and others.

However I think there’s an argument that her impact is more far reaching and greater than the others because she’s an entertainer, an actress, a performer as much as she is a recording artist and singer. Marvin never had an opportunity to be a performer for a long period of time and while he was with us, was handicapped by his problems.

Stevie and Marvin are among the greatest ever - it’s just that the comparisons are unfair to all of them - they are different kettles of fish

I agree regarding overall impact, but comparing an album of leftovers such as “Blue” to works that are generally considered among the greatest albums ever recorded is indeed a totally different kettle of those fish.

[sup_fan]

I forgot some of the songs were first done on other albums - I skip those songs and listen to Let’s Do It, Solitude etc

Regarding a legacy, Diana is not a singer songwriter from the 70’s era like Stevie and Marvin. I don’t think her albums rank in the same category as those written and produced by Stevie Marvin and others.

However I think there’s an argument that her impact is more far reaching and greater than the others because she’s an entertainer, an actress, a performer as much as she is a recording artist and singer. Marvin never had an opportunity to be a performer for a long period of time and while he was with us, was handicapped by his problems.

Stevie and Marvin are among the greatest ever - it’s just that the comparisons are unfair to all of them - they are different kettles of fish

songwriting, production and performing are frankly all three separate endeavors. and of course i'll give credit to Stevie and marvin for their ability to do all three. but that doesn't necessarily mean IMO that Blue is any less of a masterpiece. Gil's production is so amazing that it absolutely rivals anything Stevie did then or in the future. yes it's a very different genre but gil was a virtuoso. and there is just NO comparison of something frankly as trite as You Are the Sunshine Of My Life with the lyrical mastery of Little Girl Blue.

so if you look across the 3 albums, in terms of performance, i would hold Diana's ahead of stevie's and probably on a par with Marvin's. when marvin would over dub himself using his tenor, his baritone, etc voices and tones, each had it's own character and persona. he wasn't just singing lead and then singing backing vocals. he was singing the song with three different POVs so i'll absolutely give him credit for that amazing display

and of course i know lolol. i just can't help it - i'm NOT a huge Stevie Wonder fan. i've tried and tried [[and ironically when i first types "tried" here it was "tired" - rather fitting i believe lol). so i know 1) i've really not explored his music much and 2) i just don't like it and so i'm jaded. but tough shit! lol that's my opinion

[sup_fan]

I agree regarding overall impact, but comparing an album of leftovers such as “Blue” to works that are generally considered among the greatest albums ever recorded is indeed a totally different kettle of those fish.

i don't know that we're saying the cd we got in the early 2000s is the masterpiece. It's wonderful but you're right. there are several alt takes and versions of tunes that ended up on her other albums. my belief is that they dropped those onto the cd in order to get the alts out there. but had the ORIGINAL Blue been released in 72 or 73, then the stronger versions [[like the version of Little Girl Blue on TMITM) would have been released. so i think the actual 73 album would have been slightly different from the cd we got. I believe the cd is more of a compilation of what was being done

[Ollie9]

i don't know that we're saying the cd we got in the early 2000s is the masterpiece. It's wonderful but you're right. there are several alt takes and versions of tunes that ended up on her other albums. my belief is that they dropped those onto the cd in order to get the alts out there. but had the ORIGINAL Blue been released in 72 or 73, then the stronger versions [[like the version of Little Girl Blue on TMITM) would have been released. so i think the actual 73 album would have been slightly different from the cd we got. I believe the cd is more of a compilation of what was being done

It remains just a very good compilation and nothing more imo.
Good as they are, i think the recordings chosen for the LSTB soundtrack are far superior from the ones not used such as “Solitude”.
Love the cover pic.