Customer Reviews

Sparkle

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a MUST own album for any serious fan of either Aretha Franklin or Curtis Mayfield. Curtis was on a roll with his soundtrack work with Gladys Knight on Claudine and his own Superfly songs; Aretha stepped up to the plate to add yet another home run to his catolog of hits. Sparkle is the type of soundtracks they just don't make anymore, true soul/R&B with a healthy dollop of 70's pop. Aretha's vocals were absolutely inspired! Enough talk...BUY IT!

I understand your problem, but this is not the reason to give one star to this beautiful album; give a bad feedback to the seller. This album is not involved in your problem.

Historically,and for other reasons this is one of Aretha Franklin's most special albums during her second decade as a recording artist. After Aretha stormed onto the scene midway through her career with I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You in 1967 she recorded a number of classic sides but,as was typical of music industry policy of the time her albums tended to be built around singles. This was an issue Aretha began to undo as the 70's progressed as her full lengh albums became broader statements. Considering he's made a career out of going in the same direction it was only natural that Curtis Mayfield and Aretha would eventually meet up and it came in the form of this movie soundtrack. Curtis provided the music and Aretha emmersed herself in his distinct type of funky soul. As it turned out their sounds and styles were extremely well matched. Curtis worked with Aretha to steer her vocally back towards the gospel shouts and upper registered singing. This is a short album with short songs but it really is a treasure musically,with Curtis providing a nicely rounded selection of songs in the mid and uptempo with plenty of the soulful,shuffling soul rhythms along with some of the more recent ideas he'd integrated into his own music. The title song,the jubilant "Hooked On Your Love" and the closing "Rock With Me" are the best examples of that particular soul shuffle sound,updated with 70's production elements but essenically an update of Curtis's sound with the Impressions. Aretha oncee described this album as "proof of the permanent power of rootsy rhythm & blues" and in this case of these three songs I'd have to agree with her,except the more contemporary production. In the case of "I Get High" and the polyrhythmic based gospel styled groove of "Jump" Aretha goes for a mid 70's funk sound-call it a Mayfield style variation on the soul-funk style that Aretha pioneered with Jerry Wexler in the late 60's and early 70's. Three slower mitempo jams complete this album including the classic slow groove shuffle of "Something He Can Feel",her big single from the album as well as the highly impassioned "Look Into Your Heart" and "Loving You Baby". Even though there was only one more Aretha/Curtis collaboration after this which in that case went almost unnoticed this stands as a huge milestone in both artist's creative journeys and it makes you wish all artistic collaborations were as fullfilling.

This soundtrack is great.The songs are better than most music that's made today,and do I need to say how great Aretha Franklin can sing.I mean people just don't "sang" like this anymore.This is a must have for your music collection .

I heard this when it was first relased on vinyl! Just had to have it in my car on disc. Great music by Aretha!

I would consider "Sparkle" the best album Aretha Franklin ever made! Every song is well sung and moving. I have no favorite - they are all my favorites! When I read that the album was a collaboration between Ms. Franklin and Curtis Mayfield, I understood why the songs are so smooth and mellow, and so expertly sung by the Queen herself.

I bought this on vinyl shortly after I saw the movie with Irena Cara and Philip Michael Thomas in the 1970s, but I had not heard it in a long time before I got the CD. What sweet memories it brought back. Just a fantastic CD all the way around, and the quality is better than it was on vinyl. No scratches or bumps from a turntable - just pure and sweet Aretha Franklin at her finest!

Received the Sparkle CD in good timing and in great condition. The quality of the music is beyond expression.

I don't need to say what happens when two true heavyweights--not of soul but all music, join forces. Curtis Mayfield produced this Aretha Franklin album in the mid-1970s.

With top line production, this does not have the southrern soul grit of Franklin's 60s soul recordings. The sound is logical--Mayfield was the king of smooth northern soul with the Impressions, and took this even further with his solo funk work.

On Sparkle, the name of the game can be described by the title. Fantastic horns, beautiful female backup singers; Aretha's voice is buffered wonderfully by the environment Mayfield creates. This production has the polish of a Steely Dan album.

Elegant, classy, refined: you have heard a lot of Aretha Franklin, but it's high time you hear her on Sparkle.

Never received the item I ordered from DVD Legacy. I placed several responce emails to the vendor and never received a reply nor my money back. I would stay away from this vendor.