“Compared to what” performed by Roberta Flack

​Roberta Flack is known for her wonderful hit versions of “The first time ever I saw your face" “Where is the love” and "Killing me softly with his song", but for me, her adaptation of Gene McDaniels’“Compared to what” properly showcases her talents not just as a vocalist, but pianist and less notably, yet maybe more importantly, as an accompanist. It is not only my favorite version of this song (sorry Les McCann and Eddie Harris) but by far the funkiest.

As with last week’s entry, once again, Ray Lucas’s tasty drumming finds its way to the liner notes, and we also see another Rochester connection with Ron Carter’s heartfelt, technically playful (refer to: 3:55- 4:49) and joyous basslines. Seldon Powell, Frank Wess, Jimmy Nottingham, Joe Newman, and Benny Powell provide the horns.

Without any chord changes, driven simply by Roberta’s vocal phrasing, piano punctuation and fantastic musicianship, “Compared to what” was released as a single in 1969 and went unnoticed until Flack’s “The first time ever I saw your face” was featured nearly two years later in Clint Eastwood’s directorial debut Play Misty for Me.
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While many artists of the era had to hire out to make it through a session, Roberta Flack’s debut album First Take might be a playful jab at these peers and an obvious testament to the talents of these wonderful players.