Quiet Fire

Quiet Fire
Studio album by Roberta Flack
Released	November 1971
Recorded	Atlantic Recording Studios, Regent Studios, The Hit Factory; New York City
Genre	Soul, gospel[1]
Length	41:37
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Joel Dorn
Roberta Flack chronology
Chapter Two (1970) Quiet Fire (1971) Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (1972)
Singles from Quiet Fire
"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow / Go Up Moses" Released: December 7, 1971

Quiet Fire is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Roberta Flack, released in November 1971 by Atlantic Records.^[1] It was recorded at Atlantic Recording Studios, Regent Studios, and The Hit Factory in New York City.^[2] The album peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape, and its single "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" charted at number 76 on the Hot 100.^[3]

Critical reception

In a contemporary review for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a "C" grade,^[4] indicating "a record of clear professionalism or barely discernible inspiration, but not both."^[5] He commented that Flack occasionally "sounds kind, intelligent, and very likable, but she often exhibits the gratuitous gentility you'd expect of anyone who said 'between you and I.'"^[4]

In a retrospective review, The Rolling Stone Album Guide (1992) gave Quiet Fire two out of five stars and criticized that it "barely sparks at all".^[6] By contrast, Allmusic's Stephen Cook gave it four-and-a-half out of five stars and cited it as "one of Flack's best". He felt that its "varied mix all comes off sounding seamless" and stated, "Forgoing the full-throttled delivery of, say, Aretha Franklin, Flack translates the pathos of gospel expression into measured intensity and sighing, elongated phrases."^[1]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Go up Moses"	Flack, Jesse Jackson, Joel Dorn	Joel Dorn	5:20
2.	"Bridge over Troubled Water"	Paul Simon	Joel Dorn	7:13
3.	"Sunday and Sister Jones"	Gene McDaniels	Joel Dorn	4:48
4.	"See You Then"	Jimmy Webb	Joel Dorn	3:40
5.	"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"	Carole King, Gerry Goffin	Joel Dorn	3:59
6.	"To Love Somebody"	Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb	Joel Dorn	6:41
7.	"Let Them Talk"	Sonny Thompson	Joel Dorn	3:50
8.	"Sweet Bitter Love"	Van McCoy	Joel Dorn	6:06

Personnel

Musicians

Roberta Flack – piano, vocals Joshie Armstead – background vocals Jim Bailey – background vocals Seymour Barab – cello David Carey – vibraphone Ron Carter – bass The Newark Boys Chorus – background vocals Joel Dorn – background vocals Joe Farrell – flute, alto sax, tenor sax Corky Hale – harp Hilda Harris – background vocals Cissy Houston – background vocals Ted Hoyle – cello Wally Kane – bassoon Hubert Laws – flute Buddy Lucas – harmonica Ralph MacDonald – percussion, conga Arif Mardin – background vocals, string arrangements, flute arrangement

Les McCann – background vocals Hugh McCracken – guitar Gene McDaniels – background vocals Kermit Moore – cello Romeo Penque – flute, soprano sax Terry Plumeri – double bass Seldon Powell – tenor sax Bernard "Pretty" Purdie – drums Chuck Rainey – bass, electric bass George Ricci – cello Billy Slapin – flute Grady Tate – percussion, drums Richard Tee – organ Tasha Thomas – background vocals Sammy Turner – background vocals

Production

• Rod Bristow – photography
• Deodato – horn arrangements, string arrangements
• Joel Dorn – producer
• Bill Eaton – horn Arrangements, string Arrangements
• Ira Friedlander – cover design
• Lewis Hahn – engineer
• Bruce Tergesen – engineer

Charts

Chart (1972)	Peak position[3]
U.S. Billboard Jazz LPs	5
U.S. Billboard Soul LPs	4
U.S. Billboard Top LPs & Tape	18

References

1. Cook, Stephen. "Quiet Fire - Roberta Flack". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
2. "Roberta Flack - Quiet Fire CD Album". CD Universe. Muze. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
3. "Quiet Fire - Roberta Flack : Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
4. Christgau, Robert (January 20, 1972). "Consumer Guide (23)". The Village Voice (New York). Retrieved November 30, 2012.
5. Christgau, Robert (1980). "The Grades". Robert Christgau. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
6. Anthony DeCurtis, James Henke, Holly George-Warren (October 27, 1992). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. p. 248. ISBN 0679737294.