Womack, Bobby - The Poet LP (180g remastered 40th anniv.)

Eschewing the orchestrated sound that dominated much of his 1970s output, the Across 110th St. soundtrack being the definitive example, with The Poet Womack stays in that slick vein, but this time does so with a soft jazz feel. Workouts like "Where Do We Go from Here" contain long intros and codas with Womack's gruff vocal style trading off with the silky voices of a female choir; on "So Many Sides of You," one of the more rollicking songs on the record, the piano, drums, and Nathan East's bass are as crisp as a new dollar bill. A bonus, aside from the songs, is the great cover art, which shows Womack decked out in a lavender sports coat and a pair of sunglasses, which only someone of his soulful grace could pull off.