200 RECOMMENDED ALBUMS. This update: #61. Continues later this week.

THE CAFFE` LATTE`

200

MOST RECOMMENDED ALBUMS

Some are the best selling, while others may be obscure, but the albums listed here are all worthy of a listen. No compilation/ best of sets. Only exceptional live albums included. This is a personal listing of the albums I enjoy the most to this day.

#61

DIANA:  DIANA ROSS

 [1980] 

The cover photo of Diana Ross depicts the Motown superstar from a revamped perspective. It heralded a new musical style and attitude from her. This was not the woman who had fronted The Supremes on a dozen US #1 singles. It was not the soloist who then enjoyed further adult contemporary- leaning chart toppers during the 1970s. The woman on 'Diana' was reinventing herself. This was a woman re-assessing her career and asserting her place among popular music's leading females. Berry Gordy had set out to make Ross an African-American Barbra Streisand. 'Diana' was to be her statement declaring strength and relevance in the pop climate of the time. Motown had a tendency to control its major stars. Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye had fought hard to resist the label's efforts and succeeded. Both battles had been advantageous for the performers. As the Seventies was drawing to an end, Ross was keen to empower herself. She enlisted Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers from the funk group Chic. These 2 wrote and produced tracks that reflected Ross' renaissance. Songs such as "I'm Coming Out" dealt with finding herself at a crossroad. Ross was about to depart the label that had made her a superstar over 2 decades. Gordy had not only given her the pivotal role of lead singer in The Supremes, but groomed her for films which led to an Oscar nomination portraying Billie Holiday in 'Lady Sings the Blues'. 'Diana' was a critical and commercial success. Ross jumped ship  to RCA soon after.

Highiight tracks: Upside Down; My Old Piano; I'm Coming Out & Tenderness.