Twelve overlooked but excellent live albums from the 1980s

Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson - Live & More

If hard rock takes the live album plaudits, it’s also fair to say we don’t see too many of the softer soul or R&B artists featured on top live album lists. Here’s an exception that is worth its place on merit. Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson had worked together previously, had collaborated often, and probably significantly they shared the same management. before they decided to make this album. 

Recorded as a live show with the pair featuring as solo artists and as a duo it was released in 1980. They open with a couple of songs together and you can hear how well they complement each other. Their voices are a great fit together and the harmonies on the choruses are spot on.

Solo spits follow and Flack naturally performs a super version of “Killing Me Softly”. It starts simply but look out for the point where her backing singers (including Luther Vandross) come in, it adds more magic to the song. Bryson likewise does his own thing very well. He sounds brilliant on “When Will I Learn” in particular. 

Then there's the ‘More’ part of the album title. This adds in three studio recordings from Flack and Bryson together. It’s a great add-on to the live set and shows the pair working so well together. There was a follow-up album as a duo, Born To Love in 1983. It’s an ok listen, but this live set is the album to hear them at their best.

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