With this week's passing of Barry White, I pulled out several of my vinyl albums, flipped each on the turntable, and began to revisit the glory days of "the maestro".

"Sheet Music" is the second of White's releases on his own Unlimited Gold label. I remember watching White on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" touting the new "Barry White". After making a noticeable loss of weight, a slimmer and trimmer White performed the first single from the album: the title cut.

And what a song it is: sultry strings, a pulsating bass line, and the wonders of White's vocal chords. With such a powerful release as the album's debut track, I had to have it.

The strengths of the album lie in the orchestra and "the voice". There is a cover of the chestnut "Rum and Coca-Cola" and another highlight is the street-friendly "Ghetto Letto".

But noticeably absent from the release is a "power ballad". White usually has one really strong one, a paean to a lost love or a "come on" to a new one.

Such an omission leaves one longing for a few more "sheets" of music.

Not considered with the finest of his complilations Sheet Music takes a
back seat to no one and nobody. A must pick up, even for the title track alone the maestro at his finest, yet Sheet Music is never played, by any station, andy oldies/tribute station, any one for that matter. A pity indeed. The Big Fella is always in our heart and in our souls.

Barrence Eugene Carter, September 12, 1944(1944-09-12) - July 4, 2003)
R.IP.

Jeffrey-