Diana & Marvin [LP]

Personnel includes: Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye (vocals).
Producers include: Hal Davis, Berry Gordy, Bob Gaudio, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson.
Reissue producer: Harry Weinger.
Engineers include: Cal Harris, Art Stewart, Russ Terrana.
Recorded at Motown Studios, Hollywood, California. Originally released on Motown (M803). Includes liner notes by Brian Chin.
Digitally remastered by Suha Gur (Universal).
When this DIANA & MARVIN was recorded in 1973, both Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye were at their commercial peak, although artistically they were heading in different directions. Nevertheless, their vocal blend was superb, so a duet album made both musical and sales sense. The resulting product was not only a chart hit but stands up well alongside the better known duets Gaye recorded with Kim Weston and (especially) Tammi Terrell. The material here, much of it crafted especially for the duo by Ashford and Simpson (of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough Fame,") is uniformly strong, and there are some very interesting covers, including a lovely and impassioned take on the Stylistics' "You Are Everything" and a soaring, gospel-flavored version of Johnny Ace's "Pledging My Love."