Jeanne Lee & Ran Blake - The Legendary Duets (1987)

This is a classic. Singer Jeanne Lee and pianist Ran Blake both made their recording debuts on this set of duets (two songs add bassist George Duvivier), and their interplay is quite memorable. Blake's emotional style makes dramatic use of sound and space, while Lee's haunting vocals also make each note count. The CD reissue (which adds four previously unreleased songs to the original ten-tune program) is highlighted by "Laura," "Where Flamingos Fly," "Evil Blues," and "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child"; included are some very slow ballads ("Lover Man," et al.) that are full of inner tension. Fascinating music, highly recommended.