After the Texas-born flautist Bobbi Humphrey was spotted playing at a talent contest by Dizzy Gillespie, the bebop legend helped bring her into the New York City jazz world. Signed to Blue Note records, her 1971 debut, Flute In, showcased her nimble playing, but it was 1973's Blacks and Blues that established her as a presence on the jazz funk scene. With production input from the Mizell brothers, the project paired her increasingly soulful flute work with brilliantly breezy and atmospheric grooves.
