Kudos to Time Life for their outstanding Body and Soul series, especially for resuscitating many a long lost quiet storm classic and presenting it in an accessible fashion to an unsuspecting audience. More often than not, this series hits it right on the mark, and this installment proves to be no exception. What
Duets does so well is combine three decades' worth of modern day quiet storm chart hits, classic soul duets, and minor hits that weren't necessarily successful commercially, but have a place in the annals of R&B as memorable. Many of the hits on here will instantly be familiar to the casual listener: the near flawless Romeo and Juliet-like confessional of
Lionel and
Diana in "Endless Love," the sacred interplay between
Marvin Gaye and two of his ladies (
Kim Weston and
Tammi Terrell), which solidified him as the eminent ladies' man, who all other male soul singers aspired to be, and the quintessential quiet storm anthem "Tonight I Celebrate My Love for You" by
Peabo and
Roberta, all make the roll call this time around. And while the music jumps around rather erratically from decade to decade, this is but a small complaint in an otherwise stellar compilation. Outstanding. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide