To 's detractors, the studio group was nothing more than a poor man's . But knowledgeable disco and R&B enthusiasts knew better; wasn't a carbon copy of any more than jazz great was a clone of . Without question, was heavily influenced by the / sound; nonetheless, had an energy of its own, and anyone who seriously listened to its first album, , could easily tell the difference between and (just as serious jazz fans can tell the difference between 's trumpet playing and '). Produced by and arranged by , this 1980 debut is a disco/R&B masterpiece. The playful opener is 's best-known song, but the group is just as captivating on the sassy and the passionate Meanwhile, is featured on and the dreamy, laid-back title song, which became a quiet storm favorite and demonstrates that not everything recorded was aimed at the dancefloor. In 1980, had yet to provide his first solo album, although many of the people who heard his performances on those two gems agreed that a solo career was inevitable; and sure enough, his first big solo hit, came out the following year. Excellent from start to finish, 's most essential album. ~ Alex Henderson