UPDATED 2/28: Earlier this week, the popular competition show The Masked Singer unmasked The Mouse.  But to anyone who's ever listened to a radio over the past 50-plus years, there was no need for a reveal.  It was obvious that, underneath the giant mouse head, was the voice of only one person: the inimitable Dionne Warwick.  Over 40 years ago, Warwick left Warner Bros. Records and signed to Clive Davis' Arista label to begin a new chapter in her remarkable career.  Today, Cherry Red's SoulMusic imprint released a sumptuous, 12-CD box celebrating Warwick's Arista period.  Due on February 28, 2020, Déjà Vu: The Arista Recordings (1979-1994) collects all of her acclaimed albums for the label and rounds up over two dozen previously released bonus tracks.

Encompassing a whopping 159 tracks including 29 bonuses, Déjà Vu: The Arista Recordings (1979-1994) boasts all twelve of Dionne's Arista albums from the Barry Manilow-produced Dionne (1979) through the tropically-flavored Aquarela Do Brasil (1994), all newly remastered by Nick Robbins.  This period saw Warwick team with producers including Barry Gibb, Luther Vandross, Steve Buckingham, Jay Graydon, Kashif, and Smokey Robinson, and also reunite with Burt Bacharach - writing both with Carole Bayer Sager and Hal David.  All of the vocalist's indelible Arista hits are here: "I'll Never Love This Way Again," "No Night So Long," "Heartbreaker," "Love Power," and, of course, "That's What Friends are For," among many others.  Her duet partners as heard throughout Déjà Vu include Manilow, Gibb, Vandross, Johnny Mathis, The Spinners, Kashif, Jeffrey Osborne, Smokey Robinson, Howard Hewett, June Pointer, Glenn Jones, The Shirelles, Sacha Distel, and Whitney Houston.  On every album, Warwick synthesizes soul, R&B, and pure pop into her own graceful, distinctive, and contemporary yet classic sound.

Below are the album-by-album descriptions provided by Cherry Red and SoulMusic.  We've added our additional commentary in brackets as well as our picks for each LP's hidden gems!

• Disc 1, DIONNE marked the rejuvenation of the famed entertainer's career as an international hitmaker, with then-labelmate Barry Manilow producing Dionne's first platinum-selling LP with the classics 'I'll Never Love This Way Again' and 'Déjà Vu', garnering the singer two Grammy Awards. An expanded edition with three bonus tracks left over from the early 1979 sessions.  [JM: Big Break Records' 2012 expanded edition instead featured two single versions as bonus tracks.]

Hidden Gems: "In Your Eyes," "All the Time," "Who, What, When, Where, Why"

• Disc 2, 1980's NO NIGHT SO LONG was produced by then Atlanta-based Steve Buckingham with the title cut achieving U.S. Top 30 and Top 20 R&B status. An expanded edition with nine bonus tracks (two of which were originally released on Dionne's third Arista set and a number of which were planned for inclusion on that LP but shelved) as well as the rare 'B' side, 'This Time Is Ours'. [All of the bonus tracks from the 2014 Funky Town Grooves expanded edition appear here other than an alternate version of 'This Is What I've Wanted All My Life.']

Hidden Gems: "We Never Said Goodbye," "When the Good Times Come Again," "Somebody's Angel"

• Disc 3, 1981's HOT! LIVE & OTHERWISE, a Steve Buckingham-produced live recording of Dionne's shows at Harrah's in Reno including the famous 20-minute 'Hit Records Medley'; with studio cuts (produced by Michael Masser) from the 'Otherwise' side of the LP. Expanded edition with two bonus 'live' tracks ('Touch Me In The Morning' and 'Welcome To My World') along with CD debut of the 'live' version of 'We Never Said Goodbye'. [Hot! Live & Otherwise was originally a double LP, but has never appeared as a 2-CD set.  Hence, every single-CD release from Arista's original to SoulMusic's 2007 iteration has shuffled the track listing.  This box premieres yet another new configuration, but note that all of the album's associated tracks - including the 2007 bonus tracks and the two live cuts which premiered on 2018's TJL Productions release Hits & Rarities 1974-1999 - are indeed on the box set.]

Hidden Gem: "Some Changes Are For Good"

• Disc 4, 1982's FRIENDS IN LOVE, produced by renowned musician/songwriter Jay Graydon, features Dionne's U.S. Top 40 hit duet with Johnny Mathis along with original compositions by Stevie Wonder and Tom Snow along with distinctive cover versions of 'Can't Hide Love' (EW&F) and "Betcha By Golly Wow" (The Stylistics), considered musically one of Dionne's best Arista albums.

Hidden Gems: "Betcha by Golly Wow," "Can't Hide Love," "Got You Where I Want You"

• Disc 5, 1982s HEARTBREAKER, Dionne's biggest-selling LP to date (with over 3 million sales), a worldwide success thanks to the title track, "All The Love In The World," and "Take The Short Way Home." Produced by Barry Gibb, Albhy Galuten & Karl Richardson with eight songs written specifically for Dionne. Expanded edition with a demo duet with Barry Gibb of 'Let It Be Me' [first released on Hits & Rarities 1974-1999].

Hidden Gems: "Yours," "Let It Be Me [Demo]"

• Disc 6, 1983's HOW MANY TIMES CAN WE SAY GOODBYE (released in Europe as So Amazing), produced by Luther Vandross, featuring the U.S. Top 10 R&B and Top 30 pop charted title track and a musical reunion with Dionne's 60s Scepter labelmates, The Shirelles on 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow'. Expanded edition with a dance mix of 'Got A Date'. [The other bonus cuts from the 2014 Funky Town Grooves expanded edition - single versions and instrumentals - are not reprised here.]

Hidden Gems: "Two Ships Passing in the Night," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"

• Disc 7, 1985's FINDER OF LOST LOVES, an expanded edition with five bonus tracks including the original Dionne & Luther duet from the U.S. television series of the same name (a musical reunion with Burt Bacharach) and duets with Barry Manilow, Stevie Wonder, and Glenn Jones.  [This edition retains five bonuses from the 2014 Funky Town Grooves expanded edition, dropping seven more single versions and instrumentals.]

Hidden Gems: "Run to Me" (with Barry Manilow), "No One in the World," "Finder of Lost Loves" (with Luther Vandross)

• Disc 8, FRIENDS, the 1985 US gold-certified LP featuring the timeless global anthem, award-winning 'That's What Friends Are For' (with Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & Elton John) which raised over $3 million for AIDS research; and key originals 'Whisper In The Dark' and 'How Long'.

Hidden Gems: "Stronger Than Before," "Extravagant Gestures"

• Disc 9, 1987's RESERVATIONS FOR TWO, with the hit duets 'Love Power' (with Jeffrey Osborne) and the title track (with Kashif). An expanded edition with three bonus tracks including 'Take Good Care Of You And Me' with Osborne and 'Who's Counting Heartaches' with Johnny Mathis.

Hidden Gems: "No One in the World," "In a World Such as This," "Two Strong Hearts" (with Johnny Mathis)

• Disc 10, 1990's DIONNE WARWICK SINGS COLE PORTER, an inspired tribute to the renowned late composer, produced by Arif Mardin and including time-honored standards such as 'Night And Day', 'You're The Top'; with 'You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To' [initially a vinyl-only bonus cut].

Hidden Gem: "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To"

• Disc 11, 1993's FRIENDS CAN BE LOVERS with production by Ian Devaney & Andy Morris (of Lisa Stansfield fame), Dionne's son David Elliott (on 'Love Will Find A Way', Dionne's duet with cousin Whitney Houston) and Barry J. Eastmond; an expanded edition with three bonus tracks including the 1989 charted single 'I Don't Need Another Love', a duet with The Spinners, and "A True Love," Dionne's duet with French music legend Sacha Distel.  [The third bonus track, Dionne's duet with Johnny Mathis on "Who's Counting Heartaches," was originally recorded for Johnny's 1989 album The Island.  After that Brazilian-flavored album was shelved, the track premiered two years later on his Better Together: The Duet Album.  Now, "Who's Counting Heartaches" is also being reissued on Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music's first-ever standalone release of The Island, available now.]

Hidden Gems: "Sunny Weather Lover," "Fragile"

• Disc 12, Dionne's final Arista LP, 1994's the artistic triumph AQUARELA DO BRASIL with a cadre of top musicians, songwriters and singers from Brazil; an expanded edition with five bonus tracks not included on the original critically-acclaimed album.  [These originally appeared on the 2015 EP Tropical Love.]

Hidden Gems: "Captives of the Heart," "Flower of Bahia"

The box boasts a deluxe, squarebound 64-page booklet (designed by Roger Williams) featuring lengthy essays on each album by SoulMusic.com/SoulMusic Records founder David Nathan, with quotes from Dionne, Clive Davis, and producer Steve Buckingham.  The booklet is an essential part of the package, loaded with text and quotes drawn from Nathan's long association with the singer.  Each album is housed in a paper sleeve; the front of the sleeve has miniature images of the front and back cover of the album plus label reproductions; the back has credits.

Whether you're a longtime Dionne fan or exploring her catalogue for the first time, you'll discover - or re-discover - too many musical riches to count here.  While all of this material has been available on CD before, the lovingly curated Déjà Vu: The Arista Recordings (1979-1994) presents it in accessible and contextualized fashion.  The box is as elegant and classy as its beloved subject, and a welcome testament to this creatively fertile if too often overlooked period of her discography.  It's available now in the U.K., and next Friday in North America, from Cherry Red's SoulMusic Records imprint at the links below.

Dionne Warwick, Déjà Vu: The Arista Recordings (1979-1994) (Cherry Red/SoulMusic, 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: DIONNE: EXPANDED EDITION (originally Arista AB 4320, 1979)
1. WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY
2. AFTER YOU
3. THE LETTER
4. I'LL NEVER LOVE THIS WAY AGAIN
5. DÉJÀ VU
6. FEELING OLD FEELINGS
7. IN YOUR EYES
8. MY EVERLASTING LOVE
9. OUT OF MY HANDS
10. ALL THE TIME
BONUS TRACKS
11. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GET AWAY (Solo) (first released on The '80s, Sony CMG CD, 2015)
12. THE LAST ONE TO BE LOVED (first released on Hits & Rarities 1974-1999, TJL CD, 2018)
13. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GET AWAY (Duet with Barry Manilow) (first released on Hits & Rarities 1974-1999, TJL CD, 2018)

CD 2: NO NIGHT SO LONG: EXPANDED EDITION (originally issued as Arista AL 9526, 1980)
1. EASY LOVE
2. NO NIGHT SO LONG
3. IT'S THE FALLING IN LOVE
4. WHEN THE WORLD RUNS OUT OF LOVE
5. WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE
6. HOW YOU ONCE LOVED ME
7. REACHING FOR THE SKY
8. SWEETIE PIE
9. SOMEBODY'S ANGEL
10. WE HAD THIS TIME
BONUS TRACKS
11. EVEN A FOOL WOULD LET GO (from Hot! Live & Otherwise, Arista A2L 8605, 1981)
12. DEDICATE THIS HEART (from Hot! Live & Otherwise, Arista A2L 8605, 1981)
13. NOW THAT THE FEELING'S GONE (first released on Funky Town Grooves expanded edition FTG-392, 2014)
14. STARTING TOMORROW (first released on Funky Town Grooves expanded edition FTG-392, 2014)
15. THIS TIME IS OURS (from Arista single AS 0602, 1981)
16. ONLY HEAVEN CAN WAIT FOR LOVE (first released on Dedicated to Soul, Expansion CD EXP 27, 2008)
17. RIGHT BACK (first released on SoulMusic expanded edition of Hot! Live & Otherwise SMDC01CD, 2007)
18. WHEN THE GOOD TIMES COME AGAIN (first released on SoulMusic expanded edition of Hot! Live & Otherwise SMDC01CD, 2007)
19. THIS IS WHAT I'VE WANTED ALL MY LIFE (first released on Funky Town Grooves expanded edition FTG-392, 2014)

CD 3: HOT! LIVE & OTHERWISE: EXPANDED EDITION (originally issued as Arista A2L 8605, 1981)
1. WHAT YOU WON'T DO FOR LOVE/IN THE STONE
2. DON'T MAKE ME OVER
3. ALFIE
4. ONE IN A MILLION YOU
5. TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING (LIVE) - BONUS TRACK (first released on Hits & Rarities 1974-1999, TJL CD, 2018)
6. WELCOME TO MY WORLD (LIVE) - BONUS TRACK (first released on Hits & Rarities 1974-1999, TJL CD, 2018)
7. HIT RECORDS MEDLEY:
WALK ON BY/ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART/ YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN/A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME/MESSAGE TO MICHAEL/ TRAINS AND BOATS AND PLANES/THE LOOK OF LOVE/CLOSE TO YOU/DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE?/VALLEY OF THE DOLLS/THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND
ME/MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF/PROMISES, PROMISES/WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE/THEN
CAME YOU
8. DÉJÀ VU
9. EASY LOVE
10. NO NIGHT SO LONG
11. WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE
12. I'LL NEVER LOVE THIS WAY AGAIN
13. THERE'S A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF US
14. SOME CHANGES ARE FOR GOOD
15. NOW WE'RE STARTING OVER AGAIN

CD 4: FRIENDS IN LOVE (originally issued as Arista AL 9585, 1982)
1. FOR YOU
2. FRIENDS IN LOVE - Dionne Warwick & Johnny Mathis
3. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO
4. CAN'T HIDE LOVE
5. BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW
6. MORE THAN FASCINATION
7. GOT YOU WHERE I WANT YOU - Dionne Warwick & Johnny Mathis
8. WITH A TOUCH
9. WHAT IS THIS
10. A LOVE SO RIGHT

CD 5: HEARTBREAKER: EXPANDED EDITION (originally issued as Arista AL 9609, 1982)
1. HEARTBREAKER
2. IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE
3. YOURS
4. TAKE THE SHORT WAY HOME
5. MISUNDERSTOOD
6. ALL THE LOVE IN THE WORLD
7. I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING (BUT YOU)
8. JUST ONE MORE NIGHT
9. YOU ARE MY LOVE
10. OUR DAY WILL COME
BONUS TRACK
11. LET IT BE ME (DEMO) - Duet with Barry Gibb (first released on Hits & Rarities 1974-1999, TJL CD, 2018)

CD 6: HOW MANY TIMES CAN WE SAY GOODBYE: EXPANDED EDITION (originally issued as Arista AL8 8104, 1983)
1. GOT A DATE
2. SO AMAZING
3. I DO IT 'CAUSE I LIKE IT
4. HOW MANY TIMES CAN WE SAY GOODBYE - Dionne Warwick & Luther Vandross
5. WHAT CAN A MIRACLE DO
6. TWO SHIPS PASSING IN
THE NIGHT
7. I CAN LET GO NOW
8. WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW
BONUS TRACK
9. GOT A DATE (SPECIAL REMIX) (previously released on Funky Town Grooves expanded edition FTG-391, 2014)

CD 7: FINDER OF LOST LOVES: EXPANDED EDITION (originally issued as Arista AL8 8262, 1985)
1. NO ONE IN THE WORLD
2. WITHOUT YOUR LOVE
3. RUN TO ME - Duet with Barry Manilow
4. FINDER OF LOST LOVES - Duet with Glenn Jones
5. LOVE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE
6. IT'S YOU - Duet with Stevie Wonder
7. IT'S LOVE
8. BEDROOM EYES
9. WEAKNESS - Duet with Stevie Wonder
10. YOU MADE ME WANT TO LOVE AGAIN
BONUS TRACKS
11. BROKEN BOTTLES (first released on Funky Town Grooves expanded edition FTG-393, 2014)
12. DANGEROUS (first released on Funky Town Grooves expanded edition FTG-393, 2014)
13. NO ONE IN THE WORLD (ALTERNATE VERSION) (first released on Funky Town Grooves expanded edition FTG-393, 2014)
14. BEDROOM EYES (ALTERNATE VERSION) (first released on Funky Town Grooves expanded edition FTG-393, 2014)
15. FINDER OF LOST LOVES - Dionne Warwick & Luther Vandross (first released on Funky Town Grooves expanded edition FTG-393, 2014)

CD 8: FRIENDS (originally issued as Arista AL8 8398, 1985)
1. THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR - Dionne & Friends (featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder)
2. WHISPER IN THE DARK
3. REMEMBER YOUR HEART
4. LOVE AT SECOND SIGHT
5. MOMENTS AREN'T MOMENTS
6. STRONGER THAN BEFORE
7. STAY DEVOTED
8. NO ONE THERE (TO SING ME A LOVE SONG)
9. HOW LONG?
10. EXTRAVAGANT GESTURES

CD 9: RESERVATIONS FOR TWO: EXPANDED EDITION (originally issued as Arista AL 8446, 1987)
1. LOVE POWER - Duet with Jeffrey Osborne
2. CLOSE ENOUGH
3. YOU'RE MY HERO - Duet with Smokey Robinson
4. IN A WORLD SUCH AS THIS
5. ANOTHER CHANCE TO LOVE - Duet with Howard Hewett
6. RESERVATIONS FOR TWO - Dionne & Kashif
7. CRY ON ME
8. HEARTBREAK OF LOVE - Duet with June Pointer
9. FOR EVERYTHING YOU ARE
10. NO ONE IN THE WORLD
BONUS TRACKS
11. WALK AWAY (from Greatest Hits 1979-1990, Arista ARCD 8540, 1989)
12. TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOU AND ME - Dionne Warwick & Jeffrey Osborne (from Greatest Hits 1979-1990, Arista ARCD 8540, 1989)
13. TWO STRONG HEARTS - Johnny Mathis with Dionne Warwick (from Once in a While, Columbia CK 44156, 1988)

CD 10: DIONNE WARWICK SINGS COLE PORTER (originally issued as Arista AL 8573, 1990)
1. NIGHT AND DAY
2. I LOVE PARIS
3. I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU
4. WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE?/SO IN LOVE (MEDLEY)
5. YOU'RE THE TOP
6. I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN
7. BEGIN THE BEGUINE
8. IT'S ALL RIGHT WITH ME
9. ANYTHING GOES
10. YOU'D BE SO NICE TO COME HOME TO (original LP-only bonus track)
11. ALL OF YOU
12. I CONCENTRATE ON YOU
13. JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS
14. NIGHT AND DAY (JAZZ VERSION)

CD 11: FRIENDS CAN BE LOVERS: EXPANDED EDITION
1. SUNNY WEATHER LOVER
2. AGE OF MIRACLES
3. WHERE MY LIPS HAVE BEEN
4. FRIENDS CAN BE LOVERS
5. LOVE WILL FIND A WAY - Duet with Whitney Houston
6. MUCH TOO MUCH
7. TIL THE END OF TIME
8. THE WOMAN THAT I AM
9. FRAGILE
10. I SING AT DAWN
BONUS TRACKS
11. A TRUE LOVE (Duet with Sacha Distel) (from European edition of Greatest Hits 1979-1990, Arista 259-279, 1990)
12. WHO'S COUNTING HEARTACHES (Duet with Johnny Mathis) (first issued on Better Together: The Duet Album, Columbia CK 47982, 1991)
13. I DON'T NEED ANOTHER LOVE (with The Spinners) (from Greatest Hits 1979-1990, Arista ARCD 8540, 1990)

CD 12: AQUARELA DO BRASIL: EXPANDED EDITION
1. JOBIM MEDLEY: RETRATO EM BRANCO E PRETO (VARIATION)/HOW INSENSITIVE/QUIET NIGHTS OF QUIET STARS/WAVE/ WATERS OF MARCH
2. VIROU AREIA
3. OH BAHIA
4. PIANO NA MANGUEIRA
5. CAPTIVES OF THE HEART
6. SAMBA DOBRADO
7. HEART OF BRAZIL
8. N'KOSI SIKELEL'I - AFRIKA/SO BASHIYA BAHLALA EKHAYA
9. BRAZIL (AQUARELA DO BRASIL)
10. CARAVAN
11. FLOWER OF BAHIA
12. 10,000 WORDS
BONUS TRACKS (all first issued on Tropical Love, Sony CMG 88875126272, 2015)
13. TO SAY GOODBYE (with Edu Lobo)
14. LOVE ME
15. LULLABY
16. BRIDGES (TRAVESSIA)
17. RAINY DAY GIRL (with Ivan Lins)