As we await the February 17 release of Dionne Warwick's Sure Thing: The Warner Bros. Recordings (1972-1977) box set from SoulMusic Records and Cherry Red, the time is right to revisit the label's two final packages of 2022.  Today, a 4-CD package from soul man Howard Hewett takes the spotlight, with the next installment featuring a 6-CD box from the group Starpoint.

Howard Hewett's I'm for Real: The Elektra Recordings (1986-1992) brings together the vocalist's four albums for the label, all with bonus tracks.  Hewett embarked on a solo career following six albums with Shalamar, from 1979 through 1984.  He landed at Elektra due to the label's distribution deal with Shalamar's home of SOLAR Records, launching his solo career with 1986's I Commit to Love.  On Shalamar's 1984 Heartbreak LP, Hewett (leading a new line-up in the wake of the departures of Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel) had stepped up as a producer and songwriter.  He would repeat those duties on I Commit to Love, co-authoring and co-producing nine of the album's ten tracks.  The tenth, "Eye on You," reunited Howard with a Heartbreak alumnus, the prolific George Duke.  Though the personnel was diverse - also including Ross Vannelli, Monty Seward, and bassist Stanley Clarke, a frequent collaborator of Duke's - the sound was consistent throughout: contemporary, crisp, and shimmering on both the ballads (including the lead single and U.S. R&B No. 2 hit "I'm for Real," co-produced by Hewett and Clarke) and the uptempo numbers.  The pulsating "Stay" earned Hewett another top ten R&B entry, while third single "I Commit to Love" only barely missed the top ten.  "Say Amen," reissued on the next album in a remixed version, became a beloved inspirational anthem for Hewett's audiences.

As he was beginning work on his second album, Hewett was invited to sing with Dionne Warwick on her Reservations for Two album.  Though their duet, "Another Chance to Love," wasn't included on Howard's sophomore set Forever and Ever, its producers Aaron Zigman and Jerry Knight were represented on the 1988 album with "Challenge" and a Stacy Lattisaw duet of the Motown classic "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (originally a CD-only bonus track on the album).  Howard was once again heavily involved behind the scenes, co-producing and co-writing seven tracks with the returning Monty Seward including the top ten R&B lead single "Strange Relationship," one of Forever's many uptempo treats. George Duke was back for the slow burning "This Time," featuring Ronnie Laws on the languidly wending saxophone.

The decision was made for the vocalist's third Elektra album to be a new introduction to the artist and another bid for pop crossover success.  To those ends, the 1990 LP was simply titled Howard Hewett and welcomed a number of producers into the mix including Barry Eastmond, "Break My Stride" singer-songwriter Matthew Wilder, Howard's old SOLAR pal Leon Sylvers III, Attala Zane Giles, and the team of Jon Nettlesby and Terry Coffey.  The latter duo was responsible for producing and co-writing (with Hewett) "Show Me," the smoldering ballad which would become his biggest solo R&B hit (No. 2) and his highest appearance on the Hot 100 (No. 62) as well as a top 40 AC success (No. 33).  Eastmond took the reins for Joel Davis' "When Will It Be," a duet with Hewett's hitmaking Elektra labelmate Anita Baker.  The recording session so impressed Baker that she continued working with Eastmond on her own recordings.  While Hewett only co-wrote four of the album's eleven songs, his singular sound was as present as ever.  Howard Hewett reached No. 54 on the Billboard 200, a solo career high.

The fourth and final LP in the box, 1992's Allegiance, once again saw Hewett pursuing a pop direction - and this time with some of the most illustrious songwriters of all time.  The title track was penned by Prince and sent to Hewett's then-wife Nia Peeples for her consideration.  Peeples passed on it, but her husband happily accepted the lusty tune which he then recorded at Paisley Park with producer Timothy Riley.  Jazz/pop eminence Tommy LiPuma (Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, George Benson) helmed three cuts on Allegiance, all showcasing Hewett in a sophisticated, adult vein.  The attractive ballad "How Fast Forever Goes" was composed by Matthew Wilder with lyrics by none other than the legendary Sammy Cahn.  (The wordsmith would pass away in January 1993 at the age of 79.)   Gerry Goffin and Tom Snow supplied another melodic gem, "Ronnie-O," and the Bob Dylan songbook was tapped for a sleek treatment of "Just Like a Woman."  Gerry Goffin's Brill Building pals Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil gifted Howard with "From This Day On," a fine example of their timeless songcraft co-produced by Mann with their longtime friend Steve Tyrell.  Producer Narada Michael Walden (Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin) helmed five cuts, all of which were co-written by Hewett with a variety of writers including Nia Peeples on the raucous "Save Your Sex for Me."  (Hewett was uncomfortable with the release of the latter as a single, inspired by the likes of "I Want Your Sex" and "I Wanna Sex You Up."  He rightly deduced that his audience much preferred the suggestion of sex rather than the explicit mention of it.)  Nick Martinelli (Regina Belle, Phyllis Hyman) oversaw the session for Hewett, Peeples, and John Barnes' smoky, late-night ballad "Masquerade."  As with all of Howard's albums, one song reflected his faith.  Here, it was the deeply-felt "To Thee I Pray," produced by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken (Donny Osmond, Debbie Gibson).  Clearly, Howard's Allegiance was to great songs, whether elegant or earthy.

I'm for Real: The Elektra Recordings (1985-1992) includes nine bonus tracks across its four discs including such stellar one-offs as the Roberta Flack duet "Let Me Be a Light to Shine," a cover of Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why" for Elektra's Rubaiyat anthology, Howard's guest appearance on David Sanborn's cover of Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up," and the Richard Perry-produced rendition of The Moonglows' "The Ten Commandments of Love" originally issued on the Warner/Elektra/Atlantic Rock, Rhythm, and Blues compilation.

I'm for Real is housed in a clamshell case, with each disc in its own sleeve.  David Nathan, co-producer of the collection with Tim Dillinger, has written the liner notes in the 24-page booklet based on a new interview with Howard Hewett.  Nick Robbins has remastered the audio.  I'm for Real makes a persuasive case for the enduring voice of the former Shalamar frontman; these albums and the associated bonus tracks have held up as well as any contemporary R&B of the period.  The box is out now from Cherry Red and SoulMusic Records.

Howard Hewett, I'm for Real: The Elektra Recordings (1985-1992) (SoulMusic/Cherry Red QSMCR-5205BX, 2022) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: I Commit to Love: Expanded Edition (Elektra LP 60487, 1986)

1. Stay
2. I'm for Real
3. Last Forever
4. I Commit to Love
5. In a Crazy Way
6. Love Don't Wanna Wait
7. I Got 2 Go
8. Eye on You
9. Let's Try It All Over Again
10. Say Amen
11. Let Me Be a Light to Shine - Howard Hewett and Roberta Flack (Atlantic single 89440, 1985)
12. I'm for Real (Single Edit) (Elektra single 69527, 1986)
13. Stay (Before Midnight Mix) (Elektra 12-inch single 66827, 1986)
14. Obsession (from The Heavenly Kid, Elektra single 69620, 1985)

CD 2: Forever and Ever: Expanded Edition (Elektra LP 60779-2, 1988)

1. Strange Relationship
2. Natural Love
3. Once, Twice, Three Times
4. You'll Find Another Man
5. Forever and Ever
6. Shakin' My Emotion
7. Share a Love
8. This Time
9. Challenge
10. Goodbye, Good Friend
11. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - with Stacy Lattisaw (CD Bonus Track)
12. Say Amen (New Vocal Version) (CD Bonus Track)
13. The Ten Commandments of Love (from Rock, Rhythm, and Blues, Warner Bros. LP 25817, 1989)
14. Strange Relationship (Extended Version) (Elektra 12-inch single 66769, 1988)

CD 3: Howard Hewett: Expanded Edition (Elektra LP 9 60904-2, 1990)

1. When Will It Be - with Anita Baker
2. Show Me
3. If I Could Only Have That Day Back
4. Let Me Show You How to Fall in Love
5. I Do
6. The More I Get (The More I Want)
7. Let's Get Deeper
8. Shadow
9. I Know You'll Be Comin' Back
10. Don't Give In
11. Jesus
12. If I Could Only Have That Day Back (12" Extended Vocal) (Elektra 12-inch single ED 5472, 1990)
13. I Can't Tell You Why (Elektra single 64908, 1990)

CD 4: Allegiance: Expanded Edition (Elektra CD 9 61393-2, 1992)

1. To Thee I Pray (Intro)
2. Save Your Sex for Me
3. Allegiance
4. Can We Try Again
5. How Fast Forever Goes
6. Can't Get Over Your Love
7. To Thee I Pray (Interlude)
8. Say You Will
9. Take It to the Highest
10. From This Day On
11. Ronnie-O
12. Masquerade
13. Just Like a Woman
14. To Thee I Pray
15. Got to Give It Up - David Sanborn feat. Howard Hewett (from Hearsay, Elektra CD 61620, 1994)