In the early to mid-'80s, few R&B producers were more prolific than
Kashif. Whether he was working with
Evelyn "Champagne" King,
George Benson, or
Melba Moore,
Kashif had no problem making an R&B recording sound great. Another artist who benefited from
Kashif's studio savvy was
Howard Johnson, who debuted as a solo artist with 1982's impressive
Keepin' Love New. The
Kashif sound -- sophisticated and stylish, yet funky and not without grit -- is all over this LP, which he produced with
Paul Lawrence Jones and Morrie Brown.
Johnson and
Kashif prove to be a strong combination throughout this album; the addictive party jam "So Fine" (a Top Five R&B hit that
Kashif wrote) is a gem, and album tracks like "Say You Wanna" and "So Glad You're My Lady" are also quite memorable.
Freddie Jackson fans should be aware that
Keepin' Love New also contains the first recorded version of "Jam Tonight"; Jackson's better-known version didn't come out until 1986. With this release,
Johnson's career was off to a promising start. It's too bad the singer didn't have more longevity. ~ Alex Henderson