Within the highly political music biz world, there are some producers and songwriters who amass a body of great work that - for the most part – goes relatively unnoticed in terms of being accorded due public recognition. A cursory look at All Music Guide (www.allmusic.com) reveals pages of songwriting and producing credits for Leon Ware – and that’s aside from the nine albums he’s had as an artist. You’ll see names like Marvin Gaye, Minnie Riperton, Quincy Jones, Maxwell, Isaac Hayes, The Main Ingredient, Michael Jackson, The Average White Band, John Legend and so on.

In soul music circles, Leon is revered and appreciated: in the UK, Europe and Japan in particular, he can perform before sold-out crowds who literally sing along with tunes from his impressive catalog of music. I can still recall being at The Jazz Café in London and witnessing a full house of diehard Ware fans joining in with Leon on classic like “Why I Came To California” and “Rockin’ You Eternally”!

It’s thus particularly heartening that the powers-that-be at Stax/Concord had the insight and good sense to have Leon record a brand new album – and what a treat it is. “Moon Ride” takes the listener on a wonderfully sensuous journey and given that Leon’s stock-in-trade is making some of the most romantic music on the planet, it’s a sublime trip that as his official Concord bio states “brim(s) with soulful intimacy, evoking images of candle-lit nights, between-the-sheets tenderness and romantic anticipation.” He is, as the bio, continues “a minister of smouldering sexuality expressed through music and “Moon Ride” is a brilliant testament to his skill as a love-healing mood-maker.”

The cool thing is that you don’t have to be in love or in a relationship to enjoy “Moon Ride.” In fact, if you’re a single guy like me, the feelings evoked by slow jams like “Just Take Your Time” and “(To Serve You) All My Love” just want to make you find that special someone to share the music with! Leon himself unashamedly confesses that his music is designed to provoke thoughts and indeed action – in the arenas of romance and sensuality: “I use the bedroom as my temple, sex as a religion and music as my ministry, sensuality and spirituality blended together at the same time.” As the man who masterminded Marvin Gaye’s classic 1976 album “I Want You” (originally intended as a Leon Ware LP until Motown’s Berry Gordy and Marvin persuaded Leon to let Marvin record it), Leon knows a thing or two about making the kind of music designed to set a mood for love. A track like the hypnotic “Loceans” on “Moon Ride” is perfect backdrop for an evening of closer-than-close one-on-one-ness while “Smoovin’” (a personal favorite of mine) provides the environment for a seductive set up!

All of which is to say that “Moon Ride” is a spectacular addition to the Ware catalog of superb music. If you haven’t yet had a taste of Leon’s special brand of love music, treat yourself – and if you have one, your significant other – to a ride that is satisfaction guaranteed!

David Nathan
A/k/a the British Ambassador Of Soul
Secretary, The Rhythm & Blues Foundation (www.rhythmblues.org)
Owner,
www.soulmusic.com,
www.soulmusicstore.com,
www.soulmusicglobal.com

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