When
Meli'sa Morgan debuted with
Do Me Baby in 1986, many R&B singers were so obsessed with crossing over to the pop charts that they bent over backwards to dilute their music -- but not
Morgan. Greatly influenced by
Chaka Khan but far from a clone, the big-voiced belter made it clear that she was very much an R&B singer on this highly promising CD. Sounding seasoned, confident and mature,
Morgan tended to appeal to the type of adult audience that also favored
Luther Vandross,
Freddie Jackson and
Anita Baker.
Morgan had major R&B hits in "Do You Still Love Me?" and a remake of
Prince's "Do Me Baby," and equally impressive are songs ranging from "Fool's Paradise" (not to be confused with the 1975
Rufus/
Chaka Khan song) to the insistent "I'll Give It When I Want It." If listeners own only one
Morgan CD,
Do Me Baby is definitely the best choice. ~ Alex Henderson