Writer and producer
Leon Ware has been responsible for some of R&B and pop's most lush and romantic tracks.
Ware produced
Marvin Gaye's 1976 classic
I Want You. He also co-wrote songs like
Michael Jackson's "I Wanna Be Where You Are,"
Marlena Shaw's "Sweet Beginnings," and
the Main Ingredient's "Rollin' Down a Mountainside" to name a few. This album is the follow-up to his 1976 Gordy release
Musical Massage and was released shortly after he was behind the controls for nine of the ten tracks of
Melissa Manchester's
Don't Cry Loud.
Inside Is Love has the intelligent and melody rich work fans expect from
Leon Ware. Produced by
Ware and Ron Roker, this has arrangements from
David Blumberg,
Gene Page, and Sonny Burke. Although he's not the world's strongest vocalist, his methodical, light tenor gives these songs a personal stamp. The first track, "What's Your Name" has
Ware playing his naïve lothario act to the hilt. The magnificent "Love Is a Simple Thing," co-written by
Chicago member Robert Lamm, possesses a chorus that is both poignant and uplifting. Throughout
Inside Is Love,
Ware has some of his best lyrics and a batch of players to pull it off. The fanciful "Club Sashay," co-written by
Manchester, has a gentle rhythm that's a perfect match for the phonetically pleasing words. The last track, "Hungry" has
Ware mixing his classic style with the disco-fied chorus. Despite a couple of tracks that miss the mark,
Inside Is Love is an absolute necessity for fans of emotional and brainy R&B/pop. ~ Jason Elias