The Makings of a Man [PA] (CD - 2007)

Personnel: Duganz (vocals); Daniel Farris, Ivan "Orthodox" Barias (various instruments); The Newton Twins (guitar, bass guitar); Gregg Landfair (guitars); Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Neffu (keyboards, drum programming); Addaryll "Tiger" Wilson, Rodney East (keyboards); Lamar Hannah, Ian Mereness, Phil Hamilton (programming); Cliff Lighty (background vocals).

Additional personnel: Keyshia Cole.

Neo-soulster Jaheim dropped his fourth full-length, THE MAKINGS OF A MAN, in 2007. Cut from much the same cloth as Jaheim's previous releases, MAKINGS merges a love of 1970s and '80s soul with a slick, urban-contemporary edge. The artist seems even more assured this time out, especially on the R. Kelly collaboration "Hush," the smooth-as-butter "Have You Ever," and the stirringly passionate "Never." But while the material and production are top-notch, it's Jaheim's voice, which recalls iconic crooners like Luther Vandross and Teddy Pendergrass, that makes MAKINGS shine. minimize