Solomon Burke - The Definition of Soul (1997)

On this comeback effort, the 60-ish soul giant has his son Selassie alongside him in the producer's chair, and it finds him putting a '90s spin on his classic sound. DEFINITION OF SOUL ranges from contemporary R&B a la Peabo Bryson to a seven-minute dance track ("Sweet Spirit"). Burke easily shifts from the seductive, Barry White-inspired croon of "Use Me, But Leave My Mind Alone" to a raucous duet with Little Richard on the slickly-produced "Everybody's Got A Game."

Gritty soul remains Burke's forte, and he proves it every chance he gets. "You're The One," a strolling ballad juiced along by Holmes Brothers-like harmonies, finds him bouncing between a sweet tenor and a growl. Longtime producer Jerry Wexler came out of retirement to oversee "Your Turn To Cry," and it's another classic you can add to the Solomon Burke canon.