Musiq House

Luther Vandross left behind a career rich with soulful ballad after ballad that made him one of the most successful R&B and adult contemporary performers of the '80s -- his catalog of uptempo numbers was so consistently high in quality that few colleagues could measure up. So it would only seem appropriate that Sony would give a facelift to the excellent 2003 Essential collection, packaging it with a DVD collection of live performances, duets, and promotional videos as well as a touching tribute to Vandross from his closest friends and fellow musicians. It's a wonderful (and probably the most thorough) summary of a man whose career and life were tragically cut short all too soon.