Heaven
Sheila E.'s brief moments as a pop star were only a slice of her career. While her percussion skills loaned plenty of spice to "The Glamorous Life" and Prince'sLovesexytour, the artist formerly known as Sheila Escovedo was a member of a Latin-music dynasty before she hooked up with the Minneapolis crew. OnHeaven, she enlists the likes ofGeorge DukeandGerald Albrightto augment her band the E-Train. Prince influences remain, particularly in the Madhouse-style instrumentals "Joy" and "Silent Accent," and in the vocal harmonies of "I Can Go On." Elsewhere, "Who's Taking Care of You?" could be a mislaidRoberta Flackcut, "Bahia" conjures a Brazil-lite groove, and "Trust Me" would work on Christian-pop radio (for better or worse). The CD proves her ability to master the rudiments of just about any style she chooses, but except for the jazz-funk workouts it rarely gets exciting. Her willingness to stretch is admirable, but it's hard not to wish for a hard-hitting Latin jam album from this gifted musician.--Rickey Wright