Sade

Elegant Anglo-Nigerian diva Sade Adu may have lent her name and identity to her band, but we shouldn't underestimate the role played by core musicians Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denman, and Andrew Hale, who — since the mid-'80s — have provided the jazz/R&B core behind their frontwoman's effortless, easy-going glamour. Adu's plush voice and sultry presence carry a belief in romance as a necessary pleasure, as her promise to remain "By Your Side" (2000) is delivered like a sexy lullaby, and debut single "Your Love is King" (1984) remains an all-time lovers' classic. Back in 2010 with Soldier of Love after a decade's lay-off, that soulful Sade touch is as assured as ever. Let Sade Adu be your guide from fireside to bedroom, in Next Steps.

The long, lush tracks concocted by Sade Adu and her band work a unique mojo that puts her in her very own category — no other band in the rich fusion realms of pop, soul, and R&B sounds remotely like them. Take your time with a track like "War of the Hearts" from second album Promise (1985), on which Adu draws the maximum passion from the minimum exertion as she lays her vocal (an intense lyric about love's conflicts) over a slick, simple, and mellow arrangement — it's almost seven minutes of understated perfection. Or how about the quiet storm of "The Moon and the Sky" from Soldier of Love, an incredible blend of human vulnerability and ultra-tight musicianship. The queen of unforced sophistication reveals her full range in Deep Cuts.

A genuine sense of caring lies at the heart of Adu's music. It's her effortlessly communicated "realness" (along with the promise of unforgettable nights) that makes the music stand up for her fans, even when — with her third album, 1988's Stronger Than Pride — her trademark introspection has a little more bite than usual: the guitar on "Haunt Me" has an almost antique feel, until Adu takes it into a bluesy basement, where she's joined by a languid sax. Even when she steps out on a rare cover (Timmy Thomas' "Why Can't We Live Together"), the groove is hers alone: that self-assurance might be the best thing about this brilliant artist — she somehow produces an exquisite vocal while barely moving a muscle: remarkable.

Sultry and passionate, but always graceful, Sade Adu has long been one of music's most seductive artists, her occasional absences from the scene adding credence to the line about the heart growing fonder. Accompanied by her staunch, highly skilled trio of regular musicians, she has managed to create a unique space for herself, into which we'd like to invite you, so that you can marvel at the quality of her work from 1984's ever-precious Diamond Life to 2010's immensely impressive Soldier of Love. Be sure to make Sade part of your romance starter kit: red wine, candles, some high-thread-count sheets, and these syrupy grooves, drawn from a small but mighty catalogue of albums. Whether you consider her jazz, R&B, or pop, Sade's style is all about the midnight hour and everything that goes down therein.