The Best of Anita Baker

Anita Baker’s jazz-tinged melodies and crackling fireside soul have made her a totem of contemporary R&B. Spanning her ’80s and ’90s output, this collection includes gems like the sensuous cabaret “Angel” (a celebration of her partner’s inner beauty) and the orchestral synth-kissed “Sweet Love,” where her richly caramelized vocal conjures everlasting romance. Her sumptuous voice and effortlessly smooth diction give her songs a compelling softness, transforming even the gently propulsive “Caught Up in the Rapture” into a lullaby.