The Essential Kenny Loggins [Limited] - Loggins, Kenny (CD 2002)

Over the course of his thirty year career, Kenny Loggins has been many things. Folkie. King of the soundtrack single. Blue-eyed soul man. frequent collaborator. Autobiographical singer-songwriter. "The Essential Kenny Loggins" is a 2-CD set that contains all of these phases of Loggins' career and much more for an entertaining 2+ hours of music.

Kenny began his career as half of the duo of Loggins & Messina, who created some of the best-known folk-rock hits of the early 70's. From the plaintive "Danny's Song" to "Your Mama Don't Dance", which featured an almost Southern Rock sound, there are seven selections on this album from the duo. Also included is the children's standard "House At Pooh Corner" (which is reprised later on this set in an updated version with guest vocals from Amy Grant), the first song Loggins said he ever wrote.

By 1977, Kenny was a solo artist, and he began his career with the easygoing "Celebrate Me Home", which brimmed with a vague soul/jazz influence, thanks to the production touch from jazz keyboardist Bob James. This song became a holiday standard, and it's "home for the holidays" sentiment makes it a special song.

All of Kenny's hits are included here, including his many movie theme songs, including the bouncy "I'm Alright" (from "Caddyshack"), the chugging synth-pop of "Nobody's Fool (from "Caddyshack 2"), the power ballad "Meet Me Halfway" (from "Over the Top"), the Giorgio Moroder synth-rock pablum of "Top Gun"'s "Danger Zone", and his best known hit, "Footloose". Kenny also had a love for collaborations, as the guest artist list s plentiful. Key among these tracks is the Stevie Nicks duet "Whenever I Call You 'Friend'". This huge hit from 1978 flirts with disco and features full-bodied vocal performances from both artists. Other artists who make guest appearances on these songs are saxophonist David Sanborn, legendary crooner Smokey Robinson, Amy Grant, and Jurney's Steve Perry, on the arena-rock screamer "Don't Fight It".

Perhaps Loggins' favorite collaborator (and closest thing to a kindred spirit) was former Doobie Brothers frontman/keyboardist Michael McDonald. The pair began their history of collaborations with the Doobies' 1978 hit "What A Fool Believes", which Kenny co-wwrote. That song appears as a live track here with a totally new, slower arrangement. Michael also appears to add a guest vocal, as he does on two other tracks on this et: "This is It" and "Heart To Heart". "This Is It" is a subtly rumbling easygoing song with a fantastic vocal arrangements and very personal lyrics abbout facing situations with your back against the wall.

Kenny's career had slowed to a crawl by the end of the 80's, but his music got more interesting. As the decade wore on, kenny made a series of confessional albums addressing his divorce and subsequent remarraige. Among the songs that close this set are several highly personal songs. "Leap of Faith" (featuring a then-unknown Sheryl Crow on backup vocals)is a gently rhythmmic, spiritual track, while "The One Thing" is an unflinching look at the pain of divorce as sung by Loggins to his child. "For The First Time", which became a #1 Adult Contemporary hit in 1998, is a touching love song which should've become a wedding standard, while the title track to "The Unimaginable Life" is another heartfelt love song.

Throughout this lengthy set, you notice two things: Loggins' commitment to great songwriting and his beautiful voice. Almost all of these songs-with the exception of some of the more flaccid soundtrack selections) are extremely well-written, with arrangements that show off Loggins' flexible, boyish tenor. His voice is often duplicated several times on a track to create a sort of orchestra.

While this collection runs a bit long for my (and probably most others') tastes, and contains a couple of unnecessary tracks (anything from Loggins'-post "Footloose" synth-pop stage must be avoided at all costs), he is an incredibly talented songwriter and vocalist whose 30 year career has bridged the gap between many divergent musical tastes.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5

Key tracks: "This is It", "Danny's Song", "Celebrate Me Home", "Leap of Faith"