BADAROU, WALLY - Echoes (Sealed) (CD)

Paris-born Benin-raised keyboardist & producer Badarou is one of the unsung heroes of the music biz, having graced scores of albums with his fluid touch. A synthesizer specialist, Badarou was the long-time associate of the British band Level 42, known for its blend of funk, pop, soul and rock. Badarou was close to Island Records's founder Chris Blackwell, and he was one of the 'Compass Point All Stars' the in-house Compass Studio Team. Of all of the '80s albums that emerged from the sudden availability of high-quality digital synthesizers, 'Echoes' is one that still sounds fresh and inspired almost a quarter-century later, and still gets played regularly.