Sylvester

You wanna talk glamorous divas and bigger-than-life disco queens? Well then, there's no ignoring the fabulous Sylvester. And on this sprawling 1979 live album you'll learn why. Like Donna Summer (although he had a far better voice), Sylvester was a classic entertainer, fusing soul, Broadway schmaltz and modern club grooves. By the end of Living Proof you'll be on your knees, soaked in sweat and weeping for more sassy funk. Maybe you'll even be wearing a sequined gown.

The three concert sides are what Sylvester wants--his graduation from disco into the world of Thelma Houston and the Pointer Sisters. But insofar as he succeeds artistically he does so on effort, not achievement--he simply can't generate the requisite vocal lustre so far above his speaking register. And insofar as he succeeds commercially he does so on the strength of the studio (i.e., disco) side--which succeeds pretty well artistically, too. (Grade: B-)