The world of soul music first heard of Rosie Gaines in the mid-80s after she sang lead for San Francisco group Flash before signing to Epic as a solo artist.

When the Epic 45 "Crazy" turned up as a new release in 1987, it was greeted with rapture by all soul fans when first played on Richard Searling's Soul Sauce radio program in Manchester, England. It finished up being hailed as one of the year's Top 5 soul performances, and we waited impatiently for the album (detailed on the label of the single) to arrive.

Not only had the lady captured our hearts with her debut solo set with the track "Good Times", but even more mouth watering was the prospect of hearing more magical productions from a little known LA producer/keyboardist/songwriter Patrick Moten - who had done such a masterful job on the single preceding the 'new' album. Patrick's reputation was already legendary with UK soul connoisseurs for his magical arrangements for Anita Baker, Bobby Womack, Chapter 8 and Johnnie Taylor as well as local LA acts Kim Ball and the group Mystic Mood, so the arrival of an album on a lady with Rosie's immense talent, well........and we waited, and we still waited.

Days turned into months into years before we realized that Rosie had moved away from Epic to pastures new at Motown where she went on to record two solo albums. While "Closer Than Close" from Motown was reinvented as a dance anthem selling millions, soul fans were left wondering what happened to the mysterious sessions of '87?

After we had wondered, phone conversations with Patrick Moten revealed that the album was indeed completed, but then due to changes at Epic in the a&r department both he and Rosie were no longer connected. The album was destined to remain forever unheard and unreleased.

Over the past few years I had almost forgotten this 'missing' album until I heard from a good friend that, tragically, the world of soul had lost Patrick Moten to a serious illness. Our genius died, aged only 42, in the fall of 1999. In his final years Patrick had continued to write and produce notably non-secular gospel material.

It is therefore with immense pride that Expansion records releases this stunning soul album in the memory of one of the all-time great soul men of the last century - Patrick Moten.

As you listen to tracks like "Easy Come, Easy Go" and "No Sweeter Love", transport yourself back thirteen years to the California sessions and and appreciate the dedication and tender touch of Patrick Moten.