Kimiko Kasai/ Kimiko (original 1982)

Produced in Los Angeles by Richard Rudolph, this English-language album transforms Kimiko Kasai’s jazz-rooted vocals into polished West Coast boogie and sophisticated soul. The stellar studio lineup includes Nathan Watts, Michael Sembello, Paul Jackson Jr., Paulinho da Costa and Randy Waldman. Highlights include the Jay Graydon-co-written “The Right Place,” the Stevie Wonder-associated “I’m So Much in Love,” and the mellow “I Wish That Love Would Last.”