Leon Ware and Diana Ross’s brother, Arthur Ross, co-wrote “I Want You” for Marvin Gaye’s 13th solo album, also titled I Want You. Gaye’s sensual showpiece was a serious yearning inspired by his relationship with Janis Hunter that was taking place while he was still married to Anna Gordy. Leon Ware’s arrangement of mood-inducing congas, sizzling guitar, horns, strings, and Marvin alternating between desirous wails and soft crooning captured the turbulence and tenderness of his relationships. 

Gaye was coming off the success of Let’s Get It On and a collaboration album with Diana Ross, both released in 1973. I Want You was the next step of the sexy image Gaye had established with Let’s Get It On. His ability to share the urgency of new love with Ware’s dreamy disco suite kept Gaye relevant in the ’70s and the single became a mainstay of quiet storm radio. “I Want You” did well on the Soul Singles, Disco Singles, and Billboard Hot 100 charts. Ernie Barnes’s Sugar Shack painting on the cover was just as iconic as the music and it asserted its place in pop culture by also appearing on the TV show Good Times. Ice Cube, Mary J. Blige, Madonna, and most recently, Kendrick Lamar are among those who have sampled and covered “I Want You.” A remastered deluxe version of the album was released in 2003 with a booklet, unreleased material, original liner notes, and an essay from David Ritz, who later collaborated with Gaye on his biography, Divided Soul. 

[youtube id=”0xBXnXzjirc”] Songwriter and musician Leon Ware has died at the age of 77. Ware started making a name for himself in the ’60’s when he started working with The Isley Brothers. He later co-wrote Michael Jackson’s “I Wanna Be Where You Are” with Diana Ross’ younger brother Arthur “T-Boy” Ross. Ware also wrote songs for Quincy Jones, Minnie Riperton and created the demo that Marvin Gaye used to record his  I Want You album. In the ’90’s he worked with Maxwell on his breakthrough single “Sumthin’ Sumthin’.”  Ware released 11 solo albums and recently appeared on Omar’s Love and Beats album.

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Theophilus London really wanted an ’80’s R&B love ballad. And the inclusion of the legendary Force M.D.’s and retro-specialist Blood Orange along with Leon Ware producing “Figure It Out” has created a love time capsule in ready for Valentines Day.