Mtume - Juicy Fruit (Expanded Edition) (2015) 320/Lossless

Juicy Fruit is a 1982 album by Mtume and contains their No. 1 hit, "Juicy Fruit".
The original releases became their third album for Epic Records.
Some of the people who heard the "Juicy Fruit" single on the radio back in the early eighties bought the single but not the album, which was a huge mistake because the album tracks are now regarded as old skool R&B classics.
The original LP came at a time when funk was becoming increasingly technology-minded and Horn-driven funk bands were going out of style, with funksters were using a lot more keyboards and synthesizers.
Only one horn player is employed on this release: jazz saxophonist Gary Bartz, who did his share of R&B sessions in the late '70 s and early '80 s but eventually returned to being a full-time jazz improviser.

Throughout Juicy Fruit, James Mtume takes a very hands-on approach -- in addition to producing the album and co-writing much of the material, he plays keyboards and provides some of the lead vocals (along with the expressive, big-voiced Tawatha Agee).

Juicy Fruit isn't the only worthwhile album that James Mtume's band came out with in the 1980 s, but if you must limit yourself to one Mtume release, Juicy Fruit would be the only choice.