Although her silky register was always quite striking, Hyman has remained one of the more elusive elite among the disco-era divas. Unlike the flashdance anthems of Teena Marie and Gloria Lynne, Hyman's approach was more sophisticated, orchestrated and jazz inflected than the tedious bump 'n' grind of the late '70s. Though virtually unusable by the current rash of sampling pirates (Hyman's work was never about the groove, unless you're talking between-the-satin-sheets, midnight grooves), Hyman's material has been re-evaluated recently by a lot of adult contemporary DJs who can now easily link her vocal stylings to singers like Diana Krall or Vanessa Rubin.

The current correlation, of course, is striking, as Hyman's soulful shifts and breathy phrasing of the Motown pop nugget "Betcha By Golly, Wow," turns that tune's stunning, descending chorus into something near religious. Oddly enough, the same approach transforms Exile's "Kiss You All Over" into one of the most erotically laden verses from the old AM hit. A quality that seems to have impressed the series of high-profile producers (a virtual who's who from Barry Manilow to Thom Bell to Narada Michael Walden) she worked with during her tenure at Buddah and Arista, all who fell in love with her lush technique. Unfortunately, only a few tracks on this greatest hits retrospective ever reached the pop charts. But it's a near cinch that jazzy ballads like "Can't We Fall In Love Again" and her signature tune, "You Know How To Love Me" will breathe a new life on the current playlist of adult-oriented stations. And while it might be bold to mention that Hyman's songs were before their time, maybe her audience has slowed down enough now to appreciate them.