A double dose of rhythm-and-blues power descends on Hammond’s Horseshoe Casino on Dec. 9.
Keith Sweat and Will Downing perform an 8 p.m. show.
Born in Harlem in New York City, Sweat established himself as a record-selling force in the late 1980s and through much of the 1990s.
The 1988 single “I Want Her” reached the Top 10 of Billboard’s pop chart, igniting his career as a singer, songwriter and producer.
In 2017, the Atlanta resident is moving forward with fresh material.
“I’m working on a new album right now,” Sweat said in a recent phone interview. Targeting a spring release, he said his aim with the recording is to unveil another side to the public.
“Every album I do, I just try to reinvent myself,” Sweat said. “I’m just trying to give people new music, staying true to who I am.”
It is all about adding “new dimensions to the album” at hand, according to the vocalist.
Sweat points to two 1996 hits that he feels represent him especially well: “Twisted” and the steamy “Nobody,” which features Athena Cage.
Both enjoyed huge success on the pop and rhythm-and-blues charts in the United States.
“Those are the songs that I feel define me, that let people know who I am,” Sweat said. “Those are the songs that actually define my career, made me very relevant — songs like that.”
Sweat will deliver his notable tracks at a Hammond show that is billed as a yuletide greeting: “Merry Christmas with Keith Sweat and Will Downing.”
The combination radiates mutual admiration.
“He respects my music and I respect his music, as well,” Sweat assured.
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Downing said he stands ready to contribute seasonal fare from his 2004 album “Christmas, Love and You.”
Known as the “Prince of Sophisticated Soul,” Downing embraces the nickname.
“I love it,” he said.
With this year’s release of his latest album, “Soul Survivor,” Downing feels he continues to carry the torch for “real R&B or classic R&B.”
Downing believes “Soul Survivor” mirrors the musical stylings of Luther Vandross, Anita Baker and Freddie Jackson.
“It’s a straight-up, classic R&B album,” the New York City resident said.
Regarding the Hammond show, Downing plans to cull selections from 20 studio albums.
“I’m bringing the best of what I’ve got over the last 30 years,” the baritone said. “I haven’t performed with Keith in a very long time. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Downing’s tuneful agenda for the Horseshoe show includes the silky ode to women, “A Million Ways,” along with “Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This,” a ’90s-era duet he did with Rachelle Ferrell.
Having recorded with Maysa and saxophonist Najee, Downing is known for infusing his body of work with some jazz-powered agility.
Both Sweat and Downing released debut albums in the 1980s as artists in their 20s.
Now, they’re seasoned craftsmen with formidable catalogs of work.
Sweat proved to be a force in the new jack swing movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s that incorporated hip-hop elements.
He contributed to the soundtrack of 1991’s “New Jack City,” which also included the sounds of 2 Live Crew and Ice T.
Thirty years ago, Sweat released his debut album, “Make It Last Forever.”
A smash in America, it went triple platinum, selling more than three million copies.
Three decades later, Sweat is still in the entertainment business.
“Am I surprised that it’s where it is? No, not really,” Sweat said. “I’m blessed to be able to do what I’m doing, but in terms of being surprised, I can’t say I’m surprised at what I’m doing. I know I put in a lot of work; I’m getting the returns.”
Bob Kostanczuk is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Keith Sweat and Will Downing
Where: The Venue at Horseshoe Casino, 777 Casino Center Drive, Hammond
When: 8 p.m. Dec. 9
Tickets: $55-$100; 21 and older only
Information: 866-711-7463, www.horseshoehammond.com
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