A British compilation, The CTI Collection gathers the highlights of Patti Austin's early career, specifically the work she did for CTI in the '70s and early '80s. Though this period of her career isn't exactly her best-known -- 1977's "Say You Love Me" was her biggest hit from this era -- her CTI work is still worthwhile, using her clear, mellow voice in a variety of styles spanning pop, soul, disco, and funk. Beyond "Say You Love Me," which is included here, Austin succeeds on the lively "People in Love (Do the Strangest Things)," the jazzy "I Can't Stop," and the Austin-penned "Sweet Sadie the Savior," which is one of the best showcases for her vocal and emotional range from this point in her career. Though her work for CTI was a little glossy and undistinguished compared to the records she'd make with Quincy Jones a few years later, this collection is a good retrospective of this work, gathering the best singles and album tracks from her albums for that label. Aside from the inherent unevenness of the material, the only quirk about The CTI Collection is that it presents Austin's work in reverse chronological order, which makes it a little more difficult to trace her development as an artist. Still, this album covers her early career much more thoroughly than Columbia's The Best of Patti Austin, offering nearly twice as many tracks. Fans curious about Austin's first recordings and willing to pay import prices should enjoy The CTI Collection.