Welcome back to Slow Jam Saturday. We are continuing to pay homage to this month’s artist Jon B. This week, we are looking at what many consider Jon’s best album, Cool Relax. For his second album, Jon had more creative control and it shows in the music. “Don’t Say,” “They Don’t Know,” “I Do (Whatcha Say Boo),” and “Are U Still Down” (featuring 2Pac) were the singles from the album. Any one of these would have been a fine choice to highlight Jon’s talent, however, I had to go with an album track.
Initially, I wanted to go with “I Ain’t Going Out.” The reason being, I could relate to the lyrics of the song, particularly when it comes to the newness of a relationship. We all know when you find the right one that your friends then take a back seat. However, I decided on track #13, the sultry slow jam, “Can We Get Down.”
The song’s production is smooth as an aged cognac, and the lyrics can set a mood without ever crossing into the crass territory. We have all been in a situation where you want to be intimate with someone you may be living with. Sometimes, it is hard to find the exact words to say in your youth, and with “Can We Get Down,” Jon provides the lyrics for you. “What do I have to do/what do I have to say/to get you to come over girl/and let me have my way tonight.” For me, the song’s strength is that while Jon wants sex, he knows that it’s not a guarantee just because you are coming over.
Of the 93 songs in my Jon B. iTunes playlist, “Can We Get Down” has the most plays at twenty-eight. Now, if I could hear live just once, I can cross it off the songs to hear live.
Final Grade: A
Cool Relax is available on all streaming platforms.
For my DMV readers, I highly encourage you to check out Jon B. later this month when he performs at The Birchmere. Tickets are available for purchase at The Venue’s Box Office and Ticketmaster.com
This weekend is about celebrating the King of Pop, Mr. Michael Jackson, and his legacy. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to highlight his debut solo album, “Got To Be There,” which was released on January 24th, 1972.
Fifteen years after his untimely passing, the King of Pop’s music continues to resonate with us, a testament to its timeless appeal. As we honor his heavenly birthday this past Thursday, I wanted to pay tribute to him with ‘Loving You’ for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
When we reminisce about the potential of lead singers who could have been iconic solo acts, the name Sisqó immediately springs to mind. The front man for R&B quartet Dru Hill, Sisqó, stormed onto the scene in 1999 with his solo debut ‘Unleash the Dragon.’ The success of the singles ‘Incomplete’ and ‘Thong Song’ propelled Sisqó’s solo debut to sell a staggering five million copies in the US alone, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry.