Daron Jones had already made a name for himself as a founding member of 112 in addition to writing for the likes of Usher, Jamie Foxx, and 112 when he released his Christmas album, Christmas in Atlanta, on November 30th, 2015. Jones opens the project with Christmas in the Air, a midtempo bop that showcases Daron’s brisk baritone.
“Baby for Christmas” is up next, and this is Jones at his best. Jones honed his slow jam writing skills while in 112, and “Baby For Christmas” doesn’t stray too far from the writing style fan have become accustomed to from Jones. I like the song because Jones avoids using auto-tune and lets his voice speak for itself. “Cold Outside” is up next, and here Daron provides his male listeners with a solid apology song if you’re ever in the dog house.
The final original song on the project is the message song “Where Would That Leave Us.” Jones taps into the true spirit in this song and focuses on the holiday’s importance. It’s a great way to close the album out, and in a perfect world, I could easily see the song in an urban Christmas play.
Jones closes out the project with covers of the Christmas standards, “Away in a Manger,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Silent Night,” and “Oh Holy Night.” Jones sings the songs well and shows off underrated piano skills. While 112 is a legendary group, all members are equally talented. If you’ve never heard of any of Daron’s solo work, Christmas in Atlanta is a great place to start.
Final Grade: B
Christmas in Atlanta is available on all streaming platforms.
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.