In 2005 R&B group Silk followed up their first album as a quartet 2003’s, Silktime, with a Christmas EP titled A Gift from Silk. On November 29, 2005, the EP hit stores with then group members Big G, Jimmy, Timzo, and John John displaying their vocal talents for the holiday season. A brief interlude, “Happy Holiday,” opens with the project with John John’s trademark falsetto. Next is the lovely ballad “Make Time for Christmas,” featuring lush four-part harmony.
My first encounter with this song occurred in the United Kingdom when I served in the Air Force. The lyrics were very relatable because even though I was single at the time, I knew that God was saving a remarkable woman for me, whom I would meet a little under two years. A great cover of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” follows and, in my opinion, tops the original and any cover version of the song. Timzo leads the song with a smooth bass, while John John comes in on the second verse. I love this version of the song because the group takes us to church and reminds us of simpler times.
Before closing out the EP with a smooth suite version of “Make Time for Christmas,” Silk gifts fans with another acapella song in the form of “Merry Christmas.” While the EP is brief, the group’s handling of the material makes the listener yearn for more. I would have loved to hear the group cover The Temptations version of “Silent Night” or Alexander O’Neal’s “Our First Christmas” or “Thank You for a Good Year.” Nevertheless, this is a fine EP and a great addition to your holiday playlist.
Final Grade: A-
A Gift from Silk 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.