There’s always been a significant relationship between R&B and jazz music. One of my favorite saxophonists, Boney James, has many collaborations with R&B singers such as Donell Jones, Mario, Dave Hollister, and Jaheim. For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday selection, I wanted to highlight Boney’s 2006 collaboration with Earth, Wind & Fire’s lead vocalist Philip Bailey.
The duo collaborated on the elegant ballad “Love Song” from Boney’s tenth studio album, Shine. When the album arrived in stores in September of 2006, I was on a deployment. Spending time in the sandbox, I had tons of time to digest music. I was already familiar with Boney’s work, but there was something special about “Love Song.”
James opens the song with his signature sax skills before the buttery smooth vocals of Bailey come through for a blissful four and half minutes.
“Any time that we’re together
I can’t keep my eyes off you
Did you know it’s you I treasure
Doin’ anything you want me, anything you ask me to
I never ever had a love so true
Someone as warm as you
All I know is that I love you
Give all my love to you, that’s all I wanna do
Gonna write a little love song, yeah
Gonna tell you how I feel
Gonna write a little love song
Show you how I care for you, I’ll keep on loving you.”
The lyrics in the song come across with emotion as Bailey croons his feelings. I think anyone who has ever been in love will relate to what Bailey is singing about. If you’ve never heard the track, I recommend checking it out.
Final Grade: A
“Love Song” from Shine is available on all streaming platforms.
There are some albums you revisit because of nostalgia, and then there are albums you return to because they remind you just how high the standard used to be. Anita Baker’s Rapture falls into that second category. Released in 1986, the album did more than make Baker a star. It helped define what sophisticated, grown R&B could sound like without losing any soul, sensuality, or personality.
Gwen Stefani had already established herself as a significant force with No Doubt when she released her debut solo album, *Love. Angel. Music. Baby* in 2004. This week, while my iPod was on shuffle, one of my favorite songs from that project, “The Real Thing,” came on. Although the original version has an upbeat new-wave feel, the Slow Jam Mix takes it to another level and is the perfect choice for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Unless you’re a music purist, mentioning Randy Jackson from the famous family is likely to elicit a joke. However, any serious Jackson fan knows that Randy had musical achievements long before the punchlines. Before he was old enough to buy a drink, he had already co-written “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and “Lovely One” with Michael Jackson.