Second Listen Sunday: Freddie Jackson, At Christmas
By the time Freddie Jackson released his first Christmas album, At Christmas, in 1994, he had already established himself as one of the finest balladeers. He had released six albums to his credit. On the album’s opening track, One Wish, Jackson collaborated with Gordon Chambers and longtime collaborator Barry Eastmond. The trio created a midtempo bop that is a suitable introduction to the album.
Slow Jam Saturday: Troop, Santa Can You Help Me
While R&B quintet Troop had yet to release an album since the late nineties, the group stayed active with touring and solo offerings from some members. In 2014, the group surprised fans by releasing a new song, “Santa Can You Help Me.”
Second Listen Sunday : A Kenny Lattimore Christmas
R&B crooner Kenny Lattimore had twenty years in the game when his first holiday CD A Kenny Lattimore Christmas, arrived in 2016. Lattimore has one of the natural voices; he can sing anything and sound good. The first time I saw Mr. Lattimore live, he sang opera and wowed the audience with his instrument. That said, I didn’t want this review to focus on his covers of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” and “O Holy Night because he sings them with ease. Instead, I want to focus on the original songs.
Slow Jam Saturday: Faith Evans, Merry Christmas Baby
Faith Evans was fresh off the success of her fourth gold-selling album, The First Lady, when her first-holiday album, A Faithful Christmas, hit stores. As is the norm with holiday releases, A Faithful Christmas is a collection of Christmas songs. It contains various traditional and modern Christmas songs, such as “White Christmas” and “Santa Baby.”
Second Listen Sunday: Musiq Soulchild, A PhillySoul Christmas
Musiq Soulchild was basking in the success of “If U Leave,” the second, fifth studio album OnMyRadio when he quietly released the Christmas EP, A Philly Soul Christmas, in the fall of 2008. Often in the realm of R&B, Christmas EPs can come across as a cash grab or label obligation.
Slow Jam Saturday: En Vogue, With My Honey
Legendary R&B quartet En Vogue had seen its share of up and downs when its first Christmas album, The Gift of Christmas, arrived in the fall of 2002. Five years prior, fans saw the departure of original member Dawn Robinson.
Second Listen Sunday: Donell Jones, Where I Wanna Be
Donell Jones had already made a name for himself, writing for the likes of Usher, Jade, and Madonna, when his debut album My Heart hit stores in the summer of 1996. Jones’s debut featured the hit singles “In The Hood,” “You Should Know,” and his cover of the timeless Stevie Wonder classic “Knocks Me Off My Feet.” Furthermore, two of the album tracks, the slow jams “No Interruptions” and “I Want You To Know,” are better songs than some folk’s entire discographies that entered the music game in the last twenty years.
Slow Jam Saturday: Michael Jackson, Who Do You Know
Often it’s hard to believe it’s been thirteen years since GOD called the King of Pop home. Since his passing, fans have enjoyed some of his unreleased music. A few weeks before the official anniversary, the MJ estate blessed fans with Thriller 40.
Second Listen Sunday: Johnta Austin, Love
Big Daddy Kane was easily one of Hip Hop’s brightest stars when his third album, Taste of Chocolate, hit record stores in October of 1990. Kane was known for boasting about his talent as a microphone checker, but as any Hip Hop head will tell you, Kane possessed a first-rate technique and rhyming skills to match his bravado.
Slow Jam Saturday: Big Daddy Kane feat. Barry White, All Of Me
Big Daddy Kane was easily one of Hip Hop’s brightest stars when his third album, Taste of Chocolate, hit record stores in October of 1990. Kane was known for boasting about his talent as a microphone checker, but as any Hip Hop head will tell you, Kane possessed a first-rate technique and rhyming skills to match his bravado.
Second Listen Sunday: The Deele, Eyes Of A Stranger
Before Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and L.A. Reid became in-demand producers, they were members of the R&B band, The Deele. The other members of the group were Carlos “Satin” Greene, Darnell “Dee” Bristol, Stanley “Stick” Burke, and Kevin “Kayo” Roberson. Reid and Edmonds were part of the group’s line-up for the group’s first three albums. Eyes of a Stranger, the final album Reid and Edmonds contributed to, is this week’s Second Listen Sunday selection.
Slow Jam Saturday:Black Coffey, Rocket Love
The legendary Stevie Wonder had already received his flowers numerous times when the R&B duo Black Coffey covered his lush ballad “Rocket Love” in 2002. The song initially appeared on Wonder’s nineteenth studio album, Hotter than July, which arrived ins stores on September 29, 1980.