Second Listen Sunday : Charlie Wilson, Just Charlie
Charlie Wilson is currently one of the opening acts for New Edition’s highly successful The Culture Tour. Sadly Wilson wasn’t part of the lineup when my wife and I were in attendance for the Baltimore show of The Culture Tour.
Slow Jam Saturday : Charlie Wilson, Without You
Charlie Wilson was already an established star in his own right when “Without You,” the first single from his second solo album, Bridging the Gap, was released in the summer of 2000. At the turn of the 21st Century, Wilson was still touring with his group The Gap Band and singing hooks on numerous songs from rappers.
Second Listen Sunday : Intro, Good Love
There’s just something special about the nineties R&B sound. It was a time when folks would actually dress up to hit a nightclub, when music was not vulgar, and when you went on a date, more time was spent gazing in the eyes of your date than at your phone.
Slow Jam Saturday : Playa, Incense Burning
Louisville, Kentucky R&B trio Playa burst onto the scene as part of DeVante Swing’s Da Basement Cru, aka Swing Mob, in the early nineties. While the group’s work with Swing remains in the vault, the group’s 1998 debut Cheers 2 U is easily one of the strongest albums of that year. I plan to revisit Cheers 2 U for Second Listen Sunday soon.
Second Listen Sunday : Mya, With Love
R&B songstress Mýa will grace the stage of The Theater at MGM in Oxon Hill, Maryland, tonight along with Faith Evans and SWV as part of the Femme It Forward music series. I have seen SWV live more times than I can remember; however, I have not seen Faith; she was an opening for Usher on his 2002, 8701 Evolution tour.
Slow Jam Saturday : Prince, Scandalous
In the late fall of 1989, Prince would release The Scandalous Sex Suite, a three-part suite of 19 minutes of the song, with the parts titled ‘ “The Crime,” “The Passion,” and “The Rapture.”
Thirty-three years after its release, “Scandalous” is not only one of the best songs from any Batman soundtrack but a song better than the entire catalogs of some artists who made their record industry entrances in the years that followed.
Second Listen Sunday: Trey Songz, Inevitable
R&B crooner Trey Songz was still basking in the success of his platinum-selling fourth album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure, when he decided to release his first EP. Carrying the moniker Inevitable, it hit stores on the singer’s 27th birthday, November 28, 2011.
Slow Jam Saturday : Damion Hall, Satisfy You
After their 1990 sophomore album release, The Future, R&B trio Guy began an extended hiatus. Teddy Riley went on to form another group, Blackstreet and then become an in-demand producer. While Aaron Hall would go on to start his solo career with the risqué ballad “Don’t Be Afraid.” Like most R&B fans, I was curious to know what the third member of Guy, Damion “Crazy Legs” Hall, would do.
Second Listen Sunday: Jodeci, The Past, The Present, The Future
After an excessive twenty-year wait, R&B quartet Jodeci returned to the music scene with their fourth album The Past, The Present, The Future. Arriving in stores on March 31, 2015, The Past, The Present, The Future was the first taste of new Jodeci music sans soundtrack appearances since the mid-nineties.
Slow Jam Saturday: Jodeci, Lately
As quintessential R&B group New Edition travels across the country on the Culture tour, I wanted to look back at the group’s final album to date, 2004’s One Love for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
Second Listen Sunday : New Edition, One Love
As quintessential R&B group New Edition travels across the country on the Culture tour, I wanted to look back at the group’s final album to date, 2004’s One Love for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
Slow Jam Saturday: New Edition, Old Friends
“Old Friends” gives Tresvant the chance to show off his tenor singing style in all its glory, and you generally feel the pain in his voice. In the early days of New Edition, Tresvant was known for his Michael Jackson -esque falsetto. Similar to Jackson, Tresvant’s voice got better with age. Honestly, had Tresvant decided to release his third solo album in the late nineties, this would have been a great lead single.