The nineties were a prime time in R&B. I often say there were so many groups dropping heat that many got lost in the shuffle. Often, mainstream listeners write off acts as one-hint wonders when artists would have R&B charting hits that didn’t necessarily transition into pop hits. Female R&B trio Jade is one such group and this week’s Slow Jam Saturday pick.
Jade hit the scene in 1992 when they were featured on the soundtrack to Class Act with the catchy bop “I Wanna Love You .” The group’s second single, “Don’t Walk Away,” from their debut album Jade To The Max, was an even more enormous success. A Tribe Called Quest even sampled the song’s bassline for “Award Tour” from Midnight Marauders.
The following two singles were ballads, with the first being “One Woman” and my favorite, “Looking For Mr. Do Right.” Jade linked up with underrated producer Alton “Wokie Stewart” for the song as he was fresh off crafting hits for Bell Biv Devoe, The Temptations, and Keith Sweat. In “Looking For Mr. Do Right,” Stewart cooked up a song about a woman tired of being stood up and disappointed by men who don’t treat her right.
The ladies share lead vocals and passionately croon about looking for a man who is “Mr. Do Right,” someone who will fulfill her emotional and physical needs and treat her with respect. The song also expresses the frustration and longing for a committed partner who appreciates them. The chorus highlights this with the repeated phrase, “I’m looking for Mr. (Do right), Mr. Do Right (Do right) / Someone who can please me through the night,” emphasizing the desire for intimacy and connection with someone who will do right by her.
The lyrics also touch on the struggle of waiting for someone who doesn’t reciprocate feelings, with lines like “I sit here waiting / But you just won’t call.” Overall, the song conveys a sense of hope, frustration, and longing for a real connection with a loving partner. While TLC and SWV are possibly two female R&B trios that would likely make their way into a Jeopardy category of nineties R&B, let’s give some flowers to Jade, who had two quality albums as well.
Final Grade: B
“Looking For Mr. Do Right” from Jade to the Max is available on all streaming platforms
In the summer of 2001, R&B was still going strong. Usher was preparing to release his third solo album, Jon B.’s underrated Pleasures U Like had hit stores in the spring, and the genre’s current superstar Sisqó was due to release his junior project, Return Of Dragon.
R&B group Skyy was already a decade into their music career with eight albums when they made a comeback in 1989 with the album Start of A Romance….While I could write an ethos on Skyy’s underrated funk cuts, this is Slow Jam Saturday, and I wanted to highlight one of my favorite cuts from the group, “Real Love.”
Jimmy Cozier was a Brooklyn-born singer/songwriter eager to stand out in a world of modern R&B music. His self-titled debut CD shows his talents as he expertly meanders through the realm of cell phones, cold-and-lonely nights, and troubled women.
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