Music Reviews

R&B singer Garfield Bright first broke onto the scene in 1992 with the group Shai and their classic song “If I Ever Fall In Love.” Thanks to that song as well as “Comforter” and “Baby I’m Yours, “Bright and Shai’s current irritation can still tour.

Yesterday I highlighted the R&B trio Jade for Slow Jam Saturday, and for this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to show some love to another female nineties R&B trio, Kut Klose.

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.

Prince was renowned for his collaborations with various other musicians during the height of his creative and commercial career in the 1980s. On Originals, we are granted insight into this process as every cut is an original song Prince handed off to another artist – whom he either created or sharpened their personas – and subsequently gave them songs that best suited their style.

Yesterday marked seven years since we lost one of the best to do it, Mr. Prince Rodgers Nelson. So it’s only fitting that I show him some love for Slow Jam Saturday. I went back and forth over which one to pick for the week, “Pink Cashmere,” Dark “Slow Love,” “Gotta Broken Heart Again,” and “When We’re Dancing Close And Slow,” all made the shortlist.

For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to return to the seventies and give flowers to a forgotten group, The Floaters. The five-member Detriot group hit the scene in 1976 and was known for their hit song “Float On.”

Legendary hip hop label Def Jam was slowly taking the industry by storm when they released their first R&B album Juice from Oran “Juice” Jones, in 1986. Three years later, sultry songstress Alyson Williams would make history when she became the label’s first female R&B singer.

Last week we marked the 39th anniversary of the untimely passing of ICON Marvin Gaye. I was approaching age three when Gaye passed, so I don’t remember the worldwide grief music fans felt. However, Gaye’s legacy continues to live on, and for this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I chose to revisit Gaye’s eighteenth and first posthumously released studio album, Dream of a Lifetime.

R&B trio H-Town hit the scene in 1993 with their massive crossover hit and signature song “Knockin’ Da Boots.” Even though pop pundits might consider the group one-hit wonders, they have six albums and other charting R&B hits.

The legendary Gerald Levert was on top of his game in the fall of 1994 when his second album, Groove On, hit stores. His 1991 debut Private Line saw platinum success, and two years later, his sixth album For Real Tho’ with the group LeVert went gold. Not to mention Gerald was also an in-demand producer and writer