Vocalist Philip Bailey was already a legend in the music business when his seventh solo, a self-titled release, hit record stores. Arriving in March of 1994, the falsetto Phenom’s newest project saw him collaborating with a who’s who production team. Chuckii Booker kicks things off with the mellow and airy “Stay Right Here.”
The opening moments where Bailey sings sound better than some singers releasing music today as Bailey never over sings the song. Robert Brookins provides the next song, “Just Like Summer,” a great Segway from the opening number. Brian McKnight delivers a dance floor groove in “Here with Me,” which I could see on the radio today. While P.M Dawn member Attrell Cordes laces Bailey with “A Diamond Just Like You.” Despite the song being better suited for a boy band, I cannot deny Bailey’s lush vocals.
Brian McKnight also contributes the lovely ballads “I’m Ready” and “Crazy Things You Do for Love.” The most surprising collaboration on the project is with Bailey and NBA player Wayman Tisdale. The song “Love Me Tonight” is an excellent track for grown men who want to set up a romantic night with their lady, avoiding going into vulgarity.
I did not discover Philip Bailey until about ten years after its release. I read an interview that the elements gave where Bailey mentioned it was great to work with Brian McKnight again on the EWF record Illumination. Since purchasing Philip Bailey in 2005, I revisit the album annually.
Final Grade: B+
Top Songs: “Here With Me,” “I’m Ready,” and “Crazy Things You Do For Love”.
Philip Bailey is not available on any streaming platforms, but you can find songs on YouTube.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.
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