For this month’s final Slow Jam Saturday selection, we continue highlighting the songwriting talents of Jon B. R&B songstress Toni Braxton was already a force when she released her second album Secrets in the summer of 1996. This album saw Braxton reuniting with Babyface and working with legends such as Diane Warren and David Foster.
Braxton also found time to work with some new jacks, including Tony Rich and Marc Nelson. Naturally, Babyface found a way to include Jon B in the project as well. Jon and Babyface collaborate on the album’s closing song, “In the Late of Night. A heartbreaking song about saying goodbye to lost love, for me it rivals one of Toni Braxton’s biggest hits, “Unbreak My Heart.”
The emotion and pain that Ms. Braxton put into this song make the listeners want to give her a shoulder to cry on or even just a hug. Jon and Babyface’s lyrics include, “Always thought your promise was for life, I did not think that I Would hear you say good-bye.” For me, both men had to go somewhere painful in their past to evoke this emotion.
Would you please make sure you visit ReviewsandDunn.net tomorrow when Edward Bowser of Soulinstero.com joins me for the Second Listen Sunday? Ed and I will be discussing Jon B.’s overlooked third album, Pleasures U Like.
Final Grade: B+
Secrets is available on all streaming platforms.
This past Friday marked the 40th anniversary of “The Voice,” a.k.a. Whiney Houston’s self-titled debut album hitting stores. So, in that regard, it was only right to give Nippy her flowers for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
For this weekend’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to take a trip to Motor City and show some love to soul singer Dwele. It was 2005, and I was living in the UK as part of my Air Force enlistment. Dwele had just released his second album, “Some Kinda,” enjoying some chart success with the lead single “I Think I Love U,” by Mike City.
The remainder of the album maintains a classic R&B vibe, showcasing the group’s signature sound. One of the standout tracks is “Maybe Tomorrow,” featuring the iconic Phyllis Hyman. It transforms difficult circumstances into positive outcomes—essentially making lemonade from lemons.