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.
It’s hard to believe that an iconic singing competition like American Idol has produced only two Black male winners in its more than two-and-a-half-decade history. Jamal Roberts made history last year when he won the show, following Ruben Studdard’s well-deserved victory in Season Two.
One wonderful aspect of supporting physical media is that I never run short of albums to choose from when deciding what to cover for Second Listen Sunday. Often, I’ll head to the man cave, browse through my CD collection, and an album will pop out at me. This week’s pick is T-Pain’s fourth album, “Revolver.”
One of my favorite singers, Mr. Eric Roberson, is performing this weekend at America’s legendary music venue, The Birchmere. To show Eric some love, I want to highlight something longtime R&B fans have always known: he’s had remarkable songwriting talent.