Jodeci - Let's Go Through The Motions - (1993)

Uptown/MCA Records, UPTDM-54636

Jodeci were the heirs apparent to the New Jack throne vacated by the disbanding of Guy. A little tougher, perhaps. A little more street, definitely. A little more gospel tinged, too. They'd already enjoyed good success with their 1991 debut album, Forever My Lady, which more or less passed me by thanks to the awesomeness of Guy's The Future, released the same year, which stole all the limelight, as far as I was concerned... but that's another story (and another selection of posts).

However, forward on two years to '93 and Guy had gone their separate ways. Good timing then for Jodeci to drop their much harder, more "gangsta" 2nd album Diary Of A Mad Band, which (deservedly) blew up in a huge way. There were no filler tracks, save for Jodecidal Hotline, which was a skit anyway, and only three ballads, and then, a gradual slide into dirtier, and funkier territory with each track after that. It was a real tour de force.

The album served as a launching platform for such greats as Timbaland (who was an understudy of Devante), Missy Elliott (heard rapping on two of the tracks) and Ginuwine - they were all members of DeVante's Swing Mob team at this point.

And what do you know? Before the year was out, from H-Town to Kreuz, every R&B band and their dog were sounding like Jodeci.

That same year, Jodeci contributed an upbeat party jam to the excellent Who's The Man soundtrack album (I've still never seen that film, but I always loved Ed Lover and Dr Dre on "Yo! MTV Raps") called Let's Go Through the Motions. It wasn't one of their bigger hits, but remains a club smasher. It was a new track, not culled from Diary..., although later editions of that album would include Let's Go Through The Motions, and their cover of the Stevie Wonder classic Lately as extra tracks.

I love this track, hope you do too.

Enjoy!

- Kymba :)

• Let's Go Through the Motions (radio)
• Let's Go Through the Motions (instrumental)
• Let's Go Through the Motions (intro radio)

• Bonus - Let's Go Through the Motions (album version)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Let's Go Through The Motions.zip File size: 22.5 MB

PS - I've also included the original full-length track from the Who's The Man album, in addition to the three tracks on this CD single.

Jeff Redd - A Quiet Storm 1990

MCA Records MCAD-42299

Native New Yorker, Jeff Redd began singing with the short-lived group, The Sophisticated Gents, at the age of 17 in the mid-1980s. Redd got a deal with Uptown-MCA Records after Andre Harrell saw him perform as a solo artist. Uptown-MCA produced his 1990 debut album, A Quiet Storm. It includes some uptempo New Jack Swing songs I Found Lovin' and Come And Get Your Lovin' but this album is all about the far superior love ballads Love High and What Goes Around, Comes Around both of which charted with Love High reaching #16 on the charts. He also released a song entitled You Called And Told Me, from the Strictly Business soundtrack in 1991.

Redd played a large part in getting then-unknown singer Mary J Blige started in the music industry. While working in the assembly line at General Motors, Redd was given a tape from Mary J. Blige's step-father. The tape featured Blige performing Anita Baker's Rapture. Redd helped get her signed to Uptown and she toured with and worked as a background singer for him.

In 1993, Redd recorded a second album, Down Low. However, before the album could see release, EMI closed their entire black music department. As a result, only 1000 copies ever saw release and the album is very hard to find.

Jeff Redd then went on to work as an A&R exec at MCA Records. While at MCA, Redd worked with artists like Regina Belle and K-Ci & JoJo. When MCA closed their doors in 2003, Redd started up his own independent label, Sol Real Records, LLC.

With the label, Redd currently works with artists like Akili, Blaq Rose and Forever. In 2007, Redd released an album entitled Jeff Redd Presents : The Essence Of Soul which features tracks from each of these artists. Jeff Redd has an album in the works to be released in 2008.

• I Found Lovin'
• Love High
• In My House
• Giving My Love To You
• Dance With Me
• Come And Get My Lovin'
• Surrender
• What Goes Around, Comes Around
• Brazilian Lady
• I Like Your Love (I Like It)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Jeff Redd.rar Filesize: 58.87 MB



Info courtesy of Wikapedia so its not guaranteed accurate?

Pennye Ford - Dangerous 1985

Total Experience Records FT 49976

Penny (with or without an 'e') Ford's musical roots run deep, daughter of record exec. Gene Redd Sr. (King Records) and singer Carolyn Ford and sister of Sharon Redd ('Beat the Street'), She was exposed to a lot of music as a result of Dad's work with James Brown and Kool & the Gang. She got into music at five years old, when she started piano lessons and she eventually became an in-demand session vocalist. Ford can rightfully make claim to being "Ms. New Jill" before there was New Jack Swing. She signed with Total Experience Records, home of the Gap Band and can be heard on their hit single I Found My Baby. The New Jack sound owes a lot to the artists of Total Experience.

Ford debuted as a recording artist in her own right on the 1984 album Pennye, which yielded two R&B charters, Change Your Wicked Ways and the slammin' Dangerous (this 12" is a must for dance fans). With production by Jonah Ellis, Oliver Scott, Jimmy Hamilton and Maurice Hayes (Have Myself a Good Time), and Yarborough & Peoples (Don't Stop the Music) Pennye was loaded with sassy soulfulness and is a good precursor of the new jack sound. Remix duty is carried out by Lonnie Simmons, the legendary Total Experience producer that made the Gap Band a success.

Ed Hogan, All Music Guide

• Dangerous (Remix)
• Change Your Wicked Ways (Remix No. 1)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Pennye Ford.rar Filesize: 40.86 MB

Asia Blue - Connect 1992

Atomic Records ABDJ 1

This is the song that actually got me interested in Asia Blue. Note that it's a Promo 12", no cover i.e. no pretty girls to distract me from the music. No sir, this was recommended by Steve Hobbs in Blues & Soul mag and it joined my very long 'Wanted' list. Although all Asia Blue's songs are OK, none of them were particularly special. Boy In The Moon was all about D-Influence and Escaping was bought on the strength of the other two singles. Connect is more than that, Connect is special.

The 3 Amigoz Mix is as far as you need to go, IMO. It's an infectious piece of street soul that has the x factor (and I don't mean the bloody tv program) that makes you want to move. The other mixes are a little less effective and the 4 2 The Floor house mix should be treated with the contempt it deserves. A pointless attempt at making the song fit where it shouldn't.

• The 3 Amigoz Mix
• 4 2 The Floor Mix
• 7" Radio Mix
• Street Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Asia Blue - Connect.rar Filesize: 38.96 MB