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Jeff Redd | |
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| Years active | 1985–present |
Jeff Redd is an American singer who performed new jack swing-style R&B music in the late 1980s and early 1990s. [1]
A New York native, Redd began singing with the short-lived group, The Sophisticated Gents, at the age of 17 in the mid-1980s. [1] Redd has also appeared on Sesame Street to sing a song demonstrating "between".
Redd signed a deal with Uptown Records/MCA Records after André Harrell saw him perform as a solo artist. Uptown/MCA produced his 1990 debut album A Quiet Storm . It included the uptempo new jack swing tracks "I Found Lovin'" and "Come and Get Your Lovin'," and the ballad "Love High." Two of the album's singles found their way onto the Billboard R&B chart: "What Goes Around Comes Around" reached #53, and "Love High" reached #16. [2]
The album A Quiet Storm had major producers such as Devante Swing from Jodeci and Timmy Allen as well as The Untouchables Dave "Jam" Hall and Eddie F.
He released a song entitled "You Called and Told Me" from the Strictly Business soundtrack in 1991. [1] The song samples "Catch the Beat" by T-Ski Valley.
Redd played a large part in getting then-unknown singer Mary J. Blige her start in the music industry. While working on the assembly line at General Motors, Redd met Blige's stepfather, who gave Redd a tape that featured Blige performing Anita Baker's "Caught Up in the Rapture." After hearing the tape, Redd helped her get signed to Uptown Records. [1] Blige then toured with Redd as one of his backup singers.
In 1994, Redd recorded a second album, Down Low. However, before the album could see release, EMI America shuttered their entire black music department. As a result, very few copies ever circulated. [1] Some of the album was produced by rapper Lord Finesse.
Jeff Redd then went on to work as an A&R executive at MCA Records. [3] While at MCA, Redd worked with artists like Regina Belle and K-Ci & JoJo. [1] When MCA closed their doors in 2003, Redd established his own independent label Sol Real Records. [1] Under this banner, Redd currently works with artists Akili, Blaq Rose and Forever, among others. In 2007, Redd released a compilation album entitled Jeff Redd Presents: The Essence of Soul, a sampler which features tracks from each of these artists. In April 2010, Redd released "Take You Higher".
| Year | Album | US R&B [2] | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | A Quiet Storm | 40 | Uptown/MCA |
| 1994 | Down Low | — | EMI America |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||
| Year | Single | US R&B [2] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "I Found Lovin'" | 19 | ||
| 1990 | "Come and Get Your Lovin'" | — | ||
| "Love High" | 16 | |||
| "What Goes Around, Comes Around" | 53 | |||
| 1991 | "You Called and Told Me" | 63 | ||
| 1993 | "Show You" | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, including the Billboard Icon Award. She has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its original song "Mighty River", becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year.
What's the 411? is the debut album by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige. It was released on July 28, 1992, by Uptown Records and MCA Records. After signing a record contract with Uptown, Blige began working on the album with producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. Other producers and songwriters included DeVante Swing, Tony Dofat, Dave Hall, Mark Morales and Mark "Cory" Rooney. The resulting music covered hip hop soul, contemporary R&B, and new jack swing styles.
Keith Sweat is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and an early figure in the new jack swing musical movement. He is known for his collection of hits including "I Want Her", "Make It Last Forever", "I'll Give All My Love to You", "Make You Sweat", "Get Up on It", "Twisted" and "Nobody". He has released 13 solo albums and discovered the groups Silk and Kut Klose.
Jodeci is an American R&B quartet consisting of members DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci, and JoJo. Formed in 1989 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jodeci's members began their musical careers as two duos of brothers and, after years of limited success, joined forces. After signing with Uptown Records in 1991, the group began to work on their debut album, Forever My Lady, which brought them mainstream success with the Billboard Hot 100 single "Come and Talk to Me" and the album's titular track.
Guy is an American hip hop, R&B and soul group founded in 1987 by Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, and Timmy Gatling. Hall's younger brother Damion Hall replaced Gatling after the recording of the group's self-titled debut album. The group released their debut album, which went on to sell over a million copies and was certified double platinum. In following their success, the group released their second album The Future in 1990, which also charted with successful singles and received platinum as well. Following their nearly decade long split, the group returned with their third album before the 2000s millennium, which charted with their hit single "Dancin'".
Uptown Records is an American record label, based in New York City, founded in 1986 by onetime rapper Andre Harrell. From the late 1980s into the early 1990s, it was a leader in R&B and hip hop. During the 1990s, aided by its A&R worker Sean Combs, it led the fusion of these two genres. Its artists included Al B. Sure!, Christopher Williams, Guy, Heavy D & The Boyz, Father MC, Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G., and Soul for Real.
Stephanie Dorthea Mills is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to stardom as "Dorothy" in the original seven-time Tony Award winning Broadway run of the musical The Wiz from 1974 to 1979. The song "Home" from the show later became a Number 1 U.S. R&B hit and her signature song. During the 1980s, she had five Number 1 R&B hits, including "Home", "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love", "I Feel Good All Over", "(You're Puttin') A Rush on Me" and "Something in the Way ". She won a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for her song "Never Knew Love Like This Before" in 1981. Her albums What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin, Sweet Sensation and Stephanie went gold or platinum, all through 20th Century Fox Records.
Hip hop soul is a subgenre of contemporary R&B music, most popular during the early and mid 1990s, which fuses R&B or soul singing with hip hop musical production. The subgenre had evolved from a previous R&B subgenre, new jack swing, which had incorporated hip-hop influences into R&B music. By contrast, hip hop soul is, as described in The Encyclopedia of African American Music, "quite literally soul singing over hip hop grooves".
Share My World is the third studio album by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige, released by MCA on Earth Day, April 22, 1997. The album became Blige's first to open at number one on the US Billboard 200 album chart. Moreover, it is her first album where she serves as an executive producer, alongside Steve Stoute, who also shared executive producer credits on the album.
Andre O’Neal Harrell was an American music executive and multimedia producer. In 1986, recently a rapper, he formed Uptown Records, soon a leader in R&B, rap, and their fusion, "hip hop soul" and "new jack swing." He gave Sean "Diddy" Combs his 1990 start in the industry, and later was Motown Records' CEO.
My Life is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige, released on November 29, 1994, by Uptown Records and MCA Records. Many of the topics on My Life deal with clinical depression, Blige's battling with both drugs and alcohol, as well as being in an abusive relationship. Unlike her debut, What's the 411? (1992), Blige contributed lyrics to fourteen of the album's tracks, making it her most introspective and personal album at the time. Similar to her debut album, My Life features vast production from Sean "Puffy" Combs for his newly founded label, Bad Boy Entertainment, which was at the time backed by Arista Records.
Terri & Monica was an R&B duo from the early 1990s which featured Terri Robinson and Monica Payne, who were members of the short-lived late 1980s New Jack Swing R&B group The Gyrlz along with third member Tara Geter.
Love Always is the debut album of American R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo, released on June 17, 1997, by MCA Records. It was recorded at various studios in New York and the Los Angeles area in 1996 and 1997. It was produced by JoJo and several others, including DeVante Swing, Jon-John Robinson, James Mtume, and Jeff Redd. The duo were originally a part of Jodeci before this album.
Bobby is the third studio album by American singer Bobby Brown, released in 1992 by MCA Records. The album continued the R&B/new jack swing sound of its predecessor, Don't Be Cruel. Babyface, L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons returned as producers and songwriters, however, Brown also worked with other producers, most notably Teddy Riley, who was considered a pioneer of the new jack swing genre. Riley also co-wrote and produced the majority of the album. Brown had more creative input and control of the album, becoming an executive producer and co-writing seven of the album's thirteen songs. The album received mixed reviews from music critics.
What's the 411? Remix is a remix album by R&B singer Mary J. Blige, released on December 7, 1993 by Uptown Records and MCA Records. It is composed of remixed tracks from Blige's critically acclaimed debut album, and involved record producers and recording artists including Sean "Puffy" Combs, Teddy Riley, Eddie "F" Ferrell, Craig Mack, Heavy D, the Notorious B.I.G., and K-Ci Hailey. The album received favorable reviews, and debuted at number 118 on the Billboard 200, and number 22 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
"I'm Going Down" is a song written and produced by Norman Whitfield, and performed by American soul and R&B group Rose Royce in 1976. It is from the film Car Wash and is featured on its soundtrack. In 1994, it was covered by American singer Mary J. Blige.
"Reminisce" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige from her debut album, What's the 411? (1992). It was co-written by Kenny Greene and Dave "Jam" Hall, who also produced it. Described as a new jack swing song inspired by 1970s soul music, it contains a sample of "Stop, Look, Listen" (1989) by American rapper MC Lyte. The single peaked at number fifty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. A more uptempo and hip hop-inspired remix of the song, featuring duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth, later appeared on Blige's 1993 remix album of the same name.
Close to You is the second studio album from American hip hop artist Father MC, released on May 19, 1992 on Uptown Records.
Cedric Renard Hailey, known professionally as K-Ci, is an American singer, songwriter and member of K-Ci & JoJo and Jodeci.
"I Found Lovin'" is a song first released by the Fatback Band in 1983 by Master Mix Records and was included on their album With Love. The song reached number 49 on the UK Singles Charts in 1984. The song was re-recorded and released by Important Records in August 1986, upon which it reached number 55 in the UK. In January 1987, the original release of the song was re-released, which peaked at number 7 in the charts.
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