Jazmine Sullivan FUNKS It Up with Vanity 6

 
Jazmine Sullivan’s new CD “Love Me Back” is one of the best R&B offerings in a long while. The project incorporates hip-hop, jazz and funk all cooked up in an R&B stew that has a fresh sound, while infusing a recognizable retro groove. Better than her debut CD “Fearless,” it was released too late for Grammy consideration this year. However, the first single “Holding You Down (Going In Circles)” from the album, is up for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

If it doesn’t garner more recognition for next year’s ceremony, I’ll be very surprised and disappointed (but that wouldn’t be a first for the Grammys). One who’s actually been around for awhile, she was nominated for Best New Artist in 2009, and is an eight-time Grammy nominee overall.

The songs “10 Seconds,” “Excuse Me” and “Stuttering” deliver the sentiment of classic rhythm and blues offerings. “10 Seconds” & “Love You Long Time” were produced by Salaam Remi, who did her hits “Bust Your Windows” and “Lions, Tigers and Bears” from the “Fearless” CD. Her song “Good Enough” rings of tones that Prince is noted for, and it’s followed by the track “Don’t Make me Wait.” On “Don’t Make Me Wait,” Sullivan sings “Don’t make me wait too long / Just play my favorite song / I’ll get my Vanity Six on.”

Vanity 6

Produced by LOS Da Mystro, it’s steeped in an 80’s sound that takes you to Minneapolis, Jam & Lewis style. Sullivan’s “Fearless” also featured her debut single “Need U Bad,” which was produced by Missy Elliott. Elliott worked her magic on the Grammy nominated “Holding You Down,” as well as “Excuse Me” and “Luv Back”on the current release. “Love Me Back” also includes the tracks “Famous” and “U Get On My Nerves” featuring Ne-Yo.

Jazmine did several shows around the country this past fall. She takes the stage this coming Tuesday for a set in New York with fellow songstress Chrisette Michele and crooner Christopher Williams. You can pick up a copy of Jazmine Sullivan’s “Love Me Back” for only $3.99 atAmazon’s MP3 Store.

UPDATE 2/12/11 — I initially published this blog 12/24/10, about a month ago on 01/03/11, Sullivan tweeted via ‘jsullivanmusic’: “i’m making an officialannouncement that i am taking a break from music. i’m trying to figure out who i am… w/ out a mike, paper or pen.” I hope her hiatus isn’t too long, more than that, I hope radio, clubs and music lovers around the world play Jazmine’s “Love Me Back” for a very long time – I certainly will be. Two months later after playing it constantly and I’m still poppin’ it in – heads know…  I came across this large jpeg of the ‘Love Me Back’ cover art and had to drop it in this blog.

FUNKIN’ R&B Love
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