There's a lot of music still to be made between Eddie Levert and his son Gerald. Eddie Sr. is still going strong as one of the original members of the O'Jays, and while Gerald hasn't had a huge hit since 1987's "Casanova" as part of the O'Jays-styled trio Levert, he's continued to write hits for other urban R&B artists as well as himself. Classic R&B romance
"For the Love"
with a modern edge
The O'Jays (MCA)"Gerald's World"
Gerald Levert (Elektra)
Review by Gary C.W. Chun
gchun@starbulletin.comOf course, the O'Jays enjoyed their peak years from 1972-78 as one of the stable of rock-solid acts on the Philadelphia International label. We're talking about Philly soul classics like "Back Stabbers," "For the Love of Money," "Love Train" and "Use Ta Be My Girl." One of the trademarks of the group's sound was, and still is, Levert's impassioned growls. The O'Jays even toured with his sons' group, which included not only Gerald but also son/brother Sean.
As the O'Jays began in 1958 in Canton, Ohio, so did the group Levert in nearby Cleveland of '86. The younger group distinguished itself by eschewing the then-popular "new jack swing" sound popularized by Guy and Bobby Brown for a classic R&B sound, but with a modern edge.
That still holds true for Gerald's latest solo effort, with that "modern edge" including that nervous, chittery hip-hop sound so prevalent nowadays in black pop music. That can be heard to good effect on his album tracks "#1" and especially on the downright sexy "You're a Keeper." It's a deliciously erotic combination of a spare instrumental arrangement (with a beguiling toy piano sound) and Levert's yearning and pleading his woman to keep doin' what's she's doin' so well. Other cooler but no less pleasurable tracks include two syncopators written and produced by Mike City, "Soul Mate" and "Same Ol'," and the prime emotional track from "Gerald's World," "Just Us."
Keeping it in the family, brother Sean makes a guest vocal, along with Joe Little III, on "Make My Day."
Like his daddy, Levert can keep it old school with such romantic numbers as "What Makes It Good to You (No Premature Lovin')," "Can't Win," "Made to Love Ya" and "Forever You and Me," a classic-sounding joint co-written with guitarist Randy Bowland.And it should be no surprise to see Bowland's services listed as well on the O'Jays album. He helps lay down some tasty guitar on two of the album's more Memphis-influenced tracks, "Long Distance Lover," an stirring opening number that has a great punch 'n' roll feel, and "Baby Making Love."
While one expects a relative youngster as Gerald Levert to still be pertinent in today's urban R&B, "For the Love" turns out to be an unexpected delight song for song, considering that old-time fans would've been happy with the same ol' same ol'.
What's made the O'Jays album a special treat for this reviewer was seeing the name of an old St. Louis School classmate of mine (a budding musician I tried to hang with as much as I could because he knew all the cool stuff) who moved to Los Angeles.
Derek Nakamoto is listed as the album's co-producer, and he contributed much to its overall sound and feel, perfectly complementing the vocal tracks laid down by Eddie Levert, Walter Williams and newest member Eric Grant. Nakamoto seems to have played every keyboard imaginable, both acoustic and electronic, in filling out highlight tracks as "Put Out the Fire," the midtempo "I Don't Know" and "Sounds Like Me," an urbane number that hearkens back to the triumphant sound that was Philadelphia International.
Nakamoto has even turned out to be a fine arranger as well, putting together two arrangements for a small string section heard on the aforementioned "Long Distance Lover" and the smooth balladry of "I'm Ready Now."
Where much of today's urban R&B has a sterile sameness to it, these two albums show that strong male singers like the O'Jays and Gerald Levert can still throw it down with the best of them.
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