In 1998 I remember hearing a song on the radio, a piano laden track assisted with an accompanying sax and the strong vocals of an R&B singer I couldn't pinpoint at first listen. When hearing songs on the radio you didn't always get the artist or song title after it was played. Plus this was pre-shazam days so you had to rely on lyrics and hoping someone knew the song if you couldn't figure it out. Eventually I would come across the video on BET and discover that the song I was looking for was"You" by Jesse Powell. A beautiful track that was tailor made for the 90s.
On a side note, "You" was actually recorded and released on his debut album in 1996 but not released as a single. Fast forward 2 years later and they reused the track on his sophomore album, released it, and it became a hit. Either Jessie or someone in his camp thought so highly of the track that they needed to push it a 2nd time and the results were exactly what they had hoped.
Jessie Powell may have not been a household name, but "You" showcased the potential and the presence he had when given the right audience. But there was more to his music than this one track, and many more songs that deserve to be remembered or discovered.
"Gloria" (1996)
In 1996, I was all about watching sand recording music videos. Not every video and song hit me right away though. Some took a few views, some took longer. In the case of Jessie's song "Gloria," a remake of the 70s group Enchantment's original classic, I was 13 years old and the song just didn't appeal to me. It was too slow, too mature, and just wasn't to my liking when it would come on. It took many years for me to give the song another chance and it hit wayyyyy different later in life. A quality track indeed. When I started doing my weekly Twitch stream, "The 96' @ 9," an hour of music dedicated to the year 1996, this was one of the first songs I thought about. I didn't play it right away but it always stuck out in my mind when toying with the idea of showcasing music from 1996 on a weekly basis. Eventually I would play the original and also found a live version that was included on one of the CD singles it was released on.
"All I Need (Marley Marl Remix" (1996)
Jessie would release "All I Need" off his debut 1996 album, followed by a remix video shortly afterwards. However there was another remix that served as the gem. The Marley Marl remix. Fitting in with the mid 90s Hip Hop sounds, the track was made to fit the weekend radio mixes that kept the night going on Friday and Saturday nights.
"You Should Know" (1998)
Another track off his 1998 album - also serving as a personal favorite of mine - was "You Should Know." A song that easily could have crossed over to smooth jazz radio stations and reminiscent of something along the likes of New Edition's "One More Day," with its guitar centered backing.
"I Wasn't With It (Pete Rock Remix)" (1998)
Another remix of his that stands out is the remix of "I Wasn't With it." A great Pete Rock beat that bounces along and gives you that late night cruising feeling made for the streets. This song would also make one wonder what a full album of a more hip hop sound could have sounded like for Jessie during the latter half of the 90s. The fact that the song was included as a track on the album kind of proves how much they liked the song. Usually remixes are held for the CD single or vinyl releases. It was surprising to see it included as the final track on the full release album.
"If I" (2001)
In 2001, Powell released his 3rd album, titled "JP." The lead single was another ballad of his called "If I," and seemed likely to become another radio hit. It wouldn't take off the way "You" did, but stood as another strong showing to add to his repertoire. Personally I feel that the video may have held it back a little as it was extremely similar to another recent (1999) music video, which was "Fortunate" from Maxwell. Watch the 2 videos and you'll see how eerily similar the video plot, feel, and techniques are. Maybe it was nothing but without an original take or creative approach to push the song it may have hung on for a bit and faded away earlier than expected.
"I Like It" (2003)
A couple years ago I ran across his 2003 cover of Debarge's classic, "I Like It," sounding just as you would expect a 2003 sounding remake would sound. Adding a Sunday afternoon bounce feel to the song, it comes across with that feel good vibe to keep you moving along as you most likely sing along to the lyrics of the original.
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