Few female blue-eyed soul singers have reached Teena Marie’s level of success. Beginning in the late 70s, Marie racked up a string of funk hits on R&B radio, establishing credibility in that market. Working with Rick James (and eventually dating him) lent her authenticity, although audiences cared little about her color — they just responded to her soulful voice. In fact, she did not cross over onto the pop charts until 1985 with her single “Lovergirl”. Marie remains a beloved figure in the R&B music community; 2004's La Dona features appearances by fans MC Lyte, Common, and the late Gerald LeVert.
Since then, no other white female soul artist has had such an impact on R&B (some might argue in favor of Mariah Carey, though she first experienced success on the pop charts and crossed over later in her career). The latest challenger to Marie’s legacy, Leigh Jones, recently released her debut CD, Music in My Soul. Like Marie, Jones boasts an impressive mentor in Soul’s co-producer Kerry Gordy, son of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jr.
Unlike some soul singers, Jones demonstrates a range of musical styles on her album. “I’m Leavin’ You” is a straightforward blues number, while “Can’t Get Enough”, “Same Game”, and “Goodbye” feature chord changes and piano more befitting jazz. “The Words You Never Say” reminds one of Jill Scott with its smooth combination of jazz and urban contemporary music.
Clearly Gordy and Jones both think the latter's strength lies in R&B, and many of the tracks reflect that opinion. The first single, “Free Fall”, tries to establish her as a streetwise hip hop star — Mary J. Blige lite, perhaps. While she sings the tune pleasantly enough, Jones' voice lacks the depth to convince us of her true emotion. “Who What Why” is a typical urban ballad, but gives Jones an opportunity to show off her soulful vocals. “Sick of Fools” becomes unintentionally amusing with Jones lamenting the lack of men who aren’t “players, gamers, freaks”, “pseudo wannabe pimps”, and “psychos.” Here Jones sounds a bit out of her depth, as if she’s trying to shoehorn herself into a hip-hop queen image. She also gravitates toward semi-autobiographical tracks such as “Cold in L.A.”, where she describes her initial adjustment to living in the big city.
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