Wow, digging in the crates can be so much fun. I thought about this album after getting off of the phone with my oldest sister, Yolanda. I remembered when Yolanda would play this album and would play one particular cut entitiled "Won't You Let Me Love You". This song was more of a mid-tempo ballad that could be easily overlooked by the electronic direction that Wright was taking throughout the album.
Retaining the services of veteran producers Dave Grusin, Larry Rosen, Lenny White and Wright himself, this album explores several subgenres of music. Being as gifted as he is, Wright obviously did not want to limit himself by recording just one style of music. With the popularity of breakdancing and the rise of video arcades, Wright's pioneering vision is witnessed on "Funky Beat" and "Video Generation." The former made the Billboard R&B charts, peaking at #39, but the latter was never a release. These compositions are not breathtaking recordings, but do offer a alternative to the routine rhythms normally used; they verge on pre-techno. Wright slows it down with a more contemporary sound on "Keep on Doing That Right Thing" and "Won't You Let Me Love You." The latter is a skillfully written, highly underrated song that made the Billboard R&B charts at number 88 after only a two-week run. Wright further displays his versatility on a remake of the Clifford Brown jazz classic "Joy Spring," a melodious, soft and easy jazz composition that features Lenny White on drums. However, no selection is more noteworthy than "Mr. Clean," a funky, jazzy, souful instrumental driven by improvised keyboard solos and a pulsating, electric bass.
All I can say is that Wright had a sleeper with this track and I recorded it directly from her old album....chicken grease and all. Last, if you listen to the previous mix, April Showers, you will hear a sped up version of the track. Thanks Yolanda!!!
J-Finesse
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