13 Years In The Making, But New Album Is Classic Jeffrey Osborne
It’s been 13 years since the R&B world has had a taste of the musical stylings of Jeffrey Osborne. Now, after a brief trek into the genre of Jazz, Osborne is back with his trademark ballads.
“Four years ago I did a jazz standards album. I always wanted to do a jazz album,” Osborne told Parlé magazine in a recent interview. That album was 2013’s A Time for Love and it was the final production of late jazz legend George Duke. “I was the youngest of 12 and I had to listen to what my siblings wanted to listen to before I could listen to what I wanted, so I was exposed to the jazz greats all the time,” shares Osborne. “Originally instead of this album, I was going to do a Smooth Jazz record. Then I realized the songs I was writing were Old School R&B and I went back to what I do best. I figured it was time for me to get back to R&B. I wanted to do a grown folks record.”
What he did was come with a 12-song album, Worth It All, which drops May 25, 2018, via Artistry Music. On the album, Jeffrey Osborne, 70, uses the music to reflect his 35-plus years of marriage. For the project, Osborne, who penned all the tracks, tapped such special guests as Gerald Albright on saxophone and Rick Braun on trumpet. There’s also a rainy night scenario song entitled “Work It,” co-written by his son, Jeffrey Osborne, Jr. But this new collection isn’t just Osborne trademark love ballads, there are some edgy up-tempos such as “Let a Brotha Know,” “Just Can’t Stand It” and “Stay the Way You Are.”
“I wanted this to be a real heartfelt album. My strength is singing R&B ballads; I am known for ballads, so it kind of took on that flavor, but I wanted to explore different relationships,” says Osborne. And of course, as not to disappoint, there are the signature ballads such as “The Greatest Night” and “Your Lover.”
One standout track is the title track, “Worth it All,” which takes on the challenges of going through the ups and downs of a long-term relationship. “Love is worth putting out a few fires every now and then,” says Osborne. “This is what that song is about.”
With his latest collection, the singer/songwriter/producer continues his legacy of creating classics such as “I Really Don’t Need No Light” “On the Wings of Love,” “Stay With Me Tonight,” “We’re Going All The Way,” “Love Power” (a duet with Dionne Warwick), “You Should Be Mine (The Woo Woo Song)” [his biggest solo pop charter) and “Only Human.”
While this is Jeffrey Osborne’s first R&B CD in 13 years, he has steadily performed. In fact, he does more than 100 shows a year.
For Osborne, giving back is also important. In 2012 he founded The Jeffrey Osborne Foundation and the Jeffrey Osborne Celebrity Classic. The primary mission is to benefit non-profit organizations who support a continued push for music and arts to children and their families, as well as those who provide a safe haven for families in need. In the past six years through his Celebrity Golf Tournament, the Jeffrey Osborne Foundation has donated over $750,000 to various charities in Rhode Island, Osborne’s native state.
Be sure to check out the Jeffrey Osborne album, Worth It All, available on all digital platforms on May 25th.
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