“Down Low” is a modern rarity that is well worth trying to hunt down. Although officially unreleased, a quantity somehow managed to escape the factory and end up on sale in a very few select, more savvy outlets in the UK only. The late, great Gerry Osborne at Masters of Music was among them, and was selling them like hot cakes for a mere £12.99 prior to supply quickly drying up! Mine was snapped up in a video / CD emporium somewhere in Portsmouth for a mere £9.99! Although the album commands up to £250 on eBay, I am certain that there are some still floating around a LOT cheaper than that. The thing is, is this album worth the hunt? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’, although I could not and would not recommend you pay such a hefty price for it! Jeff Redd is well loved for his superb debut CD for Uptown / MCA back in 1990, and if you love that set then it’s a sure thing to say that you will also love this. Perhaps more harder and urban in orientation, “Down Low” manages to appeal to those who are more predisposed to the modern “R&B” phenomenon, yet still has deep roots in the more soulful side of the street. Jeff’s vocals are silky, soulful and not in the nasal, whining style that seemed prevalent at the time. The single release, “You Called And Showed Me”, I am sure was lifted from one of those 90s urban/gangsta films, the name of which naturally escapes me. This particular song is definitely one of those that still rode the wave of success at the tail end of the swingbeat years, and is one of the better and less ephemeral ambassadors for the genre. Indeed, it is still a solid track today, 18 years on. “Show You” with its ham-fisted clonking beats, samples and cool Rhodes keys is a complete and utter 90s KILLER choon. This was a perfect vehicle for Jeff to flex his vocal skills, swaggering effortlessly through the urban beats and smoother keys. This really is smooth, but with a roughness that will definitely have you nodding your head.
The Vibe Scribe
