Jeff Redd

{{short description|American singer}} {{cleanup rewrite|date=March 2021}} {{use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | honorific_prefix = | name = Jeff Redd | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_upright = | image_size = | landscape =  | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|02|02}} | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | origin = | death_date = | death_place = | genre = {{hlist|New jack swing|R&B•Reggae}} | occupation = | instrument = | years_active = 1985–present | label = }} '''Jeff Redd''' (born February 2, 1969) is an American singer and record producer who performed new jack swing-style R&B music in the late 1980s and early 1990s.<ref name="AllMusic"/>

==Career== A New York native, Redd began singing with the short-lived group, The Sophisticated Gents, at the age of 17 in the mid-1980s.<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |last1=Kellman |first1=Andy |title=Jeff Redd Biography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jeff-redd-mn0000230291/biography |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=31 January 2023}}</ref> Redd has also appeared on ''Sesame Street'' to sing a song demonstrating "between".

Redd signed a deal with Uptown Records/MCA Records after André Harrell saw him perform as a solo artist. Uptown/MCA produced his 1990 debut album ''A Quiet Storm''. It included the uptempo new jack swing tracks "I Found Lovin'" and "Come and Get Your Lovin'," and the ballad "Love High." Two of the album's singles found their way onto the ''Billboard'' R&B chart: "What Goes Around Comes Around" reached #53, and "Love High" reached #16.<ref name="Awards">{{cite web |title=Jeff Redd - Awards |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jeff-redd-mn0000230291/awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=31 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608025028/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jeff-redd-mn0000230291/awards |archive-date=June 8, 2014}}</ref>

The album ''A Quiet Storm'' had major producers such as Devante Swing from Jodeci and Timmy Allen as well as The Untouchables Dave "Jam" Hall and Eddie F.

He released a song entitled "You Called and Told Me" from the ''Strictly Business'' soundtrack in 1991.<ref name="AllMusic"/> The song samples "Catch the Beat" by T-Ski Valley.

Redd played a large part in getting then-unknown singer Mary J. Blige her start in the music industry. While working on the assembly line at General Motors, Redd met Blige's stepfather, who gave Redd a tape that featured Blige performing Anita Baker's "Caught Up in the Rapture." After hearing the tape, Redd helped her get signed to Uptown Records.<ref name="AllMusic"/> Blige then toured with Redd as one of his backup singers.

In 1994, Redd recorded a second album, ''Down Low''. However, before the album could see release, EMI America shuttered their entire black music department. As a result, very few copies ever circulated.<ref name="AllMusic"/> Some of the album was produced by rapper Lord Finesse. In 1996 he dabbled in reggae with producer and singer Robert Ffrench with two singles, one featuring Grand Puba called Cry No More and the other titled Time Is Slipping both being released in 1996.

In 2024, ''Down Low'' was officially released to digital and streaming platforms under Capitol Records.

Jeff Redd then went on to work as an A&R executive at MCA Records.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Jeff|last=Lorez|title=Guy Reunites For Album On MCA|page=80|date=4 December 1999|volume=111|issue=49|issn=0006-2510|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> While at MCA, Redd worked with artists like Regina Belle and K-Ci & JoJo.<ref name="AllMusic"/> When MCA closed their doors in 2003, Redd established his own independent label Sol Real Records.<ref name="AllMusic"/> Under this banner, Redd currently works with artists Akili, Blaq Rose and Forever, among others. In 2007, Redd released a compilation album entitled ''Jeff Redd Presents: The Essence of Soul'', a sampler which features tracks from each of these artists. In April 2010, Redd released "Take You Higher".

==Discography== ===Studio albums=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album ! style="width:40px;"|US R&B <ref name="Awards"/> ! Label |- | 1990 | ''A Quiet Storm'' | align=center | 40 | Uptown/MCA |- | 1994 | ''Down Low'' | align=center | — | EMI America |- | colspan="4" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |}

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Single ! style="width:40px;"|US R&B <ref name="Awards"/> |- | 1989 | "I Found Lovin'" | align=center | 19 |- | rowspan="3"| 1990 | "Come and Get Your Lovin'" | align=center | — |- | "Love High" | align=center | 16 |- | "What Goes Around, Comes Around" | align=center | 53 |- | 1991 | "You Called and Told Me" | align=center | 63 |- | 1993 | "Show You" | align=center | — |- | colspan="5" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Discogs artist}} *[http://www.rnbhaven.com/90s-music/feature/Jeff-Redd-Interview/5/1 Jeff Redd Interview] *[http://www.rnbhaven.com/90s-music/artists/Jeff-Redd/220 Jeff Redd Bio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Redd, Jeff}} Category:20th-century American singers Category:21st-century American singers Category:20th-century African-American male singers Category:American contemporary R&B singers Category:Living people Category:Singers from New York (state) Category:1969 births Category:20th-century American male singers Category:21st-century American male singers Category:21st-century African-American male singers