having been listening to jam and lewis since s.o.s band's "just the way you like it", on which album do ya'll think they found their niche? i'm talkin 'bout that "melodic touch" that made everybody and they mama make a trip up 2 minneapolis for their official "ghetto pass".... i think they perfected it between alexander o'neal's 1st album in 85' and the last s.o.s. album they produced (sands of time) in 86'....keep in mind that not long after those projects came human leauge and janet jackson's control...

I would say when they did "On The Rise" by the S.O.S. Band. "Tell Me If You Still Care" and "Just Be Good To Me"

On The Rise came out in 1983, then Just The Way You Like It in 1985. By the time Janet Jackson's "Control" came out in 86, Jam & Lewis WERE Black Music!!!! And this was BEFORE L.A. & Babyface!!!!!

woogiebear said:

that's right 'cause la and 'face were still a part of "the deele" and hadnt broke out on their own with Pebbles....

SOS Band's 1984 album "Just the way you like it". This album has "Weekend Girl" which is very melodic IMO. From there, Jam & Lewis began to craft melodic tunes for Patti Austin, Alexander O'Neal, Force Md's, & Janet.

I'd say Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation 1814". Control was 'POP', "Rhythm Nation" was Funky but still very commercially successful. Sales, listenablity and credibility all in one.


M2K

I would say Alexander O'neal (self-titled, Hearsay, and All True Man albums) records, Janet's (Control and Rhythm Nation 1814), The SOS Band stuff and cherelle's ("Everything I Miss At Home" and "I didn't Mean To Turn You On") stuff was great. Jimmy and Terry played a huge part in bring back R&B in the 80's (along with Prince with the "Uptown explosion" in the 80's). It was a trip to watch the making of Purple Rain on the (2 dvd) Special Edition of Purple Rain and to hear that after that movie came out alot of people was trying to get record deals by taking that trip up 2 minneapolis for their official "ghetto pass"(for some production, working with someone there or getting a deal by saying "we're from minneapolis"). People were trying to get deals by saying "we're from minneapolis" and they were not. Man, that was something.

sms130 said:

but those people runnin up there and the one's claimin the twin, 4got that Prince and everyone around him didn't get their fame off of hand outs or piggy backin....from "grand central" thru "the time" they all left 10 years of blood sweat and tears in the minneapolis snow....

They hit their niche with the S.O.S Band. However, Terry Lewis once said that Quincey Jones gave them some very good advice. He told them that instead of producing 2 or 3 songs for each artist they worked with, Try writing and producing an entire album. That would be where the big money is. They decided to take his advice with the next artist they worked with, which happened to be....Janet Jackson, And the rest as they say is history.

They were at their best the first few years when they started producing with jams such as The SOS Band's "Just Be Good To Me", Change's "Change Of Heart", Cherelle's "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On", and Captain Rapp's "Bad Times".

I want to say 'Just the way you like' but I really think it's 'Sands of Time' the sound at that point started to mature and Janet got the benefit over the following years. Oh I have to say that one of the best things to drive to at night is No one's gonna love you - it even works in 2006!!