First Listen: Thomas Motter and LeNora Jaye take us to the “Moon”
I would never make the assertion that Europe is the only place where classic R&B is being made. However, homegrown talent as well as artist who migrated to the continent have been making good R&B in places such as Germany for quite a while. Johnnie Wilder, the founding member of Heatwave, was born in Ohio but he sang in Germany during and after his time in the military.
We certainly know that plenty of Europeans have a deep and abiding love of R&B, funk and jazz, and all of these elements can be heard in “Moon 88,” the new ballad by Heidelberg, Germany native son Thomas Motter, feat. LeNora Jaye. Both Motter and Jaye are known to SoulTrackers. Motter released the well regarded album High with his group Moon Base in 2012, and Jaye’s 2011 album The Story also earned praise. Their 2014 collaboration on the mid-tempo jam “Star” received a well-deserved first listen in 2014, and I think that their latest “Moon 88” is throwback to a time when legends such as Quincy Jones, George Duke and Norman Connors used their jazz background to create sophisticated R&B. This one is definitely worth a listen.
By Howard Dukes
Thomas Motter feat. LeNora Jaye
“Moon 88”
