Later he said, 'Oh, in case you don't get this, would you be interested in being involved with Nu Colours?' She left the group in 1995 and began song writing and vocal arranging.ДЄfter singing on the UK gospel circuit, Lain Gray was asked to join premier gospel outfit Nu Colours in 1991, Lawrence Johnson, founder member of the group, was calling Lain for auditions saying he was putting some band together. She honed her craft growing up in the Church of God of Prophecy in Harlesden, north west London, and at 19 joined Nu Colours, who had a deal with a secular label. ДЇay is one of the most experienced singers on the UK gospel scene. Wookie on 'Battle' amongst many others), Lawrence Johnson, Sophia Johnson, Patricia Knight and the legendary Fay Simpson. The Gospel group comprising Lain Gray (Lain provided some great vocals for Jason Chue a.k.a. Nu Colours were the gospel group and looked likely to make a cross over into the mainstream. As a result, only 1000 copies ever saw release and the album is very hard to find. However, before the album could see release, EMI closed their entire black music department. In 1993, Redd recorded a second album, Down Low. Redd helped get her signed to Uptown and she toured with and worked as a background singer for him. The tape featured Blige performing Anita Baker's Rapture. While working in the assembly line at General Motors, Redd was given a tape from Mary J. Redd played a large part in getting then-unknown singer Mary J Blige started in the music industry. He also released a song entitled You Called And Told Me, from the Strictly Business soundtrack in 1991. It includes some uptempo New Jack Swing songs I Found Lovin ' and Come And Get Your Lovin' but this album is all about the far superior love ballads Love High and What Goes Around, Comes Around both of which charted with Love High reaching #16 on the charts. Uptown-MCA produced his 1990 debut album, A Quiet Storm. Redd got a deal with Uptown-MCA Records after Andre Harrell saw him perform as a solo artist. Smokey Robinson - Ooh Baby Baby (03:00)ДЎ 11.Native New Yorker, Jeff Redd began singing with the short-lived group, The Sophisticated Gents, at the age of 17 in the mid-1980s. Smokey Robinson - The Tears Of A Clown (03:23)ДЎ 10. Smokey Robinson - Ain't That Peculiar (03:47)ДЎ 09. Smokey Robinson - Being With You (04:15)ДЎ 08. Smokey Robinson - The Way You Do (The Things You Do) (03:34)ДЎ 07. Smokey Robinson - Quiet Storm (04:58)ДЎ 06. Smokey Robinson - You Really Got A Hold On Me (03:25)ДЎ 05. Smokey Robinson - The Tracks Of My Tears (03:27)ДЎ 02. Had everyone recorded together, the set would have at least benefited from some unforced spontaneity.ДЎ 01. Compared to the originals, or even the better covers released during the intervening years, these versions are pleasant if sterile. One deviation - 'Get Ready,' where Smokey is joined by Gary Barlow - slathers modern dance-pop coloring to dismal effect. The instrumental support is mostly middle-of-the-road adult contemporary R&B without any conscious attempt to sound retro.

Among the backing musicians are Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson, John Mayer, Cornelius Mims, Jim Keltner, and Jackson himself.

The noteworthy guests aren't limited to singers. Blige ('Being with You'), while pairings with the likes of Elton John ('The Tracks of My Tears') and James Taylor ('Ain't That Peculiar') are livelier than expected but forgettable. Smokey gets the best results with the veteran R&B women, Ledisi ('Ooh Baby Baby') and Mary J. Not only is it a poor matchup with Smokey's typically sweet and steady delivery, but it's the song where the recording method - the vocalists didn't record together - is most obvious. For an instance of the latter, Steven Tyler wails, screeches, and ad libs all over 'You Really Got a Hold on Me' while Nicole Scherzinger, a prominent background voice, takes a reverent approach that verges on solemn. The array of vocal matchups alternates between suitable and, yeah, peculiar. Produced by Jackson, Smokey duets with his guests on fresh versions of popular compositions he wrote during the early '60s through the early '80s, popularized by Smokey himself - with and without the Miracles - or other artists, namely the Temptations and Marvin Gaye. Smokey & Friends seems like it's as much an American Idol judges and mentors project - or a sequel to Randy Jackson's Music Club - than a celebration of Smokey Robinson's career.

Smokey robinson a quiet storm rar