Some people become artists because they seek fortune and fame. They believe that somehow, performing, writing and producing will bring them the accolades and acclaim they feel they’ve been missing. And then there are the people who have no choice in the matter – artistry has chosen them. They are compelled to write, perform and record the way the rest of us are compelled to breathe. Whether they sell five million records or just five, some folks will always create.

Jon B is one of these rare individuals. He is the consummate artist. Unlike many of the poseurs who have attempted to lay claim to his niche, he is an accomplished musician, (he plays bass, drums, guitar and piano), and he is a noted songwriter and producer. His is a richly textured body of music, a testament to one man’s love for all things soul. His latest disc, Everyday Struggles (due Nov. 25, 2003, on Edmonds Record Group/DreamWorks Records), reaffirms this fine tradition.

"Everything on this album is based on real experiences," Jon says of the disc. "These are literal statements – I’m putting my life and soul into this music. An artist can have hot tracks, but if you’ve been through some rough times – and we all have – then I want to feel it in your music. I believe you must go deep and really tap into your emotions before you can speak the truth about anything." Jon’s own musical roots go very deep.

Born in Rhode Island, Jonathan Buck was raised primarily in Pasadena, Calif. During his childhood, he spent many an afternoon in the record store owned by his grandparents. "I literally listened to records all day long," he attests. "I had a very large collection, and I didn’t even understand the cultural impact of the music I was listening to; I just knew I liked certain records, everything by The Bee Gees, Earth, Wind & Fire, Diana Ross … I didn’t know anything about genre or style; I just knew good music." Good music quickly became an addiction – and a life path.

"The summer after I graduated from high school, I told my dad I was going to pursue music and not go to college. He just looked at me and said, ‘Well, you better get a record deal!’" Jon recalls with a laugh.

But the young artist’s commitment was no laughing matter. That very summer he wrote, produced and recorded an incredible 40 songs and began making the rounds at major record labels. Within a few months, he’d met Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and his wife, Tracy Edmonds, who were interested in signing Jon to their label imprint, Edmonds Record Group (formerly Yab Yum). "At first, I was simply trying to secure a deal as a songwriter and producer," Jon informs. "But Kenny was adamant about me releasing my own record."

The relationship between Jon and Edmonds Record Group immediately bore fruit. His debut album, 1995’s platinum-certified Bonafide, was particularly notable for the song "Someone To Love," a duet with Babyface. The single was a #5 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts. Looking back, Jon ventures: "That first album was really experimental. It was a fun project, and it helped me figure out what type of artist I wanted to be. But it was on my second album that I think I really hit it. I had focus, and I was growing as an artist."

Indeed, Cool Relax shot to the Top 5 of R&B charts upon its release in 1998, fueled by the success of "They Don’t Know," a platinum-certified single and a #1 R&B hit. A highly melodic offering with an ultra-romantic vibe, "They Don’t Know" cemented Jon’s reputation as a balladeer with real heart. "Are You Still Down," the B-side to "They Don’t Know," peaked at #2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks. He continued his mission with Pleasures U Like, which rose to #3 on the R&B charts in 2001. The first single, the hit love-at-first-club-sighting anthem "Don’t Talk" single-handedly pushed the album past 400,000 units sold.

Up now is Everyday Struggles, an of-the-moment take on the music journey that has become Jon’s life. It is cinematic, a real-life soundtrack based on one man’s travels, trials and tribulations.

"I’ve been through a lot of emotional things that affected my music," says Jon. I think people are going to feel that on this album and that’s important to me." From the recession, to the unemployment rate and the effects of war and terrorism on our psyche, Jon is a social historian, documenting the ills affecting our society, while at the same time, producing music to ease that pain.

"We saw the Twin Towers come down. The world is just crazy right now. We want to find a place to just relax sometimes," says Jon. "Some place where we can all form a collective and communicate on another level. You try to find that vibe where you can finally be at one with the people around you. Sometimes, a club is that place. I can communicate with people, put my own struggles and perspective. This album tells the story of the collective."

The narrative arc on Everyday Struggles begins with the first radio track "Everytime," featuring Dirt McGirt (formerly known as Old Dirty Bastard). The song is a mid-tempo outing in the "Don’t Talk" school. It’s about catching someone’s eye in the club – and keeping the heat sizzling all night long. Jon’s delivery is subtle here, darting in and around the tingly keys that start the song off and keep time throughout. The cut uniquely showcases his buttery vocals, poured atop what could well be called "modern mood music."

After the penetrating gaze comes the introductions, the small talk, the seduction. On "Patient," Jon let’s his lady know that he’s not in a patient mood – he’s already sure she’s The One, so why wait? "I ain’t even heard you talk," he purrs. "And I already know what you sound like when you moan."

The disc follows this playful flirtation through the varied chapters of a contemporary love story. From the first date, sketched in the mischievous "I’m Right Here," to the first night of intimacy, captured on the make-your-mama-blush "Hands On You."

This smooth sailing gives way, however, to the choppy waters of "Through The Fire," on which Jon shares his feelings in a way most men seldom have the courage to do.

Perhaps the album’s emotional centerpiece, the song is equal parts gospel, hip-hop and blues. These accents rise and blend in a haunting production framework as the singer bares the struggles of his soul. "’Through The Fire’ recalls a very dark period in my life," Jon confides. "It’s about facing my fears. A few years ago, I lost my entire recording studio in a fire, which was devastating. Then I went through a divorce, which was horribly painful. This song is about keeping my head up when it feels like I can’t make it. It’s actually a collaboration with my friend Kiel Holliwood. He came up with the hook and I did the verses. It’s based on piano. We sat down to listen to some old records, and the first one was "Precious Memories," with Aretha Franklin singing the words, "In the stillness." It was a perfect sample for ‘Through The Fire.’ It sent a chill up our spines."

And though some might argue that Jon has vintage soul singers like Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway on his mind whenever he steps into the studio, he has long been a fixture on the hip-hop scene, having worked with Tupac and Nas, among many others. He presents his own lyrical skills on "Patient," and he brings in up-and-comer Freeway, who appears on the title track of Everyday Struggles. Moreover, "Everyday Struggles," like "Everytime," was produced by one of hip-hop’s hottest names, Just Blaze (Jay-Z, DMX, Fabolous). This up-tempo party-starter finds Jon holding it down alongside Freeway’s kinetic rhyming. "Hip-hop has always been an important part of my life," Jon affirms. "I came up at a time when kids were banging on tables to make beats and breakdancing in the street, so it just feels completely natural to incorporate hip-hop into what I do. I don’t view it as a departure; it’s an extension."

A bluesy feel imparts redemptive power to the song "Leave It To Me," which reassures a woman who doesn’t realize that the man she loves will, in fact, always be there for her. "I Miss Us," meanwhile, is a melancholy, ‘70s-flavored ballad reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s "The Lady In My Life."

"She Keeps Calling" brings a twist. What at first sounds like a lamentation on an ex-girlfriend is actually a warning. An old girlfriend who is physically out of the picture is still there emotionally. An apt following to "I Miss Us," this lushly produced ballad continues the story in a theatrical way. "1 For Life," a delightful two-step effort, is a testament to true love. "It reminds me of being in Detroit or Chicago and listening to two-step music," says Jon. "There are not many records out there that married couples can listen to together. That’s why I love that song. Even though I talk about heartache, I still believe in love. My parents are still married. And I still believe in giving 110% of myself to someone."

With echoes of the classics lending distinct resonance to today’s most cutting-edge sounds, Everyday Struggles appeals to both old-school soul fanatics and the "106 & Park" crowd. It’s an album for kids feeling the first blush of love and for adults in relationships burnished by time. These are songs written for lovers by someone who loves passionately, songs written by a man for men – and for the women who love them. From the first song to the last, Everyday Struggles presents a life that will feel very familiar. The themes and the stories are universal and humanistic. "There are some things that we all go through. I feel pain. I know I am not the only one," says Jon. "This album is my way of connecting with those who have been where I have."

"Some people may be surprised to hear I don’t think of myself as a singer first and foremost," Jon says of the artist he presents on Everyday Struggles. "The key to this album is more the sounds and textures we’ve created. What I want people to hear even more than the vocals is that sonic chemistry. There’s something there that’s hard to describe – a feeling, a vibe – that is the essence of this album. I’m trying to bring the good energy. In that sense, this is the most mature album I’ve ever done. I’m really proud of it, and I can’t wait to hear how people connect with it."

Bonafide, YabYum/550 Music, 1995.

Cool Relax, YabYum/550 Music, 1997.

Pleasures U Like, Edmonds/Epic, 2001.

Everyday Struggles, Edmonds/DreamWorks, 2003.

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