The long-awaited "real" second album from Jill Scott – finally out 4 years after her massive debut! Fortunately, the passage of time has done nothing to dampen Jill's genius – and the sound, style, and overall quality of this set is every bit as great as we could have hoped. The production is a bit fuller at times, but never cloying or overly mainstream – and still very much in the lean, mean, stripped-down Philly groove that Jill brought to the masses with incredible force. Jill's got help from a host of great Philly talents too – including Andre Harris, Jazzy Jeff, and Larry Gold – all of whom work with Jill in a sinister blend of beats, keys, strings, and soul! Titles include "I'm Not Afraid", "The Fact Is", "Bedda At Home", "Cross My Mind", "Family Reunion", "Can't Explain", "Not Like Crazy", "Rasool", and "My Petition". CD

Mindblowing work from Jill Scott – possibly the best thing we've heard from her since her classic debut – and a record that reminds us that she's still one of the greatest soul singers around! Jill's a bit more grown up here than before – shaking off some of the more passive themes of other tunes for a fuller, prouder approach that's followed through beautifully with tremendous vocals, and a production style that makes each tune explode with a range of new sonic delights! There's a sense of flow here that's simply amazing – a way of putting an album together, and putting a tune over that few other artists could ever touch – that special magic that first grabbed us in Jill's music years back, and which seems to have returned beautifully here. Instrumentation includes some especially great drums, which only add to the crisp, fresh feel of the record – and titles include "The Real Thing", "Hate On Me", "Come See Me", "Crown Royal", "Epiphany", "My Love", "Insomnia", "How It Makes You Feel", "Only You", "Celibacy Blues", and "All I". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Jill Scott returns with Light Of The Sun – once again lighting up modern R&B like only she can! It's a solid return to form for Jill – delivering distinctively soulful, emotional gems with toned down, natural grooves along with funky hip soul backed tracks and righteous diva groovers – and it'll sound great for years to come. We wish she'd record more often, but we're pleased enough that each album she's delivered to date has been truly excellent! Guests includ Anthony Hamilton, Doug E Fresh, Eve & The A Group. Includes "Blessed", "So In Love" with Anthony Hamilton, "Shame" feat Eve & The A Group, "All Cried Out Redux" feat Doug E Fresh, "Quick", "Making You Wait", "Missing You", "When I Wake Up", "Womanifesto", "Rolling Hills" and more. 15 tracks in all. CD

Jill Scott returns with Light Of The Sun – once again lighting up modern R&B like only she can! It's a solid return to form for Jill – delivering distinctively soulful, emotional gems with toned down, natural grooves along with funky hip soul backed tracks and righteous diva groovers – and it'll sound great for years to come. We wish she'd record more often, but we're pleased enough that each album she's delivered to date has been truly excellent! Guests includ Anthony Hamilton, Doug E Fresh, Eve & The A Group. Includes "Blessed", "So In Love" with Anthony Hamilton, "Shame" feat Eve & The A Group, "All Cried Out Redux" feat Doug E Fresh, "Quick", "Making You Wait", "Missing You", "When I Wake Up", "Womanifesto", and "Rolling Hills" – plus 2 bonus tracks! CD

One of the best tracks from Jill Scott's debut album – remixed by Dodge and Jazzy Jeff in a number of very different styles! The cut's slow and mellow on one mix, heavy and funky the next – and the new mixes really open the track up a lot! 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Mos Def on the Head Nod remix. 12-inch, Vinyl record

The incredible debut of the mighty Jill Scott – a record that asks and answers a question with the title – then goes on to not only establish Jill as one of the freshest soul music talents of her generation, but also an artist who set the tone for so many others to follow! The record explodes out of the Philly scene with a mixture of underground soul and hip hop production elements – echoing classic modes, yet instantly present too – in a way that still sounds fresher than most of the copycat records that came in its wake – and a good deal of records that preceded it too. Jill scores big with a totally seductive blend of warm instrumentation, subdued funky beats, and immensely captivating soul vocals – and the whole record is awash in Fender Rhodes, giving it a spacey soul sound that will make the record a classic for years to come! Titles include "The Way", "Do You Remember", "Long Rain", "Love Rain", "Honey Molasses", "Slowly Surely", "Watching Me", "One Is The Magic #", and "He Loves Me" – but it's allllll good! The LP includes a remix of "Love Rain" featuring Mos Def! LP, Vinyl record album

A couple of great remixes of Jill Scott's wonderful "Love Rain" track with Mos Def, one of the best soul hits of recent years! They titles say a lot; the head nod mix is just that, with a pounding bass line and Mos's guest turn cranked up in the mix. The coffee shop mix turns down the bass just a bit, and cranks the jazzy keys, putting a strong emphasis on Jill's excellent scatty delivery. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Chicago house maestro works some real magic here with the vocals of Jill Scott – opening up here already-great tunes with some extended clubby modes that really send the whole thing over the top! The collaboration's a perfect one – we love Terry's work, but dig him especially when he's got a strong vocal in the lead – and titles include new takes on "Prepared", "Coming To You", "Can't Wait", and "Lighthouse". (House Music, Neo Soul) 12-inch, Vinyl record

Ok so she's got a Grammy – but that makes us love her even more! Jill Scott is one of the greatest soul artists to emerge in the past decade – and this second album avoids the usual "sophomore slump" by showing a whole new side of her talents! Disc one is a great live set – showing that Jill's organic talent isn't the product of studio trickery, and can conjure up as much warmth in person as it can on disc. The backing is tight, jazzy, and with a different finish than you might be accustomed to from Jill's first LP – less hip hop beats and more real funk drumming, a fuller group instrumental sound with lots of nice solos, and over it all, incredible vocals from Jill! The set's got smoking live versions of "One Is The Magic #", "A Long Walk", "Love Rain", "Getting In The Way", "Fatback Taffy", "He Loves Me", and "Do You Remember". CD

The incredible debut of the mighty Jill Scott – a record that asks and answers a question with the title – then goes on to not only establish Jill as one of the freshest soul music talents of her generation, but also an artist who set the tone for so many others to follow! The record explodes out of the Philly scene with a mixture of underground soul and hip hop production elements – echoing classic modes, yet instantly present too – in a way that still sounds fresher than most of the copycat records that came in its wake – and a good deal of records that preceded it too. Jill scores big with a totally seductive blend of warm instrumentation, subdued funky beats, and immensely captivating soul vocals – and the whole record is awash in Fender Rhodes, giving it a spacey soul sound that will make the record a classic for years to come! Titles include "The Way", "Do You Remember", "Long Rain", "Love Rain", "Honey Molasses", "Slowly Surely", "Watching Me", "One Is The Magic #", and "He Loves Me" – but it's allllll good! The LP includes a remix of "Love Rain" featuring Mos Def! CD

Maybe the moodiest record we've ever heard from trumpeter Theo Croker – a set that blends together his earthy Afrofuturist experiments with other electric horn-based modes – maybe currents of 70s Miles or Jon Hassell, but served up in much more soul-based territory overall! Many cuts have vocals – from singers who include Jamila Woods, Jill Scott, and Teedra Moses – which are often muted, and folded into the electric mix – so that the lyrics are just one more shimmering texture of sound, amidst the blend of keyboards, organ, alto, and other instrumentation on the set. There's also plenty of guests along the way – including Gary Bartz and Kassa Overall – on titles that include "Jazz Is Dead", "Royal Conversation", "To Be We", "She's Bad", "Humanity", "Divinity", and "Cosmic Intercourse (part 2)". (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD