SPE’s Intimate Evening with Jon B

This concert was definitely for the ladies.  Unquestionably an evening I surely won’t forget.  Club Angle is a beautiful club experience to see.  Make sure you check them out on the South Side at 2604 Josaphine Street for a heavenly experience.

   To kick off this special Thanksgiving Day ladies night were the four members (Boots, La-Rue, Bacardi and Storm) of ‘Artistree’.  

    Then the booming voice of Eric (who will be dropping his CD sometime this year) just got the ladies ready for Jon B.  He was very excited to get his SP business card as you can see!

    Jon B. has been out of the spotlight for 4 years, but seeing him on stage you wouldn’t have noticed.  This is Jon B’s 10^th year in the R&B show biz.  His song list ranged from ‘Someone to Love’ to ‘R U Still Down?’ to jump right in to his new cd Stronger Everyday with ‘Lately’ plus more.   He even took his 30 and over crowd back to Stevie Wonders ‘All I Do’.   A lot has happened with this young man and after his performance I got the chance to sit down and ask him a few question.

SPE:  I would be crazy not to ask you this question first…Where have you been for the past 4 years?

Jon B:  (laughs) well a lot has happened over the years with management and being dropped from lables and things like that.  But I’m back now and gettin Stronger Everyday.

SPE:  I can see that now.  I was disappointed when I only heard one track off the last album (Pleasures You Like) and then nothing.  You had some great tracks on there!  But I have to tell you when I found out about Stronger Everyday coming out I had to be first in line to get it.  I had to run to three different stores just to find one copy!

Jon B:  Thank you, wow that’s true love for my work there.

  SPE:  Okay, well now that your back what can we expect to see from Jon B. in the next few months?

Jon B:  I have been rumored to be dating Usher right now… (Laughs)  Nah but, I’m working on something with Twista, a remix off of another song for 2004 about haters.  On this CD I have 2 Pac, Scarface and Tank.

SPE:  You have worked with many artists from like you said the late 2 Pac, Babyface, Faith Evans, and as of late the recently departed ODB…who would you like to work with next?

Jon B:  Aw all the greats…from Usher to Gwin Stefani and everyone in between.  As a matter a fact I will be touring with Usher in Japan soon, that has been a confirmed deal.

SPE:  Before I forget I wanted to say happy belated 30^th birthday (November 11^th).  How do you feel turning the big 3 0 now?

Jon B:  Thank you, thank you.  You know something, it just feels right.

SPE:  I know when I hit 30 I thought ‘This is it you have to grow up now’, and I know I have in many ways, but I’m still that big kid at heart.

Jon B:  I know what you mean, but I look to my father who is 20 years older than me and pull a lot of advice from him.

SPE:  Well Jon I would like to thank you for taking this time out to sit down and answer a few questions for me.  But before I go I have one last question.  Is there anything that you would like to say to your friends of your work?

Jon B:  Thank you for this interview…and I will be checking out the site very soon.  But yes I would like to tell my fans… thank you, thank you all from the bottom of my heart.  It was not my intentions to stay away as long as I did. But it was definitely the fans that stuck with me while I was gone that made me keep on sticking to this business.  I truly thank you all for being so patient while I was gone.

I would like to thank Jenni from www.jonbeyond.com for connecting me with Jon B’s road manager.  And Jon B. for allowing the SoulPitt to have the opportunity to have a few of my questions answered in such a short period of time. 

Look for a SP Local Spotlight on Artistree in the coming weeks!

More pictures of Artistree, Eric and Jon B.!