Jaisun Johnson
Jaisún Johnson (born Jaisun McMillian) is an American soul and R&B singer with a career spanning over five decades.
Born in San Antonio, Texas, she is the daughter of a New York jazz singer. She moved to Los Angeles in 1966, where she joined the legendary vocal group The Platters.
She later became a member of Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, one of Motown's most successful girl groups.
As a solo artist, she is known for the soul ballad single "Try And Understand" from her self-titled album (1977) released on the Jett Sett record label.
Beyond her music, she wrote and directed a theatrical production titled The Anatomy of a Woman Abused, a play based on her own life experiences.
Jaisun
A2 You're All I Need To Get By (Nicholas Ashford, Valerie Simpson 2:59)
A3 No Other Arms (Patrick Mitchell 2:44)
A4 Reach For The Sky (Jaisún Johnson, William "Mickey" Stevenson 4:16)
B1 Keepin' It To Myself (Alan Gorrie 3:24)
B2 Closet Man (David Foster, Donny Gerrard, Eric Mercury 3:35)
B3 Shackin' Up (William "Mickey" Stevenson 4:13)
B4 Try And Understand (William "Mickey" Stevenson 4:54)
Label: Jett Sett – JS-1001
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Modern Soul
Jaisun Johnson's 1977 album Jaisun, released on the Jett Sett label, is a smooth modern soul record, known for its professional and sophisticated sound. It is generally characterized by mid-tempo grooves, avoiding the typical disco material of the era to focus on more developed settings that showcase the artist's vocal range.
Jaisun provides a warm, smoky, and professional vocal performance, which has been compared favorably to contemporaries like Marlena Shaw in particular, as well as Patti Austin, and Angela Bofill.
The album features arrangements by notable talents, including Mickey Stevenson, Greg Middleton, and David Foster.
Several of the backing tracks on Jaisun's album were also used on Jaye P. Morgan's record from around the same time, with Jaisun's voice being the primary difference. One track, "Keepin' It To Myself," was also reworked by the Average White Band on their Benny & Us album.
The album's standout track is the superb, sultry ballad "Try and Understand" which is Jaisun's only charting single, reaching #42 on the R&B charts.
The album is quite rare now and is considered a quality find for collectors of smooth, professional 70s soul music. It can probably be found on Discogs, and you can search for it by clicking on the Discogs image below.