It's obvious from the title track that kicks off his first Alligator release,
On My Mind/In My Heart, that
Jesse Dee loves original R&B and soul. That's not to say he's a revivalist. All 11 tracks are original compositions which owe to the past, but not in a contrived manner.
Dee soaked up R&B, Motown, doo wop, and soul by listening to oldies radio as a youth in the '80s. He manages to conjure up
Sam & Dave on "Tell Me Before It's Too Late,"
Smokey Robinson on "The Only Remedy," Little Bob & the Lollipops (of "I Got Loaded" fame), on the title cut, while "Stay Strong" is reminiscent of
Sam Cooke. Modern R&B tends to get watered down with sterile production techniques and obvious attempts to reach a larger audience, when it could be like
On My Mind/In My Heart: natural, engaging, fun, and groove-oriented. ~ Al Campbell