Rahsaan Patterson

by Alex HendersonGreatly influenced by Stevie Wonder's recordings of the 1970s, young Rahsaan Patterson showed much promise on his self-titled debut album of 1997. While it's impossible to miss Wonder's considerable influence on slow- and medium-tempo offerings like "Tears Ago," "My Sweetheart," and "Spend the Night," the R&B singer/composer never comes across as a clone and sounds like he's intent on being his own man. One thing Patterson (who was named after jazz innovator Rahsaan Roland Kirk) won't be accused of is favoring style over substance -- when many of his contemporaries in the urban contemporary market were heavily into gimmickry, Patterson kept things honest and straightforward on a disc that isn't breathtaking, but is heartfelt and satisfying.