Daddy B. Nice's

Artist Guide

Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
#49 ranked Southern Soul Artist


Portrait of Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!) by Daddy B. Nice

"I Ain't Leaving Mississippi"

Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)

Re-Posted from Daddy B. Nice's New CD Reviews.

May 1, 2023:

JAYE HAMMER: Be Happy (Ecko) Two Stars ** Dubious. Not much here.

The best cuts on Jaye Hammer's BE HAPPY album are "That Power Grip" (lifted by its instrumental groove, detail and enthusiastic vocal), "I Got To Get Your Number" (ditto) and the previously-released single "Background Check" (redeemed by its simplicity).

What's distinctive about this trio of tracks (coincidentally the best-written numbers) is the energy and enthusiasm of both the vocals and production. Assertive bass lines, additional percussive elements, treble-scale synth fillips, programmed but well-done horn lines, choruses buttressed with strong background vocals. For the most part, these songs do what good southern soul songs are supposed to do---make immediate impact---burnishing Hammer's reputation as one of southern soul's most gifted vocalists.

That's not to say, however, these tunes are surprising, head-turning efforts or "top ten singles" candidates. I anticipate they'll be welcomed by fans as contributions to Hammer's catalog, worthy to stand in the shadows of classics like "Party Mood" and "I Ain't Leaving Mississippi".

Here's a snapshot of the BE HAPPY tracks:

1 That Power Grip
2 Be Happy
3 I'm Trying To Bury My Bone
4. I Made A Good Woman Turn Bad
5. Background Check
6. He's Got To Be A Fool To Leave A Woman Like You
7. You're Cheatin' On Me
8. That Kind Of Look
9. I Got To Get Your Number
10. It's Friday
11. The Same Thing That Brought You Here Can Take You Out

The balance of Be Happy is unfortunately suspect. The title track is getting some initial response, and it may be intended as a "Party Mood"-like project, but it falls far short. Let's face it. "Be happy" is kinda sappy. You have to be pretty good, pretty hip (you have to have a lot of chits built up with your audience) to get away with a sentiment like that.

"I Made A Good Woman Turn Bad" is compromised not only by a similarly perfunctory Hammer vocal but the minimalist clucking of a computer keyboard punctuating the irritatingly vanilla instrumental track. Where is the live John Ward lead guitar to spice up this otherwise flat-lining instrumental track? Where are the little musical surprises and details that give a song an identity? And without much background to enliven the proceedings, Hammer's vocal just goes through the motions, displaying no contrasts, no moments of giddy exhilaration or genuine regret.

But no cut illustrates the lack of excitement contained in Be Happy than "I'm Trying To Bury My Bone". The song title promises something salacious, gritty and unabashedly promiscuous, something "rowdy rowdy" as O.B. Buchana used to say. But Jaye Hammer could just as well be singing, "I'm trying to fold my napkin."

I don't believe for a minute Hammer's really trying to "bury his bone". He's just singing the words. And that's unforgivable. The whole point of southern soul is to be impactful, to be hyper-realistic, to be relevant and accessible, not to be prim and proper.

For contrast (and to understand what I'm talking about) listen to the far less well-known and less- talented Mr. Nelson singing "She wants my good ole lovin' / She say she want my meat in her oven" from his new song, "Good Ole Loving". The "meat in her oven" leaps out of the stereo speakers and screams "real life". You can almost see the "boner" and the come-hither "pussy". You have no doubt Mr. Nelson wants to "get it in there," to "stand up in it" like Theodis Ealey.

And as "I'm Trying To Bury My Bone" goes so goes the bulk of BE HAPPY. One is left with the impression that southern soul for Hammer is homework, recitation, reiteration in the mode of soul-blues, neo-soul, or white blues regurgitating mid-twentieth century blues---that is, an academic exercise, or a satire, or an homage---in sum a musical treatment distanced from real life.

For a more sophisticated, albeit roundabout exposition of what I mean by southern soul's immediacy, relevance and real-life impact vs. other current soul genres, read my recently re-posted, decade-old "Village Voice" article by Chuck Eddy on Mel Waiters, Sweet Angel and Luther Lackey (all sadly absent from today's scene) in the Luther Lackey Artist Guide.

---Daddy B. Nice

Buy Jaye Hammer's BE HAPPY album at Soul Blues Music.

Buy Jaye Hammer's BE HAPPY album at Apple.

Read Daddy B. Nice's Artist Guide to Jaye Hammer.

Listen to all the tracks from Jaye Hammer's new BE HAPPY album on YouTube.


************
SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide
Send product to:
SouthernSoulRnB.com
P.O. Box 19574
Boulder, Colorado 80308
Or e-Mail:
daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
*************



February 1, 2021

Jaye Hammer: It's Jaye Hammer Time (Ecko) Three Stars *** Solid. The artist's fans will enjoy.

Memphis' Ecko Records, the grand-daddy of contemporary southern soul labels, minimized its releases in 2020, the year of the pandemic. For the first time in ages, neither of the label's top two recording artists, Ms. Jody or O.B. Buchana, put out a full-length album, although veterans David Brinston and Sheba Potts-Wright did. Now, as 2021 kicks off, one of Ecko's most promising artists, Jaye Hammer, arrives with an album of new material recorded during the worst of Covid-19, It's Jaye Hammer Time.

The mid-tempo, James Jackson-written gem "Come See About Me" combines a fine Hammer vocal with a unique arrangement (by John Ward) that adds a subtle and alluring, treble-clef keyboard fill to the instrumental track. The unique touch (it sounds like steel guitar filtered through cotton candy) makes the record. A stepping-styled rhythm track and a snippet of female background make this a perfect vehicle for Jaye Hammer. Incidentally, Robert "The Duke" Tillman recorded a southern soul single called "Come See About Me" a couple of decades ago.

The John Cummings-penned ballad "I'm In A Hole In The Wall Mood Tonight" is another stand-out, with Hammer's vocal meshing perfectly with an instrumental track that draws its strength from its exaggerated slowness. This is the most original song on the album, and it wouldn't top the peak it climbs if not for Jaye Hammer's inexhaustible emotive abilities.

His ability to infuse lyrics with believable emotions also buoys the otherwise marginal "You're A Keeper," another James Jackson tune. But Hammer can't do much with the unremarkable "You Deserve Better," and the balance of the CD is compromised by less than stellar songwriting. Hammer's "Party Mood," for instance, redone as a "Club Mix," loses much of its original fizz.

Jaye Hammer is good enough that he can pretty much write his own ticket by now, but like so many other singers he needs great material, inspired material, and it's slim pickings here. Slim pickings---but not bare. "Come See Me About Me" and "I'm In A Hole In The Wall Mood Tonight" are likely to join the other classics on Jaye Hammer's top shelf, and that's better than nothing to report for the year 2020.

--Daddy B. Nice

Listen to all the tracks from Jaye Hammer's new IT'S JAYE HAMMER TIME album on YouTube.

Buy Jaye Hammer's IT'S JAYE HAMMER TIME at Jazz N Blues Club.

Listen to Jaye Hammer's new IT'S JAYE HAMMER TIME on Spotify.

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

February 1, 2021:

New Album Alert!


Buy Jaye Hammer's new IT'S JAYE HAMMER TIME album at Apple.

Read Daddy B. Nice's three-star CD review!

IT'S JAYE HAMMER TIME Track List:

1
Let Me Come Home

2
You're a Keeper

3
It's Yours When You Want It

4
You Deserve Better

5
You Got a Good Un

6
Party Mood (Club Mix)

7
No Doubling Back

8
Kicking up Some Dust

9
Come See About Me

10
I'm in a Hole in the Wall Mood Tonight

11
Give It to Me

Daddy B. Nice notes:

Memphis' redoubtable Ecko Records minimized its releases in 2020, the year of the pandemic. For the first time in ages, neither of the label's top two recording artists, Ms. Jody or O.B. Buchana, put out a full-length album, although longtime veterans David Brinston and Sheba Potts-Wright did. Now, as 2021 kicks off, one of Ecko's most promising artists, Jaye Hammer, arrives with an album of new material recorded during the worst of Covid-19, It's Jaye Hammer Time.

The mid-tempo, James Jackson-written gem "Come See About Me" combines a fine Hammer vocal with a unique arrangement (by John Ward) that adds a subtle and alluring, treble-clef keyboard fill to the instrumental track. The unique touch makes the record. A stepping-styled rhythm track and a snippet of female background make this a perfect vehicle for Jaye Hammer.

The John Cummings-penned ballad "I'm In A Hole In The Wall Mood Tonight" is another stand-out, with Hammer's vocal meshing perfectly with another effervescent instrumental track that draws its strength from its exaggerated slowness. This is the most original song on the album.

Hammer's ability to personalize lyrics with believable emotional reverberations buoys the otherwise marginal "You're A Keeper," another James Jackson tune. But Hammer can't do much with the unremarkable "You Deserve Better," and the balance of the CD is marred by weak songwriting. Hammer's "Party Mood," for instance, redone as a "Club Mix," loses most of its original fizz.

Listen to all the tracks from Jaye Hammer's new IT'S JAYE HAMMER TIME album on YouTube.

Buy Jaye Hammer's IT'S JAYE HAMMER TIME at Jazz N Blues Club.

Listen to Jaye Hammer's new IT'S JAYE HAMMER TIME on Spotify.

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

January 26, 2020:

New Album Alert!


Buy Jaye Hammer's new THE BEST OF JAYE HAMMER album at Apple.

"BEST OF JAYE HAMMER" Track List:


1

Give It to Me

2
Party Mood

3
She's My Baby Forever

4
I Ain't Leaving Mississippi

5
Making That Booty Roll

6
Party at Home

7
I'm Gonna Hit That Thang

8
I'm in Love

9
Dig a Little Deeper

10
I Just Can't Let It Go

11
Party Mood (Club Mix)

12
Good Old Country Boy

13
Soul Train Dancer

14
I'm Leaving You

Daddy B. Nice notes:

This new collection of Jaye Hammer's "greatest hits" sent me foraging through YouTube to actually assess the rationale behind the selections, and what I found did not allay my discomfiture. Where is "One Stop Lover"? Admittedly, "One Stop Lover" never really gained traction with a large segment of the fans, but it certainly would have been a better opening track than the eminently forgettable "Give It To Me". Where is "Trail Ride," Hammer's infectious zydeco outing? Once again, it never became a significant single, but it did bring some variety to an artist catalog that is weighed down by sameness. For example, three of the songs on the set--"Party At Home," "Party Mood" and "Party Mood (Club Mix)--are essentially the same melody, albeit in a different key. And as if matching the uniformity of material, Hammer's vocals--almost always delivered in a strong, plaintive, inflection-less and uniformly-high-volume wail--become monotonous and harsh as the tunes sequence through.

There are tunes to admire and enjoy. "I Ain't Leaving Mississippi" is an absolute delight, both musically and lyrically, and tunes like "Dig A Little Deeper," "Making That Booty Roll" and "Party At Home" (taken alone) merit enthusiasm. But on the whole, this set exposes Jaye Hammer's limitations in ways the artist surely never intended, and copy-cat songs like "Good Old Country Boy" (based on Will T's "Mississippi Boy") and "She's My Baby Forever" (based on Latimore's "Sunshine Lady") reinforce the impression that Hammer's canon is less than robust. The addition of "Mississippi Slide," "Shuckin' And Jivin'," "Lay The Hammer Down," "I'm A Booty Freak," "Make Up Sex" and/or "Let's Hear It For The DJ" would have made for a more interesting and, arguably, more accurate and representative testament to Jaye Hammer's artistry.

Listen to all the tracks from Jaye Hammer's new THE BEST OF JAYE HAMMER on YouTube.

Buy Jaye Hammer's THE BEST OF JAYE HAMMER at Apple.

Listen to Jaye Hammer's new THE BEST OF JAYE HAMMER at Spotify.

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "One Stop Lover" on YouTube while you read.

********

To automatically link to Jaye Hammer's charted radio singles, awards, CD's and other citations on the website, go to "Hammer, Jaye" in Daddy B. Nice's Comprehensive Index. To read Daddy B. Nice's many CD reviews of Jaye Hammer, scroll down this page to the TIDBITS section

***********

--Daddy B. Nice


About Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)

Jaye Hammer is the performing name of Jeremy George, born September 1, 1981 in Friars Point, Mississippi, a small town on the Mississippi River between Clarksdale and Tunica, just south of Memphis, Tennessee. George was "scouted" by producer Aaron Weddington while still in high school, singing gospel at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. After graduation, Weddington produced "Work It On Me," Jaye Hammer's first album, for Weddington's label Blues River Records. At the age of 26, Hammer suffered a detached retina and became blind. Subsequently, Weddington brought Hammer to John Ward, CEO of Ecko Records in Memphis, who signed Hammer to the label in 2011. Jaye's first album for Ecko, Hammer, was released in 2012 (scroll down to "Tidbits: 1a" for the Daddy B. Nice review). Five albums by the southern soul vocalist have been released since, up to and including Hammer's newest, Double Trouble. All the albums have been reviewed by Daddy B. Nice for Southern Soul RnB (see "Tidbits" section below). Jaye Hammer's vocals most often draw comparisons to O.B. Buchana, his friend and Ecko label-mate: aggressive, gospel-based and powerful.

Browse Jaye Hammer's albums in Daddy B. Nice's CD Store.


Tidbits

1a.



Re-Posted from Daddy B. Nice's New CD Reviews

July 4, 2012:

JAYE HAMMER: Hammer (Ecko) Three Stars *** Solid Southern Soul Debut by a New Male Vocalist.


Jaye Hammer's Hammer is actually the second CD by a young artist named Jeremy George from Friars Point, Mississippi. His first album Work It On Me (Blues River/East-West) passed with little notice under the performing pseudonym Jay'E Hammer in 2005.

This 2012 offering from Memphis's Ecko Records streamlines the name to Jaye Hammer and effectively introduces him to the Southern Soul audience.

The first single from the CD, "Soul Train Dancer," went into rotation in 2011, and another single, "Mississippi Slide," has garnered air time in the first half of 2012. Deejays have nibbled at many other cuts from the album, among them "I'm Leaving You," "I Thought It Was Jody," "I Can Love You Like That," "Making That Booty Roll" and "Strawberry Ice Cream Woman."

My first reaction to each song cited was negative, deterred by the screeching tone of Hammer's voice and the twice-tread, jingle-familiar melodies, and yet, over time, via Southern Soul radio, the songs have gradually sunk in and become something close to contemporary standards.

The process reminded me of how it used to be when music radio was really radio and you'd hear songs you just didn't like at first, but after getting used to hearing them on the radio, you'd actually reach the point where you enjoyed them.

First-time listeners should be warned that this is some pretty unusual, off-putting music, abrasive like Bob Dylan, high and whiney like Jimi Hendrix, as attenuated as O. B. Buchana through an Alvin & The Chipmunks filter.

When I first heard the song "Institutionalize" by veteran Southern Soul diva Dorothy Moore on the radio, I thought it might be Jaye Hammer.

The CD commences with "I'm Leaving You" and "I Thought It Was Jody (But It Was Judy)," traditional Ecko numbers in structure, but Hammer's vocals are like no one I can remember, with background vocals (Hammer and Morris Williams) on "I Thought It Was Judy" that add to the strangeness with straining falsetto figures an octave above middle C.

"Mississippi Slide" and "Slow Train Dancer" epitomize the contradictions of Hammer's style. Both songs manufacture professional, well-wrought arrangements around pinched-tenor leads by Hammer.

Both achieve a memorable quality if you give them time and can adjust to Hammer's peculiar style, a style that nevertheless employs well-versed, seasoned Southern Soul phrasing and technique.

"Can I Love You Like That" is the finest ballad on the CD. Hammer, however, omits the long, luxurious, cushion-like notes that most Southern Soul singers insert in their verses and choruses to seduce their fans. The song is done twice.

"Making That Booty Roll" returns to the good-times, juke-joint feel of "I'm Leaving You" and "I Thought It Was Jody."

"Fussin' And Naggin'" and "Go Ahead On" qualify as filler, but "(I'm In A) Party Mood" (also done two times) and "Strawberry Ice Cream Woman" possess the same high-pitched and memorable if uneasy qualities of the best tracks on the CD.

"I want to flirt with the women,"

Hammer sings in "Party Mood,

"Get down with the guys."

Hammer is both competent and uncompromising. If you have the patience to acclimate to the style of the singer, you'll be rewarded with a number of songs you'll be saving for posterity.

The John Ward-produced CD, with songs written by Hammer (Jeremy George), Fred Hicks, John Cummings, Aaron Weddington and Ward, is rich in material. But I suspect that Jaye Hammer is one of those freakishly-talented artists whose best may be yet to come.

--Daddy B. Nice

Sample or Buy Hammer CD or MP3's.

Hammer on I-Tunes

***********

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

1b.


February 1, 2014:

CHART CLIMBERS 2014!:

Jaye Hammer and his hit Southern Soul single "One Stop Lover" debuts at #85 on Daddy B. Nice's Top 100 21st Century Southern Soul Artist Countdown.


Go to the complete library of artist guides for Daddy B. Nice's Top 100 Countdown: 21st Century Southern Soul Artists

Jaye Hammer's "One Stop Lover" was also a finalist for BEST MID-TEMPO SONG, BEST MALE VOCALIST, BEST SONGWRITER (John Cummings/John Ward) and BEST CD (I CAN LAY THE HAMMER DOWN).

"One Stop Lover" ranked 9th (for the year) on Daddy B. Nice's

TOP 25 SOUTHERN SOUL SONGS OF 2013


9. One Stop Lover------Jaye Hammer

Jaye Hammer sounds like a conquering hero on “One Stop Lover,” an effect aided by the great arrangement, including symphonic strings, a stuttering Wilson Meadows-like guitar lick and a measured, classic-soul-sounding organ-keyboard.


SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

2.


January 26, 2014:

Re-Posted from Daddy B. Nice's New CD Reviews

July 6, 2013:

JAYE HAMMER: I Can Lay The Hammer Down (Ecko) Five Stars ***** Can't Miss. Pure Southern Soul Heaven.


O. B. Buchana, don't look in the rear view mirror. There's a young singer who's mentored under you--"gone to O.B. school," as Queen Ann Hines warbles in "You're Just Playin' With It"--coming up fast behind you and looking to pass. He's Jaye Hammer, and his second Ecko LP, I Can Lay The Hammer Down, contains a bona fide Southern Soul masterpiece in the song "One Stop Lover."

I bought this otherwise polite and totally-aboveboard song for a lady I wanted to impress and later she told me that one of her friends, upon hearing Hammer's "One Stop Lover," advised that she'd "better keep her legs closed" around me. We had a good laugh over that, but the remark testifies to the tornado-like energy behind Hammer's innocent yet realistic "courting" anthem.

All the traits "haters" bring up about Southern Soul are showcased in all their southern-soul-fan-loving splendor--a total lack of irony, a lack of detachment, a total lack of modernism. "One Stop Lover" is a full, frontal assault on real-life emotions: a man wooing his chosen woman with all-consuming passion:

"You're my lady
And I'm here to please.
Your satisfaction is guaranteed... "

"Girl, as long as you're here with me,
I'll be whatever you want me to be... "

And, near the end of the song, just when you think Hammer has exhausted all the dreams and promises any one man could possibly summon, Hammer proclaims:

"Baby, I'll be the man--
The man that you want.
Baby, I'll be the man--
The man that you need.

Girl, I'll cook for you.
Baby, I'll wash your clothes.
Girl, I'll pay your bills.
Girl, I'll love you right."

These lyrics roil over a timeless melody and an organ and string-section-driven arrangement that the Ecko label can take into Southern Soul posterity as one of their greatest sessions.

"One Stop Lover" just barely missed being Daddy B. Nice's #1 song in May '13, losing out to Krishunda Echol's hot-as-hot debut, "Mad Dog 20-20."

Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Review For. . .

MAY 2013...

2. "One Stop Lover"---------Jaye Hammer

Jaye Hammer's muscular vocal trumps even last year's talented debut. Here he sounds like a larger-than-life hero, an effect aided in no small part by the great arrangement, including strings, a stuttering, Wilson Meadows-like guitar lick and a measured, classic, Stax/Hi-sounding organ-keyboard. Written in outstanding fashion by John Cummings and John Ward.


About last year. Jaye Hammer's I CAN LAY THE HAMMER DOWN is a quantum leap over Hammer, the Ecko debut by this native of Friar's Point, Mississippi, reviewed here in 2012. Your Daddy B. Nice was pretty hard on the artist, citing the "screeching tone" of Hammer's voice and the "twice-tread, jingle-familiar melodies" while admitting that: If you have the patience to acclimate to the style of the singer, you'll be rewarded with a number of songs you'll be saving.

I had no problem with Hammer's voice this time around. Either I've grown used to his vocals or he's improved them dramatically--or both.

Intensity. That's the hallmark of Hammer's voice and delivery. You have to go back to the likes of Jerry Butler or Solomon Burke to match the intimidating, Lebron-with-a-cape-like intensity of Hammer's vocals.

"Cheatin' Ain't No Fun" is practically as good as "One Stop Lover," a William Norris ballad that Hammer gives a country-inflected twist, and the combination of the old-school ambience and Hammer's leather-belt-whipping delivery is devastatingly effective.

"I'm In Love" has an arrangement that recalls Patrick Harris, another neglected troubadour of romantic love, and his "Give Her What She Been Missing" and "Right On Time," albeit on a much more technically-accomplished level.

The Ecko studio gang's background vocals (John Ward, Morris Williams, etc., augmented this time around by William Norris aka Sonny Mack and O. B. Buchana himself) are some of the best ever.

There are a total of four William Norris tunes on the CD, including "Cheatin' Ain't No Fun" and the rock-and-rolling "Dig A Little Deeper." Another Norris song, "Turn On The Loving," is similarly fine, with lyrics--

"Feeling kinda horny
And I wanna get down."

--that in Hammer's lathered delivery achieve an almost devotional heft.

"So put down the phone
Lock all the doors..."

Even this most basic of human needs sounds like a national emergency in Hammer's world. The vocals, both foreground and background, are perfectly suited to the content, and the instrumental track bristles with John Ward's (Ecko's CEO) recently-ratcheted-up scope and confidence.

Other songs of note include "Shuckin' and Jivin'" and "I Can Lay The Hammer Down" (the title tune), with chunky rhythms in the (O.B.) "Back Up Lover" style; the Raymond Moore-written ballad "Let's Call A Truce"; and "Your Search Is Over" (the fourth William Norris-written tune).

Overall, this is the right artist at the right time. Everything on Jaye Hammer's I Can Lay The Hammer Down is fresh and powerful, with nary a hint of the artist beginning to repeat himself. This is a young artist at the peak of his recently-found, formidable powers, flush with the full discovery of his sound and his brand.

--Daddy B. Nice

Sample/Buy Jaye Hammer's I CAN LAY THE HAMMER DOWN at CD Universe.

Sample/Buy Jaye Hammer's I CAN LAY THE HAMMER DOWN on iTunes.

**********

3. Jaye Hammer on YouTube



Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "I Ain't Leaving Mississippi" on YouTube.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Trail Ride" on YouTube.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Blues Buffet" on YouTube.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Making That Booty Roll" on YouTube.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Party Mood" on YouTube.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "I Can Lay The Hammer Down" on YouTube.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Shuckin' And Jivin'" on YouTube.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Dig A Little Deeper" on YouTube.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Cheatin' Ain't No Fun" on YouTube.

4.


November 22, 2014: DADDY B. NICE REVIEWS JAYE HAMMER'S STILL GOT IT CD.

JAYE HAMMER: Jaye Hammer's Still Got It (Ecko) Three Stars *** Solid. The artist's fans will enjoy.

(11-22-14) Hammer's third Ecko collection features the usual assortment of chitlin' circuit themes ranging from Ollie Nightingale's "I'll Drink Your Bathwater, Baby" to Buchana-"Back Up Lover"-inspired "Let Me Help You Get Even With Him"--with an Hawaiian chaser. The gem of the set may be the deep and resonant ballad, "Make Up Sex." Most of the better material ("I'm A Booty Freak," "Hammer's Juke Joint Shack," "I'm Not Going To Cheat On My Wife Any More," "The Longer You Love Me") will satisfy core fans but fail to bring in "newbies," and it's doubtful there's a break-out "hit" of the originality of Theodis Ealey's "Stand Up In It" or Klass Band Brotherhood's "Sugaa Shack." In that respect, the very thing that elevates Jaye Hammer's level of musicianship, namely his musical association with O.B. Buchana and John Ward (Ecko CEO/producer), also puts a ceiling on his identity. The constant comparisons with Buchana are obvious, but Ward's no-nonsense rhythm tracks and guitar instrumentals, which seem on first impression solid but faceless, also convey an identity. (Ward actually has a more inventive approach to the organ; there's a small keyboard fill in "Any Kind Of Party" that's an absolute delight.) The point is, any potential hit of Hammer's is competing for attention with nine of his tunes plus ten more of O.B.'s (at the least, in any given year) with somewhat the same instrumental sound. Diverging musically in incremental ways--even with the vocals--might be called for. In the end, this is good southern soul music, and slow but sure (bereft of the big hit) still works. Latoya Malone provides great (i.e. modest and authentic) female background vocals, especially on "Hammer's Juke Joint Shack". DBN.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Make Up Sex" on YouTube.

Sample/Buy Jaye Hammer's STILL GOT IT CD at Amazon.

************

November 22, 2014:

From Daddy B. Nice's Corner: Top Ten Southern Soul Singles Review:

Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Review For. . .

----------JULY 2014------------

9. "The Longer You Love Me"----------Jaye Hammer

Where's the beef? On this, the first single from Jaye Hammer's upcoming new Ecko CD, JAYE HAMMER'S STILL GOT IT.

********

Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Review For. . .

----------AUGUST 2014------------


5. "Make Up Sex"------Jaye Hammer

Hammer, befitting his name, is like a bull in a china shop, creatively speaking. I still think he missed out on the song of his career by not promoting One Stop Lover" as a single and not putting it on YouTube. (It now is. But it may be too late unless it's reissued. Click here.) On "Make Up Sex" from the new album), Hammer dives to an similarly unbelievable depth of soul, and--happily--you can hear it instantly:

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Make Up Sex" on YouTube.

Sample/Buy Jaye Hammer's "Make Up Sex" mp3 and Jaye Hammer's STILL GOT IT CD.

***********

July 30, 2014: NEW ALBUM ALERT!

Sample/Buy JAYE HAMMER'S STILL GOT IT CD.

*********

5.


CHART-CLIMBER:

Jaye Hammer rises from #85 to #70 on Daddy B. Nice's Top 100 21st Century Southern Soul Countdown.

(See the chart, which encompasses a fifteen-year period.)


Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Let's Hear It For the DJ" on YouTube. (The song is featured not only on Hammer's new RIGHT MAN CD but Ecko's VARIOUS ARTISTS BLUES MIX 18: SOUTHERN SOUL PARTY.)

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

**********

6.


April 8, 2016: Re-posted from Daddy B. Nice's New CD Reviews:

October 18, 2015:

JAYE HAMMER: I'm The Right Man (Ecko) Four Stars **** Distinguished effort. Should please old fans and gain new.



Listen to "Let's Hear It For The DJ" while you read.

Let's be clear. To even be compared to O.B. Buchana, arguably the pre-eminent vocal stylist in southern soul music, is a huge compliment. Hammer's vocal identity, his production and even his material have more often than not overlapped with Buchana's, not that Hammer's previous CD's--especially HAMMER and I CAN LAY THE HAMMER DOWN...(both previously reviewed here)--haven't been bonafide. But the casual listener could be forgiven for confusing Hammer and Buchana on a song like "I'm In A Party Mood," which coincidentally is reprised on this new set.

Be that as it may, Jaye Hammer breaks away from mentor O.B. Buchana's shadow into his own little patch of sunlight on I'M THE RIGHT MAN, his new CD from Ecko Records. I'M THE RIGHT MAN isn't a radical departure for Hammer--there is much that is familiar--but a significant portion is novel and surprising, and the marvel is that the blending of the new and traditional cuts is as seamless and successful as it is.

Among the more commonplace and derivative tracks are the Henderson Thigpen/John Ward-written "Here We Go" and the Gerod Rayburn/John Ward-composed "I'm Gonna Hit That Thang (Remix)" and "I Need It," which sound like Buchana retreads--to which could be added "Is She Waiting On You?", an otherwise exceptionally well-executed duet with Donnie Ray which became the first, and fairly successful, radio single from the album. (Hammer's name is mentioned prominently throughout.)

But then Hammer hits you with something completely new, the James Jackson-composed "Let's Hear It For The DJ," one of the most remarkable instrumental tracks to ever come out of Ecko. Described in Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 Singles Preview for September 2015 (#4-ranked)....

Imagine Hammer vamping in Prince's pinched clothes and delivery. (Difficult, huh?) The vocal is radically different--clipped, distanced. It's not Ecko’s style at all. It’s very percussive, and yet the song rocks in a catchy, cumulative way Hammer has never achieved before.

...The terrific energy and charisma in "DJ" is matched, if not duplicated, in the more old-school, John Cummings-written "I Ain't Leaving Mississippi." Cummings, you might remember, recorded the ode to deep-south culture, "Here In The South"--Daddy B. Nice's Best 'Out-Of-Left-Field Song of 2014--and "Mississippi," with its great hook and chorus, boasts the same, heart-tugging loyalty to the rural amenities of the Delta. Together--back to back--this pair of tunes provides a template for the most high-powered CD of Hammer's career.

"Just Because," a cover of Johnnie Taylor's classic that Hammer has been performing for live audiences, is the kind of song O.B. would record, but it's not Buchana, it's Hammer, and its insertion in the set is more welcome tonic. You may remember the sensitive, un-macho lyrics:

"And just because
Sometimes you want to make love,
Girl, I tell you, 'Not tonight,'
Try to understand I worked hard all day
Darling, I'm doing the very best I can."


"The Sweeter The Peach," a collaboration among Ward, Raymond Moore and Henderson Thigpen, combines a modest yet sweet melody with a perfect rhythm track in the quintessential Ecko style. As in "Let's Her It For The DJ," Hammer doesn't seek to overwhelm or impress. His vocal's as comfortable as your favorite old shoes. We're used to the spectacular brashness of style on his seminal CD's (above), but in a perverse way Hammer's vocals are even more seductive when he's just cruising.

Which brings up the title tune, "I'm The Right Man," in which Hammer brings his more panoramic vocal approach to bear on an original ballad by James Jackson. "I'm The Right Man" is aided by a winsome guitar lick--refreshingly powerful and upfront for southern soul. Ironically, the title tune was the only song your Daddy B. Nice couldn't link to YouTube, but I did find one for the similarly evocative "That's The Kind Of Man."

John Ward's production is first-rate. Till Palmer (as always) and James Jackson do a great job on the mixing and engineering. Other than Donnie Ray, there are no featured artists, and none are needed. Now, more than ever, Hammer's just being Hammer.

--Daddy B. Nice

Sample/Buy Jaye Hammer's I'M THE RIGHT MAN at Soul Blues Music.

See Daddy B. Nice's Jaye Hammer (Chart-Climber, New Album Alert).

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

Send CD's to Daddy B. Nice, P. O. Box 19574, Boulder, Colorado, 80308 to be eligible for review on this page.

***********

September 27, 2015: NEW ALBUM ALERT!

Sample/Buy Jaye Hammer's I'M THE RIGHT MAN CD at Soul Blues Music.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "I Ain't Leaving Mississippi" from his new album.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Let's Hear It For The DJ" from his new album.

These two tracks have been featured on Daddy B. Nice's Top Ten "Breaking" Southern Soul Singles (October, September 2015). See Daddy B. Nice's Corner.

7.


August 13, 2017:

Re-Posted from Daddy B. Nice’s New CD Reviews

August 12, 2017:

JAYE HAMMER: Last Man Standing (Ecko Records) Three Stars *** Solid. The artist's fans will enjoy.

Jaye Hammer's new album, LAST MAN STANDING, features his zydeco-flavored hit single of last year, "Trail Ride," which--along with O.B. Buchana's "Why Can't I Be Your Lover?"-- marked Ecko Records' dual entry into the hot southern soul/zydeco market in 2016. With an infectious, mid-tempo rhythm track and a sweet-sounding, button-accordion hook, "Trail Ride" won Daddy B. Nice's Best Out-Of-Left-Field Song of 2016.

"Tell Aunt Sally,
Call Uncle Luke..."


Hammer sings,

"We're headed for Texas,
Down along the Louisiana line...
We're kicking off in Beaumont,
Down to Abilene..."


Trail rides have become cultural mainstays in southern Louisiana and southeast Texas. From spring through fall, not a weekend goes by without devotees gathering at stables for Friday and Saturday afternoon horse rides followed by nightly entertainment featuring zydeco, southern soul and blues. On Sunday mornings, the sleepy and satiated participants return to their work weeks, refreshed physically, mentally and musically. Hammer's "Trail Ride" anthem, written by the prolific John Cummings and John Ward, celebrates it all, capturing both the euphoria and the powerful sense of place.

Arguably one of the most talented and influential of current Ecko Records/Memphis-area songwriters, John Cummings contributes the bulk of the album's material, and the first three songs on this set are especially noteworthy. "Last Man Standing Up In It," readers will instantly notice, incorporates a few more words than the truncated title of the CD, "Last Man Standing." That's a tribute to Theodis Ealey's "Stand Up In It".

Jaye's "Last Man Standing Up In It" is a direct boast of male sexual prowess and, by extension, the ability of the man to please, provide, and protect the opposite sex. And to Cummings' and Hammer's credit, this theme permeates the album with admirable consistency, a perfect vehicle for Hammer's pleading but steely, country-boy voice. In fact, the only false note on the CD comes when Jaye says, in "Last Man Standing Up In It," he'll "be there in a New York minute."

The mid-tempo "Party At Home" has an alluring melody, and it's bolstered immeasurably by the addition of background singer LaToya Malone. For context on "Party At Home," go to David Brinston's "Kick It," which perfectly conveys the peer-pressure pull to go party with one's friends. "Party At Home," on the other hand, elucidates the delights of "partying" at home with one's spouse, and the subject has seldom been done better.

"Mississippi Style," currently (August '17) Daddy B. Nice's #4 "Breaking" Southern Soul Single, is another boasting, fronting, I'm-a-man-styled tune. It delivers a driving rhythm track, a nicely-nuanced, organ-tinged, John Ward arrangement, more great female background, and a fine, wailing lead vocal by Hammer with lyrics that cry out for politically-correct double-takes...

"Drinking corn whiskey,
Wine and gin.
Pull to the side of the road,
Pick up some friends.
If I get a little drunk,
That is just fine.
The judge and the county sheriff
Are cousins of mine."


And...

"Got kids in eleven counties,
Calling me 'Dad'..."


And...

"Drinking whiskey with my uncle,
Went to church with my aunt."


Even the chorus line is enchanting:

"I'm doing it Mississippi style.
Been doing it for awhile."


Visions of Chuck Berry singing "Johnny B. Goode" dance across your vision when Hammer's at his best--as he is here--a big-chested, Delta country boy full of piss and vinegar. You can imagine his ideal fan, a lonely woman, listening to Jaye's begging and bragging just for the vicarious satisfaction.

These songs followed by "Trail Ride" form an impressive--totally seductive--opening to the album and any first-timers' introduction to Jaye Hammer, but the middle half of the CD drops off. The uptempo "Let's Do It," the ballad, "It's Real," the mid-tempo "When I Can Give Her Something You Can't," the slow-blues "I'm A Package Handler" and "Big Booty Women" can't be faulted for execution, but lack the incandescence and originality of "Last Man Standing Up In It," "Party At Home" and "Mississippi Style".

The album trends up again towards the end with a remix of "Trail Ride," accompanied by "Good Old Country Boy," yet another remake of the most-covered tune in contemporary southern soul, "Mississippi Boy" by Will T.

--Daddy B. Nice

Sample/Buy Jaye Hammer's "Last Man Standing" CD at iTunes.

Read Daddy B. Nice's Artist Guide to Jaye Hammer.

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

8.


June 10, 2017:

New Album Alert!


Sample/Buy Jaye Hammer's new LAST MAN STANDING CD at iTunes.

"LAST MAN STANDING" TRACK LIST:


1
The Last Man Standing up in It

2
Party at Home

3
Mississippi Style

4
Trail Ride

5
Let's Do It

6
It's Real

7
When I Can Give Her Something You Can't

8
I'm a Package Handler

9
Big Booty Women

10
Good Old Country Boy

11
Trail Ride (Remix)

Daddy B. Nice notes: Jaye Hammer's new album release on Ecko Records contains his southern soul-slash-zydeco smash, "Trail Ride" and a remix.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Last Man Standing Up In It" on YouTube.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Trail Ride" on YouTube.

See Daddy B. Nice's BEST OUT OF LEFT FIELD SONG OF 2016: "Trail Ride" by Jaye Hammer.

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

9.


August 1, 2016:

CHART-CLIMBER!

Jaye Hammer and "One Stop Lover" Climbs From The #70 Spot On Daddy B. Nice's Top 100 (21st Century) Southern Soul Countdown To #49!

The chart ranks the top one hundred contemporary southern soul singles over the last sixteen years--ultimately a twenty-year period (from 2000-2020).


See Jaye Hammer's new position on the Chart.

Jaye Hammer also becomes the #49-ranked artist on Daddy B. Nice's Top 100 21st Century Southern Soul Artists Chart.


See the chart.

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

10.


February 28, 2019:

New Album Alert!


Sample/Buy Jaye Hammer's new DOUBLE TROUBLE album at iTunes.

"DOUBLE TROUBLE" TRACK LIST:



1
She's My Baby Forever

2
Groupie Girls

3
Let Me Hammerize You

4
Buck Jumpin' Dance

5
We're Steppin' out Tonight

6
Trouble Trouble

7
She's Lovin' Me Crazy

8
Booty Slide

9
Coming Home to You

10
Blues Heaven

11
Blues Heaven (Radio Version)

Daddy B. Nice notes:

Songwriters John Cummings & John Ward recycle the melody from Latimores's "Sunshine Lady," and Jaye Hammer makes it all his own with a vocal that manages to be simultaneously modest and overwhelming. Ward's production is impeccable.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "She's My Baby Forever" on YouTube.

"Blues Heaven," another cut from the new album, charted here in January.


**********
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .

-------JANUARY 2019-------

… 7. "Blues Heaven"-----Jaye Hammer

The blues belter does it Johnny Taylor "Soul Heaven" style. From Blues Mix Volume 27.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Blues Heaven" on YouTube.
**********



Buy Jaye Hammer's DOUBLE TROUBLE at Amazon.

Watch for Daddy B. Nice's review.

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide

11.


Originally posted in Daddy B. Nice's New CD Reviews.

March 24, 2019:

JAYE HAMMER: Double Trouble (Ecko) Three Stars *** Solid. The Artist's Fans Will Enjoy.

Jaye Hammer, the southern soul singer who went blind from a detached retina at the age of twenty-six, has quietly amassed an impressive resume over the course of a half-dozen albums. His 2005 debut was followed by a fallow period during which the blindness descended, a seemingly more cruel fate (having seen the world and lost it in adulthood) than singers like Clarence Carter, blind from birth, or Ray Charles, whose blindness became complete by the age of seven.

Delta producer Aaron Weddington, who had discovered Hammer as a gospel-singing child prodigy, introduced him to Ecko Records' John Ward during this perilous transitional period, and Jaye's five albums for the Memphis label between 2012 and 2017 have positioned Hammer as a solid if second-tier contemporary southern soul performer, lacking only a significant "breakthrough" single in his quest for wider popularity.

Hammer's fans might argue that "I Ain't Leaving Mississippi"is--or should have been--that "breakthrough" single. With lyrics like--

"I got my first piece of coochie
In the middle of a cotton field,
And had my first drink of whiskey
From my grand-daddy's still."

--it's an autobiographical (or seemingly autobiographical) gem.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "I Ain't Leaving Mississippi" on YouTube.

Together with the anthem-like "One Stop Lover," which showcases Hammer's ability to steadily percolate authentic emotion, and the southern soul/zydeco hybrid "Trail Ride," which rocks along to an infectious cajun accompaniment, these oft'-overlooked singles ring with a muscular vocal clarity not unlike that which Clarence Carter brought to singles like "Slip Away," "Patches" and "Strokin'". In both instances--Carter's and Hammer's--the singing is professional yet laced with a rowdy, unschooled flavor that stresses naturalism and country roots.

Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Party At Home Tonight" on YouTube.

Jaye Hammer's new album Double Trouble--his sixth Ecko release--has a single that begs for inclusion in that list of Hammer's "best". It's "She's My Baby Forever". A cradle-rocking tempo propels a melody that will seem familiar to soul music aficionados. That's because it's based on the old Latimore standard, "Sunshine Lady". The vocal and instrumental tracks are executed with taste and flair. It's a beautiful song and deserves to be ranked among Jaye's finest, but it's probably not that long-awaited "breakthrough hit" that some Jaye Hammer advocates may be hoping for.

And as Double Trouble's top single goes, so goes the album. This is a mellow set, cooked up much like a chef would "comfort food," with a lot of variety and lot of "tried and true" formulas. No surprises. Nothing disturbing. Even a potentially over-the-top tune like "The Groupie Girls" comes off as familiar and conversational, as if Jaye were talking to you from an adjacent airline seat.

"Buck Jumpin' Dance" will be familiar to Ecko Records fans--a booty-shaking line-dance you've heard from Ms. Jody et.al.. Ditto for "Booty Slide." The bluesy "Trouble Trouble"--or is it "Double Trouble," the title tune?--is puzzling. I was never convinced by it. I never believed in it, other than as an exercise on the level of, say, a neo-soul artist, which is an awful thing to say about a southern soul artist. And yet, for different reasons--one song is "down," the other "up"--I reacted to "She's Lovin' Me Crazy" in the same way.

On generic tunes like these, with no inspiring hooks or lyrics, Hammer's high, metallic baritone can get a little harsh and abrasive. But just when it's wearing on you, Hammer will step into a more personalized and authentic vehicle like "We're Stepping Out Tonight," a mid-tempo ode to the pleasures of domesticity, which will transport Jaye's fans to "Party At Home" territory. And occasionally, a song on the set will sneak up and surprise. Such in the case with "Coming Home To You," which begins a little shakily but matures with a dramatic, no-holds-barred chorus that at first seems jarring, then becomes the backbone of the record.

Some refreshing gravitas also embellishes the "Soul Heaven" clone, "Blues Heaven," in which, departed less than a year, Denise LaSalle is now--sadly--conspicuously listed. The smooth slow jam, "Let Me Hammerize You," ends, incidentally, with Jaye saying, "I'll even leave Mississippi for you," which fans will instantly recognize as a reference to "I Ain't Leaving Mississippi".

--Daddy B. Nice

Buy Jaye Hammer's DOUBLE TROUBLE album at iTunes.

Buy Jaye Hammer's DOUBLE TROUBLE album at Amazon.

See Daddy B. Nice's Artist Guide to Jaye Hammer.

Browse Jaye Hammer CD's.

SouthernSoulRnB.com - Chitlin' Circuit Southern Soul Music Guide


Honorary "B" Side

"One Stop Lover"


1-5 Star Recommended Tracks
#49 - One Stop Lover by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 
One Stop Lover
CD: I Can Lay The Hammer Down
Label: Ecko
 
#49 - Let's Hear It For The DJ by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 
Let's Hear It For The DJ
CD: I'm The Right Man
Label: Ecko
Sample or Buy
I'm The Right Man
 
#49 - Make Up Sex by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 
Make Up Sex
CD: Jaye Hammer's Still Got It
Label: Ecko
 
#49 - Shuckin' & Jivin' by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 
Shuckin' & Jivin'
CD: I Can Lay The Hammer Down
Label: Ecko
 
#49 - Trail Ride by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 5 Stars 
Trail Ride
CD: Last Man Standing
Label: Ecko
Sample or Buy
Last Man Standing
 
#49 - Cheatin' Ain't No Fun by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 
Cheatin' Ain't No Fun
CD: I Can Lay The Hammer Down
Label: Ecko
 
#49 - Dig A Little Deeper by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 
Dig A Little Deeper
CD: I Can Lay The Hammer Down
Label: Ecko
 
#49 - I Can Love You Like That by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 
I Can Love You Like That
CD: Hammer
Label: Ecko
Sample or Buy
Hammer
 
#49 - Is She Waiting On You (feat. Donnie Ray) by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 
Is She Waiting On You (feat. Donnie Ray)
CD: I'm The Right Man
Label: Ecko
Sample or Buy
I'm The Right Man
 
#49 - Party Mood by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 
Party Mood
CD: Hammer
Label: Ecko
Sample or Buy
Hammer
 
#49 - Soul Train Dancer by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 4 Stars 
Soul Train Dancer
CD: Hammer
Label: Ecko
Sample or Buy
Hammer
 
#49 - I Can Lay The Hammer Down by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
3 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars 
I Can Lay The Hammer Down
CD: I Can Lay The Hammer Down
Label: Ecko
 
#49 - Mississippi Slide by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
3 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars 
Mississippi Slide
CD: Hammer
Label: Ecko
Sample or Buy
Hammer
 
#49 - Strawberry Ice Cream Woman by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
3 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars 
Strawberry Ice Cream Woman
CD: Hammer
Label: Ecko
Sample or Buy
Hammer
 
#49 - Work It On Me by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
3 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars 
Work It On Me
CD: Work It On Me
Label: Blues River
Sample or Buy
Work It On Me
 
#49 - Blues Buffet by Jaye Hammer (New CD Review!)
Blues Buffet
CD: I Can Lay The Hammer Down
Label: Ecko
 


©2005-2024 SouthernSoulRnB.com

All material--written or visual--on this website is copyrighted and the exclusive property of SouthernSoulRnB.com, LLC. Any use or reproduction of the material outside the website is strictly forbidden, unless expressly authorized by SouthernSoulRnB.com. (Material up to 300 words may be quoted without permission if "Daddy B. Nice's Southern Soul RnB.com" is listed as the source and a link to http://www.southernsoulrnb.com/ is provided.)