Janet Jackson’s Producers Gain a New Perspective

When Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were growing up, their idols were Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the innovative producers who not only created the silky sound of Philly Soul, but built a whole record company, Philadelphia International Records, around it.

“When we were young, we knew all about Motown, but we really looked up to Gamble and Huff,” says Jam. “When you’re young it’s important to have an inspiration and they were a model for a special kind of black musical achievement.”

Now Jam and Lewis are becoming pop role models in their own rights. After nearly a decade of writing and producing hits for such artists as Janet Jackson, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill and Alexander O’Neal, the producers are starting their own record label, Perspective Records in a joint venture arrangement with A&M; Records.

The long-term deal gives Jam and Lewis the opportunity to release about six Perspective albums each year, all of which will be distributed by A&M.; While Jam and Lewis will sign any new artists to Perspective, they retain their right to produce artists with whom they’ve worked in the past. Still, the deal gives A&M;, which had a rocky period last year, access to a number of potential hit artists.

“What we really like about the deal is that it gives us the opportunity to pick and develop new talent, including new artists that someone else might not see in the same light that we do,” says Jam, speaking by phone from Minneapolis, where the duo’s Flyte Tyme studios are located. “We’d still like to work with outside artists, whether it’s Janet Jackson or Ralph Tresvant, but we’re especially eager to work with new acts, with underdogs, with people who really love music.”

Of course, the big question remains: Will Janet Jackson’s new mega-million dollar contract with Virgin Records put a strain on her relations with Jam and Lewis, who provided Jackson with her biggest hits but were involved in protracted negotiations before they agreed to work on her “Rhythm Nation” album? And if Jackson still wants to team up with Jam and Lewis, can even she (or Virgin) afford them?

“We’re still on good terms with Janet,” Jam says. “In fact, she was just up here, hanging around with us and we had a great time. The problem we had with ‘Rhythm Nation’ was that all the lawyer and accountant business got in front of the recording process. And one of the things we discussed this week was not letting that part of the process get in the way.”

Jam laughed. He’s read all the stories about Jackson’s lucrative new contract--and you can bet Jam and Lewis’ production price tag has gone up accordingly. As he puts it: “Obviously the price of milk has gone up. But, as of now, we anticipate working together again. We feel the tree has a lot more fruit to bear.”

Until the complicated Jackson arrangements are completed, Jam and Lewis plan to turn their attentions to their new label. One of the first acts they signed, a 40-member gospel vocal and instrumental ensemble called the Sound of Blackness, will release its first album May 7. Titled “The Evolution of Gospel,” the album combines what Jam calls “sanctified church rhythms and a funk groove.”

Other Perspective signings include Krush, an all-female rap and R&B; trio; vocalist Lisa Keith and the multiracial pop band King’s English.

“We have a strong desire to excel,” Jam says. “But our job is both to inspire and learn from the artist. If we see an artist who wants to sell 3 million records, and we feel we can’t necessarily do that, then we’ll probably tell them to go elsewhere. But if they’re interested in making good music, then we’re on the same wavelength.

“You learn along the way that there’s no formula to making hits. We’ve just always tried to make good records. After that, it’s up to radio and to the public. And if they say a song’s a hit, then I guess we’ve done a good job.”