Tag Archives: Alan Stepansky

Weezer: OK Human

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On January 29, 2021, “Crush Music” and “Atlantic” labels released “OK Human”, the fourteenth Weezer studio album. It was recorded 2018 – 2020, and was produced by Jake Sinclair.

Personnel:

  • Rivers Cuomo – lead vocals, piano
  • Brian Bell – piano, acoustic guitar, organ, backing vocals
  • Scott Shriner – bass, backing vocals
  • Patrick Wilson – drums, backing vocals
  • Tara Helen O’Connor – flute, piccolo
  • Keisuke Ikuma – English horn, oboe
  • Pavel Vinnitsky – clarinet, bass clarinet
  • Dan Shelly – bassoon
  • Erik Ralske – French horn
  • Anne Sharer – French horn
  • Tony Kadleck – trumpet
  • Ray Riccomini – trumpet
  • Ryan Keberle – trombone
  • Sasha Romero – trombone
  • Lisa Kim – concert master, violin
  • Peter Bahng – violin
  • Ann Lehmann – violin
  • Matt Lehmann – violin
  • Joanna Maurer – violin
  • Sharon Yamada – violin
  • Jung Sun Yoo – violin
  • Will Frampton – viola
  • Joel Noyes – viola
  • Michael Roth – viola
  • Becky Young – viola
  • Alan Stepansky – cello
  • Rob Mathes – arranger, horn conductor, string conductor, woodwind arrangement
  • Jonathan Allen – engineer
  • Perry Margouleff – engineer
  • Paul Pritchard – engineer
  • Suzy Shinn – engineer, vocal producer
  • Maureen Sickler – engineer
  • William Carroll – engineer
  • Zach Fisher – engineer
  • Brian Fombona – engineer
  • Rachel White – engineer
  • William Wittman – engineer
  • Karl Wingate – assistant engineer
  • Lazaro Zarate – assistant engineer
  • Andy Maxwell – assistant engineer
  • Branko Presley – assistant engineer
  • Lawton Burris – engineer assistant
  • John Sinclair – mixing
  • Pete Lyman – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks are written by Rivers Cuomo, except where noted.

  1. All My Favorite Songs – Rivers Cuomo, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Ilsey Juber
  2. Aloo Gobi
  3. Grapes of Wrath
  4. Numbers
  5. Playing My Piano
  6. Mirror Image
  7. Screens
  8. Bird with a Broken Wind
  9. Dead Roses
  10. Everything Happens for a Reason
  11. Here Comes the Rain
  12. La Brea Tar Pits

Natalie Merchant: Motherland

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On November 13, 2001, “Elektra” label released “Motherland”, the third Natalie Merchant album. It was recorded July – September 2001, at “Allaire Studios”, “Sunset Sound” and “Clinton Studios”, and was produced by T-Bone Burnett and Natalie Merchant.

Personnel:

  • Natalie Merchant – vocal, piano, Rhodes piano
  • Erik Della Penna – electric guitar, classical guitar, acoustic guitar, oud, banjo, lap steel guitar, bouzouki
  • Greg Leisz – acoustic and electric guitar, 12 string guitar, banjo, mandolin
  • Elizabeth Steen – Hammond organ, mellotron, Wurlitzer piano, piano
  • Gabriel Gordon – vocal, acoustic and electric guitar
  • Keefus Ciancia – piano, Hammond organ, keyboard
  • Patrick Warren – Chamberlin, pump organ
  • Guy Klucevsek – accordion
  • Van Dyke Parks – accordion
  • Mike Elizondo – acoustic bass
  • Bob Glaub – bass guitar
  • Jeremy McCoy – bass guitar
  • Graham Maby – bass guitar
  • Matt Chamberlain – drums, percussion
  • Carla Azar – drums 
  • Katie Goldberg – vocal
  • Mavis Staples – vocals
  • Kate Daley – Vivian girl’s voice
  • Kelly Daley – Vivian girl’s voice
  • Stephen Barber – arranger, conductor
  • David Ralicke – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trombone
  • Philip Myers – French horn
  • Sandra Church – alto flute
  • David Krakauer – clarinet
  • Mitchell Estrin – bass clarinet
  • Tony Kadleck – trumpet
  • Chris Tedesco – trumpet
  • Sandra Park – violin, string contractor
  • Krystof Kuznik – violin
  • Bruno Eicher – violin
  • Ann S. Kim – violin
  • Lisa E. Kim – violin
  • Karen Marx – violin
  • Robert T. Shaw – violin
  • Fiona Simon – violin
  • Soo Hyun Kwon – violin
  • Jung Sun Yoo – violin
  • Sharon Yamada – violin
  • Laura Seaton – violin
  • Nick Cords – viola
  • Vivek Kamath – viola
  • Karen Dreyfus – viola
  • Elizabeth Dyson – cello
  • Sarah Seiver – cello
  • Alan Stepansky – cello

Track listing:

All tracks by Natalie Merchant.

  1. This House Is on Fire
  2. Motherland
  3. Saint Judas
  4. Put the Law on You
  5. Build a Levee
  6. Golden Boy
  7. Henry Darger
  8. The Worst Thing – Spanish lyrics by Daniel de la Calle 
  9. Tell Yourself
  10. Just Can’t Last
  11. Not in This Life
  12. I’m Not Gonna Beg

Natalie Merchant: Same

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On May 6, 2014, “Nonesuch” label released the self-titled, sixth Natalie Merchant album. It was recorded 2013 – 2014, at “Clubhouse Recording Studios”, “Electric Lady Studios”, and was produced by Natalie Merchant.

Personnel:

  • Natalie Merchant – vocals
  • Uri Sharlin – grand piano, electric piano, upright piano
  • John Medeski – organ, keyboards
  • Jonathan Dreyden – organ
  • Gabriel Gordon – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Erik Della Penna – electric guitar
  • Jeremy McCoy – double bass
  • John Patitucci – double bass
  • Kurt Muroki – double bass
  • Jesse Murphy – electric bass
  • Marc Friedman – electric bass
  • Shawn Pelton – drums
  • Andrew Barr – drums
  • Kenny Wollesen – drums, percussion
  • Stephen Barber – string arrangements
  • Nadége Foofat – string arrangements
  • Tony Finno – string arrangements
  • Liz Lim – violin
  • Joanna Maurer – violin 
  • Lisa Kim – violin 
  • Quan Ge – violin 
  • Sein Ryu – violin 
  • Sharon Yamada – violin
  • Robert Rinehart – viola
  • Vivek Kamath – viola
  • Alan Stepansky – cello
  • Wei Yu – cello
  • Ru Pie Yeh – cello
  • Eddie Allen – flugelhorn, trumpet
  • Clark Gayton – tuba, trombone, horn arrangements
  • Steve Elson – clarinet, saxophones
  • Anthony McGill – clarinet
  • Mindy Kaufmann – flute
  • Johanna Warren, Simi Stone, Tamar-kali, Elizabeth Mitchell – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Natalie Merchant.

  1. Ladybird
  2. Maggie Said
  3. Texas
  4. Go Down Moses
  5. Seven Deadly Sins
  6. Giving Up Everything
  7. Black Sheep
  8. It’s a Coming
  9. Lulu (introduction)
  10. Lulu
  11. The End

Bruce Springsteen: Western Stars

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On June 14, 2019, “Columbia” label released “Western Stars”, the nineteenth Bruce Springsteen studio album. It was recorded 2018 – 2019, at “Stone Hill” in New Jersey, and was produced by Ron Aniello.

Personnel:

  • Bruce Springsteen – vocals, acoustic, twelve-string and electric guitar, glockenspiel, synth, strings, banjo, percussion, organ, piano, sampler, celesta, organ solo, mellotron
  • Ron Anielo – electric upright bass, piano, acoustic and electric guitar, percussion, vibraphone, bass, synth, sampler, drums, organ, celesta, loops, backing vocal
  • Marc Muller – lap steel guitar
  • Jon Brion– electric guitar
  • Rob Lebert – electric and baritone guitar
  • Greg Leisz, Marc Muller, Marty Rifkin– pedal steel guitar
  • Lenny Castro- tambourine
  • David Sancious– organ
  • Charlie Giordano, David Sancious, Matt Rollings- piano
  • Jon Brion– Farfisa synthesizer
  • Jon Brion– Moog synthesizer
  • Charlie Giordano- accordion
  • Gunnar Olsen, Jon Brion, Matt Chamberlain– drums
  • Lenny Castro – congas
  • Jon Brion- timpani
  • Ed Manion- saxophone
  • Andrew Sterman– alto flute
  • Alden Banta – bassoon
  • Curt Ramm – flugelhorn
  • Charles Pillow- oboe
  • Leelanee Sterrett– French horn
  • Rachel Drehmann– French horn
  • Jon Brion– celesta
  • Lenny Castro- shaker
  • Clark Gayton, Dan Levine- trombone
  • Barry Danielian, Curt Ramm- trumpet
  • Avatar Strings – Desiree Elsevier, Robert Reinhart, Vivek Kamath- viola
  • Stone Hill Strings – Rebecca Young, Shmuel Katz- viola
  • Luis Villalobos, Soozie Tyrell- violin
  • Avatar Strings – Annaliesa Place, Liz Lim, Emily Popham, Hyunju Lee, Joanna Maurer, Jung Sun Yoo, Lisa Kim, Sharon Yamada, Suzanne Ornstein- violin
  • Stone Hill Strings – Hyunju Lee, Joanna Maurer, Lisa Kim- viola
  • Avatar Strings – Alan Stepansky, Nathan Vickery- cello
  • Stone Hill Strings – Alan Stepansky- cello
  • Lisa Kim – concertmaster
  • Rob Mathes – conductor, arrangements Avatar Strings
  • Scott Tibbs – conductor Stone Hill Stringa, production coordinator
  • Cindy Mizelle, Curtis King, Matthew Koma, Michelle Moore, Soozie Tyrell– backing vocals
  • Patti Scialfa – vocal, vocal arrangements
  • Tobby Scott – loops, programming
  • Rob Lebret, Ron Aniello, Ross Petersen, Toby Scott – engineer
  • Alec Dixon, Brett Rouche, Chris Steffen, Greg Koller – additional engineering
  • Bob Ludwigm- mastering
  • Tom Elmhirst – mixing
  • Joe Visciano – mixing assistant
  • Kevin Buell – technician
  • Michelle Holme – artwork, design
  • Danny Clinch – photography
  • Kalle Gustafsson – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Bruce Springsteen, except where noted.

  1. Hitch Hikin’
  2. The Wayfarer
  3. Tucson Train
  4. Western Stars
  5. Sleepy Joe’s Cafe
  6. Drive Fast (The Stuntman)
  7. Chasin’ Wild Horses
  8. Sundown
  9. Somewhere North of Nashville
  10. Stones
  11. There Goes My Miracle
  12. Hello Sunshine
  13. Moonlight Motel

Meshell Ndegeocello: Bitter

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Bitter

On August 24, 1999, “Maverick Records” label released “Bitter”, the third Meshell Ndegeocello solo studio album. It was recorded 1989 – 1999, and was produced by Craig Street.

Personnel:

  • Meshell Ndegéocello- vocals, electric bass, additional instruments
  • Lisa Coleman- piano, keyboards
  • Wendy Melvoin- guitar
  • Chris Bruce – guitar
  • Doyle Bramhall II- guitar
  • Ronny Drayton- electric guitar
  • Greg Leisz- pedal steel guitar
  • David Torn- guitar
  • Abraham Laboriel Jr.- drums, percussion
  • Daniel Sadownick -percussion
  • Joe Henry- vocals
  • Sandra Park -violin
  • Sharon Yamada – violin
  • Robert Rinehart -viola
  • Alan Stepansky -cello
  • Biti Straug -backing vocals
  • Arif St. Michael – backing vocals
  • Steve Barber –string arrangements
  • Dusty Wakeman –engineer
  • Husky Hoskuids – additional recordings engineer
  • Tom Schick – additional recordings engineer
  • Chris Ribando – second engineer
  • Rafael Serrano – second engineer
  • Elijah Bradford – second engineer
  • Roger Moutenot – mixing
  • Josh Turner – mixing assistant
  • Greg Calbi– mastering
  • Kevin Reagan – art direction, design
  • Gail Swanlund– design
  • Sheryl Nields –photography
  • Paul Thompson – production assistant
  • Kai Morrison – project coordination

Track lsiting:

  1. Adam – Meshell Ndegéocello
  2. Fool of Me – Meshell Ndegéocello, Frederico Gonzalez Peña
  3. Faithful – Meshell Ndegéocello, David Gamson
  4. Satisfy – Meshell Ndegéocello, Frederico Gonzales Peña
  5. Bitter – Meshell Ndegéocello
  6. May This Be Love – Jimi Hendrix
  7. Sincerity – Meshell Ndegéocello,Doyle Bramhall II
  8. Loyalty – Meshell Ndegéocello, Allen Cato
  9. Beautiful – Meshell Ndegéocello
  10. Eve – David Torn, Roger Moutenot
  11. Wasted Time – Meshell Ndegéocello
  12. Grace – Meshell Ndegéocello

David Byrne: Grown Backwards

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David Byrne Grown Backwards

On March 16, 2004, “Nonesuch” label released “Grown Backwards”, the sixth David Byrne album. It was recorded in 2003, at  “Kampo Studios”, “Loveshack Studio”, “Avatar”, “Skyline”, “RPM Studio”, “Sound on Sound” in New York, “Tequila Mockingbird” in Austin, “CaVa Sound Workshops” in Glasgow, “Cheeba Central” in London, and was produced by David Byrne and Patrick Dillett.

Personnel:

  • David Byrne –vocals, nylon-string guitar, electric guitar, dobro. Rhodes, programming
  • Barry Burns– spacey guitar, Rhodes
  • Jon Vercesi– Rhodes
  • Stephen Barber– prepared piano
  • Karen Mantler– organ
  • Ross Godfrey– keyboards
  • Jon Spurney – keyboards
  • Mike Maddox– accordion
  • Andy Waterworth– bass guitar
  • Steve Swallow– bass guitar
  • Paul Frazier– bass guitar
  • John Patitucci– bass guitar
  • Una McGlone– bass
  • Johnny Quinn– drum kit
  • Steve Williams– drum kit
  • Kenny Wollesen – drum kit
  • Joe Cooper– percussion
  • Paul Godfrey– sequencing
  • David Hilliard– hi-hat
  • Mauro Refosco– marimba, percussion
  • Tom Burritt– marimba, tympani
  • Pamelia Kurstin– theremin
  • Vincent Herring– alto saxophone
  • Gary Smulyan– baritone saxophone
  • Alex Foster– tenor saxophone
  • Earl Gardner– trumpet
  • Ray Anderson– trombone
  • Jon Blondell– trombone
  • Jon Blondell – trombone
  • Keith O’Quinn– trombone
  • Bob Routch– French horn
  • Philip Myers– French horn
  • Shelly Woodworth– oboe, English horn
  • Mark Nuccio– clarinet
  • Lew Soloff– trumpet
  • Bob Stewart– tuba
  • Freddie Mendoza– trombone, euphonium
  • John Mills– clarinet, bass clarinet, flute
  • The Tosca Strings:
  • Tracy Seeger– violin
  • Jamie Desautels– violin
  • Leigh Mahoney– violin
  • Ames Asbell– viola
  • Douglas Harvey –cello
  • Sara Nelson– cello
  • Katherine Fong– violin
  • Soo Hyun Kwon– violin
  • Greg Lawson– violin
  • Fiona Stephen– violin
  • Sharon Yamada– violin
  • Lisa Aferiat– violin
  • Sandra Park– violin
  • Georgia Boyd– viola
  • Donald Gillan– cello
  • Robert Irvine– cello
  • Jane Scarpantoni– cello
  • Alan Stepansky– cello
  • Jeremy Turner– cello
  • Elaine Barber– harp
  • David Creswell– viola
  • Dawn Hannay– viola
  • Alan Ford– vacuum cleaner
  • Rufus Wainwright– vocals
  • Patrick Dillett– backing vocals

Track listing,

All tracks by David Byrne, except where noted.

  1. Glass, Concrete & Stone
  2. The Man Who Loved Beer – Donald Charles Book, Kurt Wagner
  3. Au fond du Temple Saint Georges Bizet, Eugène Cormon, Michel Carré
  4. Empire
  5. Tiny Apocalypse
  6. She Only Sleeps
  7. Dialog Box
  8. The Other Side of this Life
  9. Why
  10. Pirates
  11. Civilization
  12. Astronaut
  13. Glad
  14. Un Dì, Felice, Eterea – Giuseppe Verdi
  15. Lazy – David Byrne/X-Press 2