Tag Archives: Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Norah Jones: Visions

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On March 8, 2024, “Blue Note” label released “Visions”, the ninth Norah Jones studio album. It was recorded in 2023, and was produced by Leon Michels. The album won “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” at the 67th “Annual Grammy Awards”.

Personnel:

  • Norah Jones – vocals, guitar, bass, piano, keyboards, Wurlitzer electric piano, organ, synthesizer
  • Jesse Murphy – bass, upright bass
  • Leon Michels – drums, bass, tambourine, guitar, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, drum programming, organ
  • Homer Steinweiss – drums
  • Brian Blade – drums
  • Dave Guy – trumpet
  • Leon Michels – engineer
  • Jens Jungkurth – engineer, mixing
  • Lucas Carpenter – engineer assistant
  • Alex Deturk – mastering
  • Garrett Robinson – mastering
  • Scott Hull – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Norah Jones, except where noted.

  1. All This Time – Norah Jones, Leon Michels
  2. Starring at the Wall – Norah Jones, Leon Michels
  3. Paradise – Norah Jones, Leon Michels
  4. Queen of the Sea
  5. Visions
  6. Running – Norah Jones, Leon Michels
  7. I Just Wanna Dance – Norah Jones, Leon Michels, Homer Steinweiss
  8. I’m Awake
  9. Swept Up in the Night – Norah Jones, Leon Michels
  10. On My Way – Norah Jones, Pete Remm
  11. Alone with My Thoughts – Norah Jones, Leon Michels
  12. That’s Life – Norah Jones, Leon Michels

James Taylor: American Standard

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On February 28, 2020, “Fantasy” label released “American Standard”, the twentieth James Taylor studio album. It was recorded at “The Barn” in Washington, MA, “United Recording Studios” in Hollywood, “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles, “Treasure Isle Studios” and “Blackbird Studios” in Nashville, TN, and was produced by Dave O’Donnell, John Pizzarelli and James Taylor. “American Standard” won “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” at the 63rd “Annual Grammy Awards”.

Personnel:

  • James Taylor – vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Kate Markowitz – vocals
  • Arnold McCuller – vocals
  • Caroline Taylor – vocals
  • John Pizzarelli – rhythm guitar
  • Michael Landau – lead guitar
  • Larry Goldings – piano, keyboards
  • Jimmy Johnson – bass
  • Viktor Krauss – double bass
  • Steve Gadd – drums
  • Luis Conte – percussion
  • Dorian Holley – vocals
  • Louis Marini, Jr. – saxophones, flute, clarinet
  • Walter Fowler – trumpets, flügelhorn
  • Andrea Zonn – vocals, violin
  • Stuart Duncan – violin
  • Jerry Douglas – dobro, engineer
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Justin Shturtz – mastering assistant
  • Carrie Smith – art direction, design

Track listing:

  1. My Blue Heaven – Walter Donaldson, George A. Whiting
  2. Moon River – Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer
  3. Teach Me Tonight – Gene de Paul,, Sammy Cahn
  4. As Easy as Rolling Off a Log – M.K. Jerome, Jack Scholl
  5. Almost Like Being in Love – Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner
  6. Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat – Frank Loesser
  7. The Nearness of You – Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington
  8. You’ve Got to be carefully Taught – Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II
  9. God Bless the Child – Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog Jr.
  10. Pennies from Heaven – Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke
  11. My Heart Stood Still – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  12. Ol’ Man River – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
  13.  It’s Only a Paper Moon – Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, Billy Rose
  14. The Surrey with the Fringe on Top – Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II

Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now

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Joni_Mitchell-Both_Sides_Now

On March 20, 2000, “Reprise” label released “Both Sides Now”, the seventeenth Joni Mitchell studio album. It was recorded in 1999, at “Air Studios” in London, and was produced by Joni Mitchell and Larry Klein. In 2001, the album won two “Grammy Awards”, for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” and “Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)” for the song “Both Sides, Now”.

Personnel:

  • Joni Mitchell— vocals, cover art
  • Herbie Hancock— piano
  • Dave Arch — piano
  • Chris Laurence— double bass
  • Peter Erskine— drums
  • Frank Ricotti— percussion
  • Wayne Shorter— soprano and tenor saxophone
  • Mark Isham— trumpet
  • John Barclay — trumpet
  • Pete Beachill — trombone
  • Richard Henry — bass trombone
  • John Anderson — oboe
  • Julie Andrews — bassoon
  • Nick Bucknall — clarinet
  • Stan Sulzmann— clarinet, flute
  • Philip Todd — clarinet, flute, alto flute
  • Jamie Talbot — clarinet, flute, alto flute, alto saxophone
  • Andrew Findon — flute
  • Philip Eastop — horn
  • Owen Slade — tuba
  • Vaughan Armon — violin
  • Kate Wilkinson — viola
  • Dave Daniels — cello
  • Skaila Kanga— harp

Track listing:

  1. You’re My Thrill – Sidney Clare, Jay Gorney
  2. At Last – Mack Gordon, Harry Warren
  3. Comes Love – Lew Brown, Sam H. Stept, Charles Tobias
  4. You’ve Changed – Bill Carey , Carl Fisher
  5. Answer My Love – Fred Rauch, Carl Sigman, Gerhard Winkler
  6. A Case of You – Joni Mitchell
  7. Don’t Go Strangers – Redd Evans, Arthur Kent, David Mann
  8. Sometimes I’m Happy – Irving Caesar, Clifford Grey, Vincent Youmans
  9. Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me – Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
  10. Stormy Weather – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  11. I Wish I Were in Love Again – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  12. Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell

Paul McCartney: Kisses In The Bottom

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Paul_McCartney - Kisses_on_the_bottom

On February 6, 2012, “Hear Music Label” released “Kisses on the Bottom”, the fifteenth Paul McCartney studio album. It was recorded in March 2010, at “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Tommy LiPuma. The album won a “Grammy” award for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” at the 2013 Grammy Awards.“

Personnel:

  • Paul McCartney– vocals, acoustic guitar, whistling
  • John Pizzarelli– guitar
  • Bucky Pizzarelli– guitar
  • Anthony Wilson– guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Joe Walsh– guitar
  • Eric Clapton– guitar
  • John Chiodini – guitar
  • Diana Krall– piano, rhythm arrangements
  • Tamir Hendelman– piano
  • Stevie Wonder– harmonica
  • John Clayton– bass
  • Robert Hurst– bass
  • Chuck Berghofer– bass
  • Christian McBride– bass
  • Vinnie Colaiuta– drums
  • Jeff Hamilton– drums
  • Karriem Riggins– drums
  • Ira Nepus – trombone
  • Mike Mainieri– vibraphone
  • Andy Stein– violin
  • London Symphony Orchestra:
    • Alan Broadbent– orchestra conductor, orchestra arrangements
    • Roman Simovic – concert master
    • Eddie Karam – orchestra conductor
  • Assa Drori – concert master
  • Johnny Mandel– orchestra arrangement, orchestra conductor, rhythm arrangements
  • Chloe Arzy, Evyn Johnson, Makiah Johnson, Michael Johnson, Delany Meyer, Ilsey Moon, Sabrina Walden, Sasha Walden – children’s choir
  • Scottie Haskell – children’s choir conductor
  • Jonathan Schofield – art conception
  • Matthew Cooper – design
  • John Hammel– images
  • Mary McCartney– cover photo
  • MJ Kim – additional photography

Track listing:

  1. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter – Fred E. Ahlert, Joe Young
  2. Home (When Shadows Fall) – Peter van Steeden, Jeff Clarkson, Harry Clarkson
  3. It’s Only a Paper Moon – Harold Arlen,  Y. Harburg, Billy Rose
  4. More I Cannot Wish You – Frank Loesser
  5. The Glory of Love – Billy Hill
  6. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me) – Sammy Mysels, Dick Robertson, Nelson Cogane
  7. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  8. My Valentine – Paul McCartney
  9. Always – Irving Berlin
  10. My Very Good Friend the Milkman – Harold Spina, Johnny Burke
  11. Bye Bye Blackbird – Ray Henderson, Mort Dixon
  12. Get Yourself Another Fool – Haywood Henry, Monroe Tucker
  13. The Inch Worm – Frank Loesser
  14. Only Our Hearts – Paul McCartney