Tag Archives: George Piros

Aretha Franklin: Amazing Grace

On June 1, 1972, “Atlantic” label released “Amazing Grace”, the fourth Aretha Franklin live album. It was recorded in January 1972, at the “New Temple Missionary Baptist Church”, and was produced by Jerry Wexler, Aretha Franklin and Arif Mardin. In 1973, Aretha Franklin won “Grammy Award” for “Best Soul Gospel Performance”. The album was certified 2 x Platinum in US by “RIAA”.

Personnel:

  • Aretha Franklin – lead vocals, piano, celesta, arrangements
  • Rev. C.L. Franklin – vocals
  • Rev. James Cleveland – lead vocals, piano, choir director
  • Rev. Alexander Hamilton – choir director assistant
  • Kenneth “Ken” Lupper – organ, additional keyboards
  • Cornell Dupree – guitar
  • Chuck Rainey – bass
  • Bernard Purdie – drums
  • Pancho Morales – congas, additional percussion
  • Southern California Community Choir – backing vocals
  • Arif Mardin – music editing, remix
  • Wally Heider – recording
  • Jimmy Douglass – recording assistant
  • Gene Paul – recording assistant
  • George Piros – recording assistant
  • Ray Thompson – recording

Track listing:

  1. Mary, Don’t You Weep – spiritual
  2. Medley: Precious Lord, Take My Hand / You’ve Hot a Friend – Thomas A. Dorsey, Frank Frazier / Carole King
  3. Old Landmark – W. Herbert Brewster, Adeline M. Brunner
  4. Give Yourself to Jesus – Robert Fryson
  5. How I Got Over – Clara Ward
  6. What a Friend We Have in Jesus – Joseph M. Seriven, Charles Crozat Converse
  7. Amazing Grace – John Newton
  8. Precious Memories – J.B.F. Wright
  9. Climbing Higher Mountains – traditional
  10. Remarks by Reverend C.L. Franklin
  11. God Will Take Care of You – traditional
  12. Wholy Holy – Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland
  13. You’ll Never Walk Alone – Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II
  14. Never Grow Old – traditional

Aretha Franklin: La Diva

On September 6, 1979, “Atlantic” label released “La Diva”, the twenty-fifth Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded February – May 1979, at “Penny Lane Studios” in New York City, “Record Plant” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Aretha Franklin, Van McCoy, Skip Scarborough and Charles Kipps.

Personnel:

  • Aretha Franklin – lead and backing vocals, rhythm arrangements
  • Jack Cavari, Cornell Dupree, Tom Hanlon – guitar
  • Van McCoy – keyboards, backing vocals, rhythm arrangements
  • Kenneth Ascher, Richard Tee, Paul Griffin – keyboards
  • Ken Bichel – synthesizer, orchestra bells
  • Brian Aslop, Gordon Edwards – bass guitar
  • Chris Parker – drums
  • Errol “Crusher” Bennett, George Devens – percussion
  • Richard Gibbs – rhythm arrangements
  • Arthur Jenkins – rhythm arrangements
  • Skip Scarborough – rhythm arrangements
  • Zulema Cusseaux – rhythm arrangements, backing vocals
  • Gene Orloff – conductor
  • Albert Bailey – backing vocals
  • Sharon Brown – backing vocals
  • Diane Destry – backing vocals
  • Carolyn Franklin – backing vocals
  • Richard Harris – backing vocals
  • Brenda Hilliard – backing vocals
  • Jerome Jackson – backing vocals
  • Pete Marshall – backing vocals
  • Pat Williamson – backing vocals
  • Lee Decarlo, Alan Varner – engineer
  • Rick Delana, Brian Marine, John Terrell – engineer assistant
  • George Piros – mastering

Track listing:

  1. Ladies Only – Aretha Franklin
  2. It’s Gonna Get a Bit Better – Lalome Washburn
  3. What If I Should Ever Need You – Charles H. Kipps
  4. Honey I Need Your Love – Aretha Franklin
  5. I Was Made for You – Clarence Franklin
  6. Only Star – Aretha Franklin
  7. Reasons Why – Skip Scarborough, Wanda Hutchinson, Wayne Vaughan
  8. You Brought Me Back to Life – Van McCoy
  9. Half a Love – Zulema Cusseaux
  10. The Feeling – Van McCoy

Carly Simon: Spy

On June 30, 1979, “Elektra” label released “Spy”, the eight Carly Simon studio album. It was recorded December 1978 – April 1979, at “Atlantic Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Arif Mardin.

Personnel:

  • Carly Simon – lead and backing vocals, acoustic piano
  • Ian McLagan– acoustic piano
  • Don Grolnick– acoustic piano, clavinet
  • Warren Bernhardt– keyboards, acoustic piano, electric piano
  • Richard Tee– clavinet, electric piano
  • Ken Bichel– Polymoog, synthesizer
  • Cliff Carter – synthesizer
  • Billy Mernit – acoustic piano
  • Joe Caro – acoustic and electric guitar
  • John Hall – electric guitar
  • David Spinozza– acoustic and electric guitar
  • Frank Carillo– guitar
  • Tony Levin– bass
  • Will Lee– bass
  • Steve Gadd– drums
  • Rick Marotta– drums
  • Errol “Crusher” Bennett – percussion, congas
  • Raphael Cruz – cowbell, congas, percussion
  • Mike Mainieri– vibraphone
  • David Sanborn– alto saxophone
  • Michael Brecker– tenor saxophone, tenor sax solo
  • Randy Brecker– trumpet
  • Peter Ballin – alto saxophone
  • Lew Del Gatto – baritone saxophone
  • Tom Malone– trombone
  • Hubert Laws– flute
  • Arif Mardin– horn, string and choir arrangement
  • Gene Orloff– concertmaster
  • Tim Curry– backing vocals
  • Ullanda McCullough – backing vocals
  • James Taylor– backing vocals
  • Lucy Simon – backing vocals
  • Jonathan Abramowitz, Lamar Alsop, Julien Barber, Phil Bodner, James Buffington, Frederick Buldrini, Jean R. Dane, Eddie Daniels, Peter Dimitriades, Lewis Eley, Gerald Tarack, Paul Gershman, Ted Hoyle, Regis Iandiorio, Teddy Israel, Harold Kohon, Jesse Levy, Guy Lumia, Joseph Malin, Richard Maximoff, Kermit Moore, Eugene J. Moye, Gene Orloff, Tony Posk, Alan Shulmanand Mitsue Takayama – strings
  • Lew Hahn – recording, mixing
  • Mike O’Malley – engineer assistant
  • George Piros – mastering
  • Robert Heimall – art direction, design
  • Pam Frank – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Carly Simon, except where noted.

  1. Vengeance
  2. Just Like You Do
  3. We’re So Close
  4. Coming to Get You
  5. Never Been Gone – Carly Simon, Jacob Brackman
  6. Pure Sin – Carly Simon, Frank Carillo
  7. Love You By Heart – Carly Simon, Jacob Brackman, Libby Titus
  8. Spy – Carly Simon, James Taylor, Arif Mardin
  9. Memorial Day