Tag Archives: Kenneth Ascher

Paul Simon: Still Crazy After All These Years

On October 17, 1975, “Columbia” label released “Still Crazy After All These Years”, the fourth Paul Simon studio album. It was recorded in 1975, at “A&R Recording” in New York City, and was produced by Phil Ramone and Paul Simon.

Personnel:

  • Paul Simon – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, string and horn arrangements
  • Pete Carr – electric guitar
  • Joe Beck – electric guitar
  • Jerry Friedman – electric guitar
  • Hugh McCracken – acoustic and electric guitar
  • John Tropea – electric guitar
  • Barry Beckett – Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano
  • Bob James – woodwind arrangements, string arrangements, Fender Rhodes
  • Kenneth Ascher – Fender Rhodes, organ
  • Sivuca – vocal solo, accordion
  • Richard Tee – acoustic piano
  • Leon Pendarvis – acoustic piano
  • Toots Thielemans – harmonica
  • David Hood – bass
  • Tony Levin – bass
  • Gordon Edwards – bass
  • Roger Hawkins – drums
  • Steve Gadd – drums
  • Grady Tate – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
  • Eddie Daniels – saxophone
  • David Sanborn – saxophone
  • Phil Woods – alto saxophone
  • David Mathews – horn arrangements
  • Phoebe Snow – vocals, backing vocals
  • Art Garfunkel – vocals
  • Patti Austin – backing vocals
  • Valerie Simpson – backing vocals
  • The Jessy Dixon Singers – backing vocals
  • Chicago Community Choir – backing vocals
  • Phil Ramone – engineer
  • Jerry Masters – engineer
  • Glenn Berger – recording
  • Bert Szerlip – recording
  • John Berg – design
  • Anthony Maggiore – design
  • Edie Baskin – cover photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Paul Simon.

  1. Still Crazy After All These Years
  2. My Little Town
  3. I Do It for Your Love
  4. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
  5. Night Game
  6. Gone at Last
  7. Some Folks Lives Roll Easy
  8. Have a Good Time
  9. You’re Kind
  10. Silent Eyes

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

Meat Loaf: Bat Out Of Hell

Bat_out_of_Hell

On October 21, 1977, “Cleveland International” label released “Bat Out of Hell”, the second Meat Loaf (Michael Lee Aday) studio album.  It was  recorded 1975 – 1976 and was produced by Todd Rundgren.  “But Out of Hell” became not only the biggest Loaf’s commercial released success but is also one of the best selling albums ever, with more than 43 million copies sold worldwide. In 2003, magazine Rolling Stone ranked it at number 343 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Meat Loaf– lead and backing vocals, percussion
  • Todd Rundgren– guitar, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Roy Bittan– piano, keyboards
  • Steve Margoshes – piano
  • Cheryl Hardwick – piano
  • Jim Steinman– keyboards, percussion, lascivious effects, dialogue intro
  • Roger Powell– synthesizer
  • Kasim Sulton– bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Max Weinberg– drums
  • John “Willie” Wilcox – drums
  • Edgar Winter– saxophone
  • Marcia McClain – dialogue intro
  • Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto– play-by-play
  • Ellen Foley– featured vocal, backing vocals
  • Rory Dodd– backing vocals
  • Gene Orloff – concertmaster
  • Members of New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra – orchestra
  • Kenneth Ascher– string arrangements
  • Steve Margoshes – orchestra arrangements

Track listing:

All tracks by Jim Steinman.

  1. Bat Out of Hell
  2. You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth
  3. Heaven Can Wait
  4. All Revved Up with No Place to Go
  5. Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad
  6. Paradise by the Dashboard Light
  7. For Crying Out Loud