On March 20, 2020, “Mack Avenue Records” label released “Step Up”, the 22nd Tower of Power album. It was recorded over the course of the 2010s, at “Blue Moon” in Los Angeles, “Track Shack” in Sacramento, and was produced by Joe Vannelli and Emilio Castillo.
Personnel:
Emilio Castillo – lead and backing vocals, tenor saxophone
Roger Smith – lead vocals, keyboards, Hammond B3 organ
Jerry Cortez – guitars, electric sitar, backing vocals
Marcus Scott – lead and backing vocals
Ray Greene – lead and backing vocals, trombone
Joe Vannelli – keyboards, auxiliary percussion, vibes, marimba
Tom E. Politzer – alto and tenor saxophone
Stephen “Doc” Kupka – baritone saxophone
Chuck Hansen – bass saxophone
Adolfo Acosta – trumpet, flugelhorn
Sal Cracchiolo – trumpet, flugelhorn
Francis Rocco Prestia – bass guitar
David Garibaldi – drums
Leah Meux – backing vocals
Tiwana Porter – backing vocals
Melanie Jackson – backing vocals
Dave Eskridge – horn and string arrangements
Track listing:
East Bay, All the Way! – David Garibaldi, Francis Rocco Prestia, Roger Smith, Jerry Cortez
Step Up – Emilio Castillo, Roger Smith
The Story of You and I – Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka
Who Would Have Thought – Stephen Kupka, Nick Lane, Lamont Van Hook
Addicted to You – Emilio Castillo, Sydney Justin
Look in My Eyes – Francis Rocco Prestia, Thomas William Schuman, Kevin Henry Whalum
You da One – Francis Rocco Prestia, Thomas William Schuman, Sennie Rudolph Martin
Sleeping with You Baby – Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka
If It’s Tea Give Me Coffee – Stephen Kupka, William Ross
Beyond My Wildest Dreams – Bruce Conte
Any Excuse Will Do – Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka, Lenny Pickett
If You Wanna Be a Winner – Emilio Castillo, David Garibaldi, Francis Rocco Prestia, Roger Smith, Jerry Cortez
Let’s Celebrate Our Love – Emilio Castillo, Mark Dolin
East Bay! Oaktown All the Way! – David Garibaldi, Francis Rocco Prestia, Roger Smith, Jerry Cortez
On March 19, 2021, “Interscope” and “Polydor” labels released “Chemtrails Over the Country Club”, the seventh Lana Del Rey studio album. It was produced 2015 – 2016, 2019 – 2020, at “Conway” in Los Angeles, “Electric Lady” in New York City, and was produced by Lana Del Rey, Rick Nowels and Jack Antonoff.
Personnel:
Lana Del Rey – vocals
Jack Antonoff – piano, guitar, bass, Mellotron, keyboards, twelve-string acoustic guitar, acoustic and electric guitar, slide guitar, synthesizers, Model B synth-bass, Hammond B3, organ, Rhodes, drums, percussion, programming
Rick Nowels – acoustic guitar, keyboards, Mellotron, bass
On March 9, 1999, “spinART Recirds” label released “Pistolero”, the second Frank Black album. It was recorded in 1998, at “Sound City Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Nick Vincent.
In March 1962, “Columbia” label released “André Previn and J. J. Johnson” (subtitled Play Kurt Weill’s Mack the Knife & Bilbao-Song and Other Music from The Three Penny Opera, Happy End, Mahagonny), album by André Previn and J. J. Johnson.It was recorded in December 1961, in Los Angeles, and was produced by Irving Townsend.
Personnel:
André Previn – piano
J. J. Johnson – trombone
Red Mitchell – bass
Frank Capp – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Kurt Weill.
Bilbao Song – (from Happy End)
Barbara Song – (from The Three Penny Opera)
Overture – (from The Three Penny Opera)
Seeräuberjenny – (from The Three Penny Opera)
Mack the Knife (Moritat)
Surabaya Johnny – (from Happy End)
Wie man sich bettet – (Meine Herren, meine Mutter prägte from Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny)
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:
My Blue Heaven – Walter Donaldson, George A. Whiting
Moon River – Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer
Teach Me Tonight – Gene de Paul,, Sammy Cahn
As Easy as Rolling Off a Log – M.K. Jerome, Jack Scholl
Almost Like Being in Love – Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner
Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat – Frank Loesser
The Nearness of You – Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington
You’ve Got to be carefully Taught – Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II
God Bless the Child – Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog Jr.
Pennies from Heaven – Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke
My Heart Stood Still – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
Ol’ Man River – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
It’s Only a Paper Moon – Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, Billy Rose
The Surrey with the Fringe on Top – Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II
On February 5, 2021, “RCA” and “Roswell Records” label released “Medicine at Midnight”, the tenth Foo Fighters studio album. It was recorded October 2019 – February 2020, in Encino, Los Angeles, and was produced by Greg Kurstin, Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear.
Personnel:
Dave Grohl – lead vocals, guitar
Chris Shiflett – guitar
Pat Smear – guitar
Rami Jaffee – keyboards, piano
Nate Mendel – bass guitar
Taylor Hawkins – drums
Omar Hakim – percussion
Jacob Braun – cello
Greg Kurstin – strings
Alma Fernandez – viola
Charlie Bisharat – violin
Songa Lee – violin
Samantha Sidley – backing vocals
Violet Grohl – backing vocals
Barbara Gruska – backing vocals
Laura Mace – backing vocals
Inara George – backing vocals
Darrell Thorp – engineer
Matt Wolach – engineer, assistant
Alex Pasco – engineer assistant
Mark “Spike” Stent – mixing
Randy Merrill – mixing
Track listing:
All tracks by Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear.
In January 1984, “RCA” label released “Lady of the Stars”, the seventeenth Donovan studio album. It was recorded in 1983, at “Cherokee Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Bruce Robb, Dee Robband and Jerry Wexler.
Personnel:
Donovan – vocals, guitar
Pete Carr – guitar
Richie Zito – guitar
Dave Mason – guitar
John Sebastian – autoharp
Barry Beckett, Bill Payne, William “Smitty” Smith, Jai Winding, Bruce Robb – keyboards
Bob Glaub, Leland Sklar, Wilton Felder, Jim Strauss – bass guitar
Rayford Griffin, James Gadson, Mike “Reedo” Reed – drums
On January 7, 1985, “Warner Bros” label released “20/20”, the 22nd George Benson studio album. It was recorded in 1984, at “Amigo Studios”, “Devonshire Sound Studios”, “Bill Schnee Studios” in Hollywood, “Atlantic Studios”, “A&R Recording”, “Automated Sound Studios”, “Rosebud Recording”, “The Hit Factory”, “the Review Room”, “Avatar Studios”, “Sigma Sound Studios” in New York City, “Grand Slam Studios” in New Jersey, “House of Music” in Orange, NJ, “Bossa Nova Hotel”, “Village Recorders” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Russ Titelman, Michael Masser, Daniel Sembello and Michael Sembello.
Personnel:
George Benson – lead and harmony vocals, guitar
Michael Sembello – guitars, drum programming, backing vocals
Dann Huff – guitar
Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar
Cecil Womack – guitar, backing vocals
David Williams – rhythm guitar
Freddie Green – rhythm guitar
Joe Sample – acoustic piano
Wells Christie – Synclavier programming
Randy Waldman – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements
James Newton Howard – acoustic piano, synthesizers, string arrangements
Clifford Carter – keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming
Rob Mounsey – Synclavier, vocoder, synthesizer bass
Steve Kipner – Oberheim DMX, Oberheim DSX sequencer
Rick Shlosser – drums
Paulinho da Costa – percussion
Errol “Crusher” Bennett – finger cymbals
Ralph MacDonald – triangle, percussion
Gary Herbig – saxophone
Kim Hutchcroft – saxophone
Frank Wess – alto saxophone
Charles Williams – alto saxophone
Robert Eldridge – baritone saxophone
George Coleman – tenor saxophone
Jimmy Heath – tenor saxophone
Robin Eubanks – trombone
Slide Hampton – trombone
Benny Powell – trombone
Dave Taylor – trombone
Gary Grant – trumpet
Jerry Hey – trumpet, horn arrangements
Jon Faddis – trumpet
Earl Gardner – trumpet
Joe Newman – trumpet
Lew Soloff – trumpet
Felix Vega – trumpet
George Young – flute
Frank Foster – horn arrangements, conductor
Ralph Burns – string arrangements, conductor
Michael Masser – rhythm track arrangements
Gene Page – rhythm track and string arrangements
Roberta Flack – lead vocals
Patti Austin – backing and harmony vocals
Gordon Grody – backing vocals
Lani Groves – backing vocals
Richard Marx – backing vocals
Deborah Thomas – backing vocals
James Taylor – backing and harmony vocals
Linda Womack – backing vocals
David Cochrane – backing vocals
Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals
Russ Titelman – executive producer
Mary Melia – production coordinator
Jim Boyer, Lee Herschberg, Gary Ladinsky, Michael Mancini, Elliot Scheiner, Russell Schmitt, Thom Wilson – engineer
Dick Bogart, Kendal Brown, Dean Burt, John Convertino, Jim Gallagher, Josiah Gluck, Cliff Hodson, John Rollo, Nicholas Spigel – additional engineering
Michael Abbott, Mike Allaire, Nelson Ayers, Mike Birnholz, Paul Brown, Ollie Cotton, Nick Delre, Paul Higgins, Steve Hirsch, Cliff Jones, Barbara Ivone, Leslie Klein, Robin Laine, Bruce Lampcov, James Nichols, Bobby Warner, Jay Willis – engineer assistant
Jim Boyer, Ed Rak, Elliot Scheiner, Russ Titelman – mixing
Ted Jensen – mastering
Simon Levy – art direction
Kav DeLuxe – design
Richard Bomersheim – photography
Track listing:
No One Emotion – Cliff Magness, Mark Mueller, Tom Keane
Please Don’t Walk Away – James Newton Howard, Steve Lukather
I Just Wanna Hang Around You – Chuz Sembello, Daniel Sembello, Jon Sembello, Michael Sembello
Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You – Michael Masser, Gerry Goffin
Beyond the Sea (la Mer) – Charles Trenet, Jack Lawrence
20/20 – Randy Goodrum, Steve Kipner
New Day – Cecil Womack, Linda Womack
Hold Me – Michael Sembello, Daniel Sembello
Stand Up – Neil Larsen
You Are the Love of My Love – Linda Creed, Michael Masser
On December 21, 1997, “Blue Note” label released “Another Shade of Blue”, the 120th Lee Konitz album. It was recorded in December 1997, at “Jazz Bakery” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Lee Konitz and Charlie Haden.
Personnel:
Lee Konitz – alto sax, liner notes
Brad Mehldau – piano
Charlie Haden – bass
Kurt Lundvall – engineer
Kenneth Noland – painting
Aldo Sampieri – design
Track listing:
Another Shade of Blue – Lee Konitz
Everything Happens to Me – Tom Adair, Matt Dennis
What’s New? – Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart
Body and Soul – Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour
All of Us – Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Brad Mehldau
In December 1996, “Blue Note” label released “Alone Together”, the 113th Lee Konitz album. It was recorded in 1996, at “The Jazz Bakery” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Lee Konitz and Charlie Haden
Personnel:
Lee Konitz – alto saxophone
Brad Mehldau – piano
Charlie Haden – bass
Kurt Lundvall – engineer
Patrick Roques – design
Kenneth Knowland – painting
Art Lange – liner notes
Track listing:
Alone Together – Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz
The Song Is You – Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern
Cherokee – Ray Noble
What Is This Thing Called Love? – Cole Porter
‘Round Midnight – Thelonious Monk, Cootie Williams
You Stepped Out of a Dream – Nacio Herb Brown, Gus Kahn
musicalphabet 