Tag Archives: Michael Brecker

Laura Nyro: Smile

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In February 1976, “Columbia” label released “Smile”, the sixth Laura Nyro album. It was recorded in 1975, at “CBS 30th Street Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Laura Nyro and Charlie Calello.

Personnel:

  • Laura Nyro – vocals, piano, guitar, wood block
  • John Tropea, Hugh McCracken, Joe Beck, Jeff Mironov, Jerry Friedman, Greg Bennett – guitar
  • Will Lee, Richard Davis, Bob Babbitt- bass
  • Chris Parker, Allan Schwartzberg, Rick Marotta- drums
  • Jimmy Maelen- tambourine, wood block
  • Nydia Mata, Carter C.C. Collins – congas
  • Rubens Bassini- shaker
  • David Friedman – vibraphone
  • Joe Farrell, Michael Brecker, George Young – saxophone
  • Randy Brecker- trumpet
  • Paul Messing – triangle
  • Nisako Yoshida, Reiko Kamota – koto
  • Don Puluse, Tim Geelan – engineer
  • Jay Messina, Lou Waxman, Stan Tonkel – engineer assistant
  • Ed Lee – artwork
  • Patty Newport – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Laura Nyro, except where noted.

  1. Sexy Mama – Al Goodman, Sylvia Robinson, Harry Ray
  2. Children of the Junks
  3. Money
  4. I Am the Blues
  5. Stormy Love
  6. The Cat Song
  7. Midnite Blue
  8. Smile

James Taylor: Never Die Young

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In January 1988, “Columbia / Legacy” label released “Never Die Young”, the twelfth James Taylor album. It was recorded in 1987, and was produced by Don Grolnick.

Personnel:

  • James Taylor – vocals, guitar
  • Bob Mann– guitar
  • Jeff Mironov – guitar
  • Dan Dugmore– banjo, pedal steel guitar
  • Don Grolnick– piano
  • Bill Payne– keyboards
  • Greg “Fingers” Taylor– harmonica
  • Jay Leonhart– bass
  • Leland Sklar– bass
  • Carlos Vega– drums, percussion
  • Michael Brecker– tenor saxophone
  • Rosemary Butler– vocals
  • David Lasley– vocals
  • Arnold McCuller– vocals
  • Mark O’Connor– violin
  • Lani Groves– backing vocals
  • Robby Kilgore, Clifford Carter – synthesizer programming
  • James Farber – recording, mixing
  • Don Rodenbach – engineer, assistant
  • Rhonda Schoen – digital editing
  • Greg Calbi– mastering
  • Edd Kolakowski – guitar and piano technician, production assistant
  • Marc Balet – art direction
  • Jim Brandenburg– wolf photos
  • Rudy Molacek – James Taylor photo

Track listing:

All tracks by James Taylor, except where noted.

  1. Never Die Young
  2. T-Bone – Bill Payne, James Taylor
  3. Baby Boom Baby – James Taylor, Zachary Wiesner
  4. Runaway Boy
  5. Valentine’s Day
  6. Sun on the Moon
  7. Sweet Potato Pie
  8. Home by Another Way – Timothy Mayer, James Taylor
  9. Letter in the Mail
  10. First of May

Jaco Pastorius: Same

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In August 1976, “Epic” label released the self-titled, debut Jaco Pastorius album. It was recorded in October 1975, at “Camp Colomby Studios”; “Columbia Recording Studios C&B” in New York City and was produced by Bobby Colomby.

Personnel:

  • Jaco Pastorius – electric bass
  • Sam Moore, Dave Prater– vocals
  • Herbie Hancock- clavinet, Fender Rhodes, electric piano, piano
  • Alex Darqui – Fender Rhodes electric piano
  • Richard Davis– bass
  • Homer Mensch– bass
  • Narada Michael Walden– drums
  • Lenny White, Bobby Economou – drums
  • Othello Molineaux – steel drums
  • Leroy Williams – steel drums
  • Don Alias– congas, bongos, percussion, okonkoko iya, afuche
  • David Sanborn- alto sax
  • Michael Brecker- tenor sax
  • Howard Johnson- baritone sax
  • Wayne Shorter- soprano sax
  • Peter Gordon – French horn
  • Hubert Laws- piccolo, flute
  • Randy Brecker, Ron Tooley – trumpet
  • Peter Graves – bass trombone
  • David Nadien, Harry Lookofsky, Paul Gershman, Joe Malin, Harry Cykman, Harold Kohon, Matthew Raimondi, Max Pollinkoff, Arnold Black – violin
  • Stewart Clarke, Manny Vardi, Julian Barber, Al Brown – viola
  • Charles McCracken, Kermit Moore, Beverly Lauridsen, Alan Shulman– cello
  • Michael Gibbs- string arrangements
  • Michael Gibbs- string arrangements, conductor

Track listing:

All tracks by Jaco Pastorius, except where noted.

  1. Donna Lee – Miles Davis
  2. Come On, Come Over – Jaco Pastorius, Bob Herzog
  3. Continuum
  4. Kuru/Speak Like a Child – Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock
  5. Portrait of Tracy
  6. Opus Pocus
  7. Okonkolé Y Trompa – Jaco Pastorius, Don Alias
  8. (Used to Be a) Cha-Cha
  9. Forgotten Love

Avarage White Band: AWB

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In August 1974, “Atlantic” label released “AWB”, the second Average White Band studio album. It was recorded in 1974, at “Atlantic Recording Studios” in New York City and “Cand Criteria Sound Studios” in Miami, and was produced by Arif Mardin.

Personnel:

  • Alan Gorrie– lead and co-lead vocals, backing vocals, bass, guitar
  • Hamish Stuart– lead and backing vocals, guitar, bass
  • Onnie McIntyre – guitar, backing vocals
  • Roger Ball– keyboards, alto and baritone saxophones, horns arrangements
  • Molly Duncan– tenor saxophone
  • Robbie McIntosh– drums, percussion
  • Ralph MacDonald– congas, percussion
  • Michael Brecker– tenor saxophone
  • Randy Brecker, Marvin Stamm, Mel Davis – trumpet
  • Glenn Ferris– trombone
  • Ken Bichel– mellotron
  • Gene Paul- mixing, engineer
  • Lewis Hahn, Karl Richardson, Steve Klein, Ron Albert, Howard Albert, Jimmy Douglass, Bobby Warner – engineer
  • Arif Mardin– mixing
  • Dennis King – mastering
  • Alan Pariser – direction
  • Alan Gorrie – logo concept
  • Tim Bruckner – front cover drawing
  • Barry Feinstein- design, photography

Track listing:

  1. You Got It – Roger Ball, Hamish Stuart, Alan Gorrie
  2. Got the Love – Hamish Stuart, Roger Ball, Robbie McIntosh
  3. Pick Up the Pieces – Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart, Roger Ball, Molly Duncan, Onnie McIntyre, Robbie McIntosh, Ralph MacDonald
  4. Person to Person – Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart, Roger Ball, Molly Duncan, Onnie McIntyre, Robbie McIntosh, Ralph MacDonald
  5. Work to Do – O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley
  6. Nothing You Can Do – Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart, Roger Ball
  7. Just Wanna Love You Tonight – Roger Ball, Alan Gorrie
  8. Keepin’ It to Myself – Alan Gorrie
  9. I Just Can’t Give You Up – Hamish Stuart
  10. There’s Always Someone Waiting – Alan Gorrie

The Manhattan Transfer: Coming Out

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On August 19, 1976, “Atlantic” label released “Coming Out”, the third Manhattan Transfer (The) album. It was recorded in 1975, and was produced by Richard Perry.

Personnel:

  • Tim Hauser– vocals, arrangements
  • Laurel Massé– vocals, arrangements
  • Alan Paul– vocals, arrangements
  • Janis Siegel– vocals, arrangements
  • Ira Newborn– guitar, autoharp, arrangements
  • Ben Benay, Robert Bowles – guitar
  • Dave Frishberg– Clavinet, keyboards, piano
  • Paul Griffin– keyboards, organ, synthesizer
  • Dr. John– piano, keyboards
  • John Barnes, Clarence McDonald– piano
  • Arthur Jenkins– piano, arranger
  • Mike Melvoin– piano
  • Bill Payne, Roger Steinman – piano
  • Steve Paietta – accordion
  • Andy Muson – double bass, bass guitar
  • Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, David Kemper, Roy Markowitz, Jim Nelson, Rick Shlosser, Ringo Starr– drums
  • Ralph MacDonald– congas, percussion
  • Nicky Marrero – percussion, timbales
  • Johnny “Dandy” Rodriguez Jr– bongos, percussion
  • Bobbye Hall, Doug Thorngren – percussion
  • Michael Brecker– soprano and tenor saxophone
  • Jackie Kelso– tenor and baritone saxophone
  • Jay Migliori– tenor saxophone
  • Randy Brecker– trumpet
  • Douglas Botnick, Lewis Hahn, Rick Rowe – engineer
  • Douglas Botnick, Lewis Hahn, Rick Rowe – engineer
  • Howard Steele – engineer, remixing
  • Dennis Devlin, Dan Latham, Tim Sadler – engineer assistant
  • Allen Zentz – mastering
  • Tim Hauser– assistant producer
  • Tim Hauser– assistant producer

Track listing:

  1. Don’t Let Go – Jesse Stone
  2. Zindy Lou – Johnny Moore, Eddie Smith
  3. Chanson D’Amour – Wayne Shanklin
  4. Helpless – Holland-Dozier-Holland
  5. Scotch and Soda – Dave Guard
  6. The Speak Up Mambo (Cuentame) – Al Castellanos
  7. Poinciana(The Song Of The Tree) Nat Simon, Buddy Bernier
  8. O.S – Ron Roker, Gerry Shury, Phil Swern
  9. Popsicle Toes – Michael Franks
  10. It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference – Todd Rundgren
  11. The Thought of Loving You – David White

Billy Joel: An Innocent Man

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On August 8, 1983, “Family Productions” label released “An Innocent Man”, the ninth Billy Joel studio album. It was recorded in 1983, at “Chelsea Sound” and “A&R Recording, Inc.” in New York, and was produced by Phil Ramone.

Personnel:

  • Billy Joelv– lead and backing vocals, Baldwin acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3 organ
  • David Brown – lead electric and acoustic guitars
  • Eric Gale– electric guitar
  • Russell Javors– rhythm electric and acoustic guitars
  • Leon Pendarvis – Hammond B3 organ
  • Toots Thielemans– harmonica
  • Richard Tee– acoustic piano
  • Doug Stegmeyer– bass guitar
  • Liberty DeVitto– drums
  • Ralph MacDonald– percussion
  • Mark Rivera– alto and tenor saxophone, percussion
  • David Sanborn– alto saxophone
  • Michael Brecker– tenor saxophone
  • Ronnie Cuber– baritone saxophone
  • Jon Faddis– trumpet
  • Joe Shepley – trumpet
  • John Gatchell – trumpet
  • String Fever – strings
  • Tom Bahler, Rory Dodd, Frank Floyd, Lani Groves, Ullanda McCullough, Ron Taylor, Terry Textor, Eric Troyer, Mike Alexander – backing vocal
  • David Matthews – horn and strings arrangements
  • Tom Bahler – backing vocals arrangements
  • Billy Zampino – musical advisor
  • Jim Boyer, Bradshaw Leigh – engineer
  • Mike Allaire, Scott James – engineer assistant
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Christopher Austopchuk, Mark Larson – design
  • Gilles Larrain – photography
  • Laura Loncteaux – production coordinator

Track listing:

All tracks by Billy Joel, except for the chorus for “This Night,” credited to L. v. Beethoven.

  1. Easy Money
  2. An Innocent Man
  3. The Longest Time
  4. This Night
  5. Tell Her About It
  6. Uptown Girl
  7. Careless Talk
  8. Christie Lee
  9. Leave a Tender Moment Alone
  10. Keeping the Faith

Chick Corea: Three Quartets

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In July 1981, “Stretch” label released “Three Quartets”, the 32nd Chick Corea album. It was recorded January – February 1981 at “Mad Hatter Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Chick Corea.

Personnel:

  • Chick Corea- piano
  • Michael Brecker- tenor saxophone
  • Eddie Gómez- double bass
  • Steve Gadd- drums
  • Bernie Kirsh – recording, mixing
  • Duncan Aldrich – engineer assistant
  • Stephen Marcussen – remastering
  • Andy Baltimore – creative director
  • Sonny Mediana,Dan Serrano, Andy Ruggirello  – design
  • Darryl Pitt – photography
  • Richard Veloso – art producer
  • Joel Strote – associate executive producer
  • Adam Zelinka – post producer
  • Susan Garson – project coordinator

Track listing:

All tracks by Chick Corea.

  1. Quartet No. 1
  2. Quartet No. 3
  3. Quartet No. 2 – Part I (dedicated to Duke Ellington)
  4. Quartet No. 2 – Part II (dedicated to John Coltrane)

Jaco Pastorius: Word of Mouth

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In July 1981, “Warner Bros” label released “Word of Mouth”, the second Jaco Pastorius album. It was 1980 – 1981, and was produced by Jaco Pastorius.

Personnel:

  • Jaco Pastorius – vocals, electric bass, double bass, organ, piano, synthesizer, autoharp, percussion, drums
  • Herbie Hancock– keyboards, synthesizers, piano
  • Peter Erskine, Jack DeJohnette – drums
  • Don Alias, Robert Thomas, Jr. – percussion
  • Toots Thielemans– harmonica
  • John F. Pastorius IV – vocal
  • Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, Tom Scott, Mario Cruz– saxophone
  • Chuck Findley– trumpet
  • John Clark– French horn
  • Howard Johnson– tuba
  • Paul Horn-Muller – steel pans
  • Othello Molineaux– steel pan

Track listing:

All tracks by Jaco Pastorius, except where noted.

  1. Crisis
  2. Three Views of a Secret
  3. Liberty City
  4. Chromatic Fantasy – Johann Sebastian Bach
  5. Blackbird – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  6. Word of Mouth
  7. John and Mary

Lou Reed: Berlin

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In July 1973, “RCA” label released “Berlin” the third Lou Reed solo album. It was recorded in 1973, at “Morgan Studios” in London, “Record Plant Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Bob Ezrin. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Berlin” at number 344 on its list the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”

Personnel:

  • Lou Reed – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Dick Wagner– electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Hunter– electric guitar
  • Gene Martynec– acoustic guitar, bass, synthesizer, vocal arrangement
  • Steve Winwood– organ, harmonium
  • Bob Ezrin– piano, mellotron, arrangements
  • Blue Weaver– piano
  • Jack Bruce– bass
  • Tony Levin– bass
  • J. Wilson– drums
  • Aynsley Dunbar– drums
  • Michael Brecker– tenor saxophone
  • Randy Brecker– trumpet
  • Allan Macmillan – piano
  • Jon Pierson – bass trombone
  • Steve Hyden, Elizabeth March, Lou Reed, Dick Wagner – choir
  • Allan Macmillan – arrangements
  • Jim Reeves – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Reed.

  1. Berlin
  2. Lady Day
  3. Men of Good Fortune
  4. Caroline Says I
  5. How Do You Think It Feels
  6. Oh, Jim
  7. Caroline Says II
  8. The Kids
  9. The Bed
  10. Sad Song

James Taylor: In The Pocket

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In June 1976, “Warner Bros” label released “In the Pocket”, the seventh James Taylor studio album. It was recorded 1975 – 1976, at “Warner Bros. Recording Studios” in Hollywood, “The Burbank Studios” in Burbank, and was produced by Russ Titelman and Lenny Waronker.

Personnel:

  • James Taylor – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
  • Stevie Wonder- vocals, harmonica
  • David Crosby- vocals
  • Art Garfunkel- vocals
  • Graham Nash- vocals
  • Bonnie Raitt- vocals
  • Carter Robertson – vocals
  • Linda Ronstadt- vocals
  • Carly Simon – vocals
  • Alex Taylor – vocals
  • Waddy Wachtel – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
  • Danny Kortchmar – electric guitar, mandolin
  • Herb Pedersen – vocals, banjo
  • David Grisman- mandolin, mandocello
  • David Lindley- dobro
  • Malcolm Cecil- Moog synthesizer
  • Clarence McDonald- Hammond organ, piano, Moog synthesizer, Fender Rhodes electric piano, horn organ
  • Nick DeCaro – voice, organ, horn organ,  accordion, ARP String Ensemble synthesizer, string and horn arrangements,
  • Craig Doerge- keyboards
  • Red Callender- double bass, tuba
  • Lee Sklar- bass
  • Willie Weeks- bass
  • Jim Keltner- drums
  • Russ Kunkel- drums, percussion
  • Victor Feldman- percussion, marimba, bass marimba, vibraphone, orchestra bells
  • Bobbye Hall- bongos, shaker, triangle
  • Milt Holland- chimes, wind chimes
  • Kenny Watson – cimbalom
  • Ernie Watts- saxophone
  • Michael Brecker- saxophone
  • George Bohanon- trombone
  • Oscar Brashear- trumpet
  • Steve Madaio – trumpet
  • Gayle Levant – harp

Track listing:

All tracks by James Taylor except where noted.

  1. Shower the People
  2. A Junkie’s Lament
  3. Money Machine
  4. Slow Burning Love
  5. Everybody Has the Blues
  6. Daddy’s All Gone
  7. Woman’s Gotta Have It – Bobby Womack, Darryl Carter, Linda Cooke Womack
  8. Captain Jim’s Drunken Dream
  9. Don’t Be Sad ‘Cause Your Sun Is Down – James Taylor, Stevie Wonder
  10. Nothing Like a Hundred Miles
  11. Family Man
  12. Golden Moments