Tag Archives: Michael Omartian

Dusty Springfield: Cameo

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On February 10, 1973, “ABC Dunhill Records” label released “Cameo”, the eighth Dusty Springfield studio album. It was recorded July – October 1972, at “ABC Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Steve Barri, Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert.

Personnel:

  • Dusty Springfield – vocals
  • Ben Benay – guitar
  • Larry Carlton – guitar
  • David Cohen – guitar
  • Dennis Lambert – keyboards
  • Michael Lang – keyboards
  • Michael Omartian – keyboards, string, horn and flute arrangements
  • Wilton Felder – bass guitar
  • Carol Kaye – bass guitar
  • Wilton Felder – bass guitar
  • Carol Kaye – bass guitar
  • Hal Blaine – drums
  • Paul Humphrey – drums
  • Brian Potter – percussion
  • Victor Feldman – percussion
  • Clydie King – backing vocals
  • Venetta Fields – backing vocals
  • Sherlie Matthews – backing vocals
  • Myrna Matthews – backing vocals
  • Sid Sharp – concertmaster
  • Jimmie Haskell – string arrangements
  • Ruby Mazur – design
  • Joe Black – project coordinator

Track listing:

All tracks by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, except where noted.

  1. Who Gets Your Love
  2. Breakin’ Up a Happy Home
  3. Easy Evil – Alan O’Day
  4. Mama’s Little Girl
  5. The Other Side of Life – David Gates
  6. Comin’ and Goin’
  7. I Just Wanna Be There – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  8. Who Could Be Loving You Other Than Me? – Willie Hutchinson
  9. Tupelo Honey – Van Morrison
  10. Of All the Things
  11. Learn to Say Goodbye” (from the ABC Movie of the Week, Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole) – Hugo Montenegro, Bradford Craig

Loggins And Messina: Sittin’ In

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On November 1971, “Columbia” label released “Sittin’ In” is the debut Loggins and Messina studio album. It was recorded in 1971, at “Columbia Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Jim Messina.

Personnel:

  • Kenny Loggins – vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica
  • Jim Messina – vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar
  • Jon Clarke – oboe, steel drum, flute, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
  • Lester “Al” Garth – violin, recorder, tenor saxophone, viola, alto saxophone, steel drum, backing vocals
  • Larry Sims – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Merel Bregante – drums, backing vocals
  • Michael Omartian – concertina, keyboards, steel drum
  • Milt Holland – percussion
  • John Fiore – engineer
  • Alex Kazanegras – mixing, mastering
  • David Linderman – artwork
  • Irvin Goodnoff, David Linderman – photography

Track listing:

  1. Nobody But You – Jim Messina
  2. Danny’s Song – Kenny Loggins
  3. Vahevala – Dann Lottermoser, Dan Loggins
  4. Trilogy – Jim Messina, Murray MacLeod, Jim Messina, Kenny Loggins
  5. Ack to Georgia – Kenny Loggins
  6. House at Pooh Corner – Kenny Loggins
  7. Listen to a Country Song – Jim Messina, Al Garth
  8. Same Old Wine – Jim Messina
  9. Rock ’n’ Roll Mood – Kenny Loggins, Michael Omartian

Al Jarreau: Breakin’ Away

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On June 30, 1981, “Warner Bros” label released “Breakin’ Away”, the fifth Al Jarreau album. It was recorded in 1981, at “Dawnbreaker Studios” in San Francisco, and was produced by Jay Graydon. The album was certified Platinum in US by the RIAA.

Personnel:

  • Al Jarreau – lead and backing vocals, vocals and rhythm arrangements
  • Steve Lukather – electric guitar
  • Dean Parks – electric guitar
  • Jay Graydon – electric guitar, synthesizer programming, vocals and rhythm arrangements
  • George Duke – Fender Rhodes
  • Milcho Leviev – acoustic piano, rhythm arrangements
  • Tom Canning – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, vocals and rhythm arrangements
  • David Foster – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, string arrangements
  • Michael Omartian – synthesizers, Fender Rhodes
  • Michael Boddicker – synthesizers, synthesizer programming
  • J. Peter Robinson – synthesizers
  • Larry Williams – synthesizer solo
  • Abraham Laboriel – bass guitar
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar
  • Steve Gadd – drums
  • Jeff Porcaro – drums
  • Bob Zimmitti – percussion
  • Lon Price – alto saxophone
  • Tom Scott – horns
  • Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone
  • Jerry Hey – flugelhorn, trumpet, horn arrangements
  • Chuck Findley – trumpet
  • Richard Page – backing vocals
  • Steve George – backing vocals
  • Bill Champlin – backing vocals
  • Billy Byers – string arrangements
  • Frank DeCaro – album music contractor and string contractor
  • Joe Bogan – engineer
  • Debbie Thompson – second engineer
  • Mikey Davis, Csaba Petocz – second engineer
  • Larry Brown – recording
  • Humberto Gatica – strings recording
  • Jay Graydon – mixing
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering
  • Christine Sauers – art direction, design
  • Susan Jarreau – photography
  • Tom Canning – associate producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Tom Canning, Jay Graydon and Al Jarreau, except where noted.

  1. Closer to Your Love
  2. My Old Friend – Steve George, John Lang, Richard Page
  3. We’re in This Love Together – Roger Murrah, Keith Stegall
  4. Easy
  5. Our Love
  6. Breakin’ Away
  7. Roof Garden
  8. (Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo a la Turk – Dave Brubeck
  9. Teach Me Tonight – Sammy Cahn, Gene De Paul

Robert Palmer: Heavy Nova

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On June 22, 1988, “EMI” label released “Heavy Nova”, the ninth Robert Palmer studio album. It was recorded in 1987, at “Logic” in Milan, Italy, “Compass Point” in Nassau, Bahamas, and was produced by Robert Palmer.

Personnel:

  • Robert Palmer – lead and backing vocals, art direction
  • Eddie Martinez – guitars
  • Dennis Budimir – additional guitars
  • John Grey – additional guitars, additional percussion
  • William Bryant – keyboards
  • Misha Schneider – keyboards
  • Jeff Bova – additional keyboards
  • Richard Gibbs – additional keyboards
  • Garth Hudson – accordion, additional keyboards
  • Tom “T-Bone” Wolk – accordion
  • Frank Blair – bass
  • Barry “Sun John” Johnson – additional bass
  • Dony Wynn – drums
  • Ricky Fataar – additional drums
  • Dom Um Romão – percussion, additional backing vocals
  • Robyn Lobe – additional percussion
  • Chuck Findley – trumpet
  • Luka Belak – violin
  • Clare Fischer – strings
  • Rick Danko – additional backing vocals
  • B.J. Nelson – additional backing vocals
  • Tim Kramer – engineer
  • Bookie Epsie – engineer assistant
  • Scott Forman – engineer assistant
  • Roy Sweeting – engineer assistant
  • Eric Thorngren – mixing
  • Henry Marquez – design
  • Terence Donovan – photography
  • Richard Cobble – production coordinator
  • David Harper – executive producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Robert Palmer, except where noted.

  1. Simply Irresistible
  2. More Than Ever
  3. Change His Ways
  4. Disturbing Behavior
  5. Early in the Morning – Lonnie Simmons, Rudy Taylor, Charlie Wildon
  6. It Could Happen to You – Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen
  7. She Makes My Day
  8. Between Us
  9. Casting a Spell
  10. Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming – Michael Omartian, Bruce Sudano, Jay Griska

The Four Tops: Meeting of the Minds

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In April 1974, “ABC / Dunhill Records” label released “Meeting of the Minds”, the 21st Four Tops (The) album. It was recorded in 1973 – 1974, at “ABC Recording Studios, Inc. Studio A”, and was produced by Steve Barri, Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter.

Personnel:

  • Abdul “Duke” Fakir – vocal
  • Levi Stubbs – vocal
  • Renaldo “Obie” Benson – vocal
  • Lawrence Payton – vocal
  • Sylvia Smith – vocal
  • Ben Benaym Dean Parks, Ray Parker, Larry Carlton – guitar
  • Dennis Lambert – keyboards, arrangements
  • Michael Omartian – keyboards, arrangements
  • Scott Edwards, Wilton Felder – bass
  • Paul Humphrey, Ed Greene – drums
  • Brian Potter, Steve Barri, Gary Coleman, King Errisson – percussion
  • Don Hockett – arrangements
  • Gil Askey – arrangements
  • Jimmie Haskell – arrangements
  • McKinley Jackson – arrangements
  • Sid Sharp – concertmaster
  • Barney Perkins, Howard Gale, Phil Kaye – engineer
  • Vic Zaslav – mastering
  • Peter Palombi – illustration
  • Ron Slenzak – photography

Track listing:

  1. One Chain Don’t Make No Prison – Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter
  2. Midnight Flower – McKinley Jackson, Reginald Dozier
  3. The Well Is Dry – Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert
  4. Love Ain’t Easy to Come By – Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert
  5. No Sad Songs – Glenn Leonard, Len Perry, Rachel Foster
  6. Right on Brother – Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert
  7. Tell Me You Love Me – Al Cleveland, Lawrence Payton
  8. All My Love – Renaldo Benson, Val Benson
  9. I Found the Spirit – Renaldo Benson, Val Benson
  10. Meeting of the Minds – Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert

Neil Diamond: The Best Years of Our Lives

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On December 13, 1988, “Columbia” label released “The Best Years of Our Lives”, the eighteenth Neil Diamond studio album. It was recorded in 1988, at “Chartmaker Studios”, “Lion Share Recording Studios”, “Village Recorders”, “Ocean Way Recording” in Los Angeles, “A&M Studios” in Hollywood, “Omnisound Recording Studios” in Nashville, “Seacost Sound” in Victoria, British Columbia, and was produced by David Foster.

Personnel:

  • Neil Diamond – lead vocals
  • Bill Champlin, Tamara Champlin, Renée Geyer, Richard Page – backing vocals
  • Richard Bennett – acoustic guitar
  • Dean Parks – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Michael Landau, Steve Lukather – electric guitar
  • Michael Boddicker, Robbie Buchanan, David Foster, Tom Hensley, Alan Lindgren, Michael Omartian, David Paich – keyboards
  • Mike Brignardello, Reinie Press – bass guitar
  • Tris Imboden, Paul Leim, Carlos Vega – drums
  • Rick Bowen, Rhett Lawrence, Kevin Maloney – synthesizer programming
  • Gary Grant, Jerry Hey, Dan Higgins, Bill Reichenbach Jr., Larry Williams – horns
  • David Foster, Jerry Hey – horn arrangements
  • Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements
  • David Foster – arranger
  • Jeffrey Woodruff – engineer
  • Jesse Kanner, Ray Pyle, Dave Reitzas – engineer assistant
  • Humberto Gatica – mixing
  • Mauricio Guerrero, Laura Livingston – mixing assistant
  • George Marino – mastering
  • David Kirschner – art direction, design
  • Beverley Lazor-Bahr – additional design
  • Matthew Rolston – photography
  • Sam Cole, Chris Earthy – production coordination
  • Ned Brown, Barry Cardinale, Larry E. Williams, Alison Zanetos – production assistant

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Diamond, except where noted.

  1. The Best Years of Our Lives
  2. Hard Times for Lovers
  3. This Time – Neil Diamond, David Foster, Jeremy Lubbock
  4. Everything’s Gonna Be Fine – Neil Diamond, Weldon Dean Parks
  5. Hooked on the Memory of You
  6. Take Care of Me – Neil Diamond, David Foster
  7. Baby Can I Hold You – Tracy Chapman
  8. Carmelita’s Eyes – Neil Diamond, David Foster
  9. Courtin’ Disaster – Neil Diamond, David Foster
  10. If I Couldn’t See You Again
  11. Long Hard Climb – Neil Diamond, Tom Hensley, Alan Lindgren

Christopher Cross: Same

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In December 1979, “Warner Bros” label released the self-titled, debut Christopher Cross album. It was recorded in July 1979, at “Warner Bros Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Michael Omartian. The album was certified Platinum in UK by “BPI”, and 5 x Platinum in US by “RIAA”.

Personnel:

  • Christopher Cross – lead and backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, arrangements
  • Larry Carlton– guitar solo
  • Jay Graydon– guitar solo
  • Valerie Carter– lead and backing vocals
  • Andy Salmon – bass
  • Tommy Taylor – drums
  • Victor Feldman– vibraphone, percussion
  • Lenny Castro– percussion
  • Eric Johnson– guitar solo
  • Michael Omartian– acoustic piano, synthesizer, backing vocals, arrangements
  • Rob Meurer – arrangements, synthesizer, electric piano, celesta, acoustic piano, organ
  • Jim Horn– saxophone
  • Jackie Kelso– saxophone
  • Tomás Ramírez – saxophone
  • Don Roberts – saxophone
  • Chuck Findley– trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Lew McCreary – trombone
  • Nicolette Larson, Myrna Matthews, Marty McCall, Michael McDonald, Don HenleyStormie Omartian, D. Souther– backing vocals
  • Assa Drori – concertmaster
  • Chet Himes – engineer, mixing
  • Stuart Gitlin – second engineer
  • Bobby Hata – mastering
  • Danny Henderson, James Flournoy Holmes –artwork
  • James Flournoy Holmes, Wonder Graphics – design
  • Jim Newhouse – flamingo concept
  • Michael Osttin – producer assistant

Track listing:

All tracks by Christopher Cross.

  1. Say You’ll Be Mine
  2. I Really Don’t Know Anymore
  3. Spinning
  4. Never Be the Same
  5. Poor Shirley
  6. Ride Like the Wind
  7. The Light Is On
  8. Sailing
  9. Minstrel Gigolo

Jerry Garcia: Run For The Roses

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In November 1982, “Arista” label released “Run for the Roses”, the fourth Jerry Garcia solo album. It was recorded September – December 1981, and was produced by Jerry Garcia and John Kahn.

Personnel:

  • Jerry Garcia– vocals, guitar
  • Melvin Seals, Merl Saunders– organ
  • James Warren, Michael O’Martian – piano, clavinet
  • John Kahn– bass, fretless bass, synthesizer, piano, clavinet, guitar
  • Ron Tutt– drums, percussion
  • Michael Neuman – trumpet
  • Liz Stires, Julie Stafford – vocals
  • Betty Cantor-Jackson, Ron Malo – engineer
  • Bob Matthews – mixing
  • George Horn – mastering
  • Victor Moscoso – artwork

Track listing:

  1. Run For The Roses – Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter
  2. I Saw Her Standing There – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  3. Without Love – Clyde McPhatter
  4. Midnight Getaway – Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, Robert Hunter
  5. Leave The Little Girl Alone – John Kahn, Robert Hunter
  6. Valerie – Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter
  7. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan