Tag Archives: Randy Waldman

George Benson: 20/20

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
  • Richard Tee – Fender Rhodes, synthesizer bass
  • Daniel Sembello – DX7 Rhodes, synthesizer bass, synthesizers, drum programming, ride cymbal
  • Robbie Buchanan – keyboards, synthesizer programming, arrangements
  • Randy Goodrum – synthesizer programming, Oberheim DMX, Oberheim DSX sequencer
  • Barnaby Finch – DX7 Rhodes
  • Dave Grusin – string synthesizer, flute
  • Neil Larsen – synthesizers
  • Randy Kerber – keyboards
  • Marcus Miller – bass
  • Nathan East – bass
  • Earl May – bass
  • Anthony Jackson – bass
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass
  • Clif Magness – drum programming, track arrangements
  • Russ Titelman – drum programming
  • Steve Ferrone – additional drums
  • Dave Weckl – additional drums, additional cymbals
  • Bryan Lee Janszen – Simmons drum programming
  • Carlos Vega – drums
  • John Robinson – drums
  • 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:

  1. No One Emotion – Cliff Magness, Mark Mueller, Tom Keane
  2. Please Don’t Walk Away – James Newton Howard, Steve Lukather
  3. I Just Wanna Hang Around You – Chuz Sembello, Daniel Sembello, Jon Sembello, Michael Sembello
  4. Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You – Michael Masser, Gerry Goffin
  5. Beyond the Sea (la Mer) – Charles Trenet, Jack Lawrence
  6. 20/20 – Randy Goodrum, Steve Kipner
  7. New Day – Cecil Womack, Linda Womack
  8. Hold Me – Michael Sembello, Daniel Sembello
  9. Stand Up – Neil Larsen
  10. You Are the Love of My Love – Linda Creed, Michael Masser

George Benson & Al Jarreau: Givin’ It Up

On October 24, 2006, “Concord” label released “Givin’ It Up”, an album by Al Jarreau and George Benson. It was recorded in April 2006, at “Henson Recording Studios”, “NRG Studios”, and “Capitol Studios” in Hollywood; “G Studio Digital” in Studio City, CA; “LAFX Studios”, “The Pass”, “Willyworld”, and “Revelation Studios” in Los Angeles; “White Lightning Studios” in Sylmar, CA; “Porcupine Studios” in Chandler, AZ; “The B Hive” in Phoenix, AZ; “East Bay Studios” in Tarrytown, NY, and was produced by John Burk, Michael Broening, Marcus Miller, Patti Austin, Freddie Ravel, Larry Williams and Chris Dunn. In 2007, the album won “Grammy Award” for “Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance” (Al Jarreau), and “Best Pop Instrumental Performance” (George Benson).

Personnel:

  • George Benson – lead and backing vocals, guitar, arrangements
  • Al Jarreau – lead and backing vocals, vocal percussion, arrangements
  • Paul McCartney – lead vocals
  • Ray Fuller – guitar
  • Dean Parks – guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Freddie Fox – guitar
  • Michael O’Neill – rhythm guitar
  • Michael Thompson – guitar
  • Larry Williams – keyboards, acoustic piano, arrangements
  • Michael Broening – keyboards, organ, programming, arrangements, organ
  • Herbie Hancock – acoustic piano
  • Patrice Rushen – keyboards, Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano, arrangements
  • Rex Rideout – acoustic piano, arrangements
  • Barry Eastmond – keyboards, arrangements
  • Freddie Ravel – Fender Rhodes, clavinet, organ, synthesizer, Moog bass, drums, percussion programming, arrangements, BGV arrangements
  • Joe Turano – Wurlitzer, Hammond B3 organ, arrangements
  • Randy Waldman – acoustic piano, arrangements
  • Abraham Laboriel – electric bass
  • Mel Brown – bass guitar
  • Marcus Miller – bass guitar, arrangements
  • Stanley Clarke – bass guitar
  • Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
  • Michael White – drums
  • Gregg Field – drums
  • Ricky Lawson – drums
  • Paulinho Da Costa – percussion
  • Bashiri Johnson – percussion
  • Marion Meadows – saxophone
  • Chris Botti – trumpet
  • John Burk – arrangements
  • Jill Scott – lead vocals
  • Patti Austin – lead and backing vocals, BGV arrangements
  • Maxi Anderson – backing vocals
  • Valerie Pinkston – backing vocals
  • Sharon Perry – backing vocals
  • Darlene Perry – backing vocals
  • Lorraine Perry – backing vocals
  • Sandra Simmons Williams – backing vocals
  • De’Ante Duckett – backing vocals
  • Alethea Mills – backing vocals
  • Chavonne Morris – backing vocals
  • Fred Martin – BGV arrangements
  • Michael Broening, Myron Chandler, Jeff Harris, Don Murray, Charlie Paakkari, Seth Presan, Bill Smith – recording engineer
  • Kevin Becka, Barry Eastmond, Eric Ferguson, Carlos Martinez, Dennis Moody, John Wroble – additional engineering
  • Phillip Broussard, Keith Gretlein, Casey Lewis, Paul Smith – engineer assistant
  • Seth Presant, Bill Smith, German Villacorta – Pro Tools engineer, editing
  • Alex Pavlides – additional Pro Tools engineer
  • Al Schmitt – mixing
  • Steve Genewick – mixing assistant
  • Doug Sax, Sangwook Nam – mastering
  • Abbey Anna – art direction
  • Andrew Pham – art direction, design
  • Randee St. Nicholas – photography
  • Barry Eastmond, Gregg Field – additional production
  • Glen Barros, Kevin Lee, Noel Lee – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Breezin’ – Bobby Womack, Al Jarreau
  2. Mornin’ – Al jarreau, David Foster, Jay Graydon
  3. Long Come Tutu – Marcus Miller, Al Jarreau
  4. God Bless the Child – Billie Holliday, Arthur Herzog Jr.
  5. Summer Breeze – Jim Seals, Dash Crofts
  6. All I Am – Rex Rideout, Phillip “Taj” Jackson
  7. Ordinary People – John Legend, will.i.am
  8. Let It Rain – Barry Eastmond, Al Jarreau
  9. Givin’ It Up for Love – Freddie Ravel, Al Jarreau
  10. Every Time You Go Away – Daryl Hall
  11. Four – Miles Davis, Jon Hendricks
  12. Don’t Start No Schtuff – Joe Turano, Al Jarreau
  13. Bring It On Home to Me – Sam Cooke

George Benson: Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole

On June 4, 2013, “Concord Jazz” label released “Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole”, the 36 George Benson studio album. It was recorded in 2013, and was produced by John Burk.

Personnel:

  • George Benson- vocals, guitar
  • Tim May – guitar
  • Michael O’Neill- baritone guitar, banjo
  • Lil’ Georgie Benson- vocals, ukulele
  • Randy Waldman- piano
  • Chuck Berghofer- bass
  • Gregg Field – drums
  • Michael Fisher – percussion
  • Sheila E.- percussion
  • Wynton Marsalis– trumpet
  • Till Brönner– trumpet
  • Idina Menzel– vocals
  • Judith Hill- vocals
  • Janey Clewer, Alvin Chea, Don Chelton – background vocals
  • Chris Papastephanou, Randy Waldman- backing vocals

Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra:

  • Ryan Chapman, Chris Burbank, Gilbert Paz, Jared Hall – trumpet
  • Chris Gagne, Kendall Moore, Stephen Szabadi, Major Bailey p trombone
  • Neil Carson, Kevin McKeown – alto saxophone
  • Mark Small, Alex Weitz – tenor saxophone
  • Derek Smith – baritone saxophone
  • Cassandra Eisenreich – flute
  • Jon Anderson – French horn
  • Steffen Zeichner (concertmaster and soloist), Abby Young, Adam Diderrich, Karin O’Keefe, Zack Piper, Michelle Godbee, Patricia Jancova, Tomas Cotik, Victor Colmenares, James Reynolds, Jonah Osawa, Rob Patrignani, Arianne Urban, Michelle Mlacker, Katrina Schaeffer – violin
  • Robyn Savitzky, Kathryn Severing, Marcela Fernandez, Lauren Miller – viola
  • Joy Adams, Cecilia Huerta, Andrew Kromholz, Chia-Li Yu, Sarah Gongaware – cello
  • Rachel Hershey, Jeff Kipperman, Yen-Ling Lin – bass
  • Christina Hardister – harp
  • Shelton Berg – dean
  • Terence Blanchard – artistic director
  • Scott Flavin – artistic coordinator
  • Stephen Guerra – managing director

Track listing:

  1. Mona Lisa – (as Lil’ Georgie Benson)
  2. Just One of Those Things – Cole Porter
  3. Unforgettable – Irving Gordon
  4. Walkin’ My Baby – Roy Turk, Fred E. Ahlert
  5. When I Fall in Love – Victor Young, Edward Heyman
  6. Route 66 – Bobby Troup
  7. Nature Boy – Eden Ahbez
  8. Ballerina – Carl Sigman, Bob Russell
  9. Smile – Charlie Chaplin, John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons
  10. Straighten Up and Fly Right – Nat King Cole, Irving Mills
  11. Too Young – Sidney Lippman, Sylvia Dee
  12. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter – Joe Young, Fred E. Ahlert
  13. Mona Lisa – Jay Livingston, Ray Evans