"Back On The Block" is a 1989 studio album produced by Quincy Jones. It features many famous and important musicians and singers, including Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau and Ray Charles.
Having let eight years pass since his last A&M album, Quincy Jones made his debut on his own label with his most extravagant, most star-studded, most brilliantly sequenced pop album to date which could have only been assembled by the man who put together "We Are the World." Jones was one of the first establishment musicians to embrace rap, and one of the first to link rap with his jazz heritage; it's hard not to be moved by the likes of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Zawinul, Sarah Vaughan, and George Benson electronically appearing on "Birdland" and trading brief licks with the likes of Kool Moe Dee and Big Daddy Kane on "Jazz Corner of the World." Later, jazz buffs would vilify Jones for not taking fuller advantage of this one-time constellation of jazz stars, but at the time, it seemed like a marvelous dialogue between the old and the new. Of course, as he well knew, celebrating jazz history is not the surest route to a blockbuster hit record, so there are plenty of radio-friendly urban pop productions here, with Herbie Hancock and George Duke on keyboards, and Siedah Garrett and 12-year-old Tevin Campbell on vocals. Despite the presence of an enthused Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and the Brothers Johnson, the overly busy techno remake of "I'll Be Good to You" doesn't cut the Johnsons' original nor does "Tomorrow." Ultimately the most popular track would be the most tedious for the jazz listener, "The Secret Garden," with a parade of smooth soul balladeers producing make-out music at length. Yet Back on the Block remains a strikingly durable piece of entertainment, and in hindsight, a poignant signpost of the changing of the guard.
01. "Prologue (2Q's Rap)" (Lead Vocals: Quincy D. III) - 1:04
02. "Back on the Block" (Lead Vocals by: Tevin Campbell) - 6:34
03. "I Don't Go for That" (Lead Vocals: Siedah Garrett) - 5:11
04. "I'll Be Good to You" (Lead Vocals: Chaka Khan, Ray Charles) - 4:54
05. "The Verb To Be (Introduction to Wee B. Dooinit)" (Mervyn Warren) - 0:29
06. "Wee B. Dooinit (Acapella Party by the Human Bean Band)" (Lead Vocals: Siedah Garrett) - 3:34
07. "The Places You Find Love" (ocals: Chaka Khan, Siedah Garrett) - 6:25
08. "Jazz Corner of the World (Introduction to "Birdland")" (Vocals: Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee) - 2:54
09. "Birdland" (Vocals: Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan) - 5:33
10. "Setembro (Brazilian Wedding Song)" (Vocals: Sarah Vaughan, Take, Mark Kibble, Mervyn Warren etc.) - 5:05
11. "One Man Woman" (Lead Vocals: Siedah Garrett) - 3:44
12. "Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)" (Lead Vocals: Tevin Campbell) - 4:46
13. "Prelude to the Garden" (Jorge Calandrelli) - 0:54
14. "The Secret Garden
Released: November 8, 1989
Recorded at: Oceanway Record One, Lighthouse Studios, Westlake Audio (Los Angeles , California ,)Digital Recorders (Nashville , Tennessee ), Tarpan Studios (San Rafael , California
Genre: Hip hop, R&B, Jazz
Length: 57:54
Label: Qwest
Producer: Quincy
Personnel
Bobby McFerrin - vocals, bass, percussion
Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Chaka Khan, Dionne Warrick, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Barry White, Take 6, Tevin Campell, James Ingram, El DeBarge, Al B. Sure! - vocals
Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel - rap vocals
James Moody, Gerald Albright - alto saxophone
Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis - trumpet
Herbie Hancock, George Duke - keyboards
George Benson, Steve Lukather, Paul Jackson, Jr., - guitar
Nathan East - bass
Harvey Mason - drums
Steve Porcaro, Josef Zawinul, Rod Temperton - programming
Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
0 comments:
Post a Comment