Earl Klugh - Dream Come True (1980)

Earl Klugh's appealing guitar sound is well showcased on the album’s eight tracks. He contributes seven originals in addition to the Burt Bacharach, Hal David tune "Message to Michael", In today’s world most of these tunes could be considered high-quality background music, but going deeper the album is still an opportunity for Klugh to showcase his expertise. He is joined by a bunch of excellent rotating musicians including of merit; keyboardists Daryl Dybka and Greg Phillinganes and electric bassist Marcus Miller also makes an appearance. Overall, the album isn’t ground-breaking but a unique example of Jazz-Pop from the late seventies through to the early eighties. 

United Artists Records, LT-1026, 1980
EMI-Manhattan Records, CDP 7 48388 2, 1987
Recorded between September, 1979 - January, 1980 at:
CBS Studios, New York, NY
Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY
Young 'Un Sound, Nashville, Tennessee 

Musicians:
Earl Klugh - Guitar
Mickie Roquemore - Clavinet (#1), Piano (#2), Electric Piano (#6,8), Keyboards (#3,5)
Daryl Dybka - Electric Piano (#1-4)
David Briggs - Keyboards (#4,8), Piano (#6)
Greg Phillinganes - Guitar (#3), Electric Piano (#7)
Perry Hughes - Guitar (#1-3)
Reggie Young - Guitar (#4,6,8)
Lloyd Green - Pedal Steel Guitar (#4,6,8)
Hubie Crawford - Bass (#1,2)
Marcus Miller - Bass (#3)
Mike Leech - Bass (#4,6,8)
David Saltman - Bass (#7)
Gene Dunlap - Drums (#1-4,6,8)
James Bradley Jr. - Drums (#5,7)
Dr. Gibbs - Percussion (#1-4,6,7)
Frank Floyd, Krystal Davis, Yvonne Lewis - Vocals (#4) 

Tracks:
1. If It's In Your Heart [It's In Your Smile] {Earl Klugh} (4:12)
2. Doc {Earl Klugh} (4:49)
3. Amazon {Earl Klugh} (4:03)
4. I Don't Want To Leave You Alone Anymore {Earl Klugh, Bill Allen, George P. Martin} (4:49)
5. Spellbound {Earl Klugh} (6:14)
6. Sweet Rum And Starlight {Earl Klugh} (4:02)
7. Dream Come True {Earl Klugh} (3:35)
8. Message To Michael {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (5:54) 

Total Time: 37:42 

Credits:
Producer - Earl Klugh
Engineer - Don Puluse
Production Consultant - Roland Wilson
Recording [Electric Lady Studios] - Joel Cohen, Tom Bush
Recording [Young 'un Sound] - Chip Young, Glen Rieuf, Stan Dacus
Mixing - Tom Bush
Orchestra Arranger & Conductor - Dave Matthews
Photography - Bob Cass
Synthesizer Arranger - Greg Phillinganes
Art Direction, Design - Bill Burks
Artwork [Drawing] - Carol Wanagat
Design - Jeff Lancaster

Patti Austin - Love Is Gonna Getcha (1990)

With apologies to Dianne Reeves, Patti Austin has always quite simply been the best jack-of-all-genre singers on the planet, crossing effortlessly from jazz to pop and R&B with a voice that's so sweet, rich, and lovely, it can't help but warm the heart. On the heels of her 1988 masterpiece The Real Me, her GRP debut packs a wallop of festive up-tempo tunes, lite funk pop, torchy message songs, passionate ballads, and breezy tenderness -- all delivered with a truly Austin-tatious flair. Austin surrounds herself with some of pop jazz's best here, with GRP's 1990 roster well represented: Dave Grusin (whose production is flawless), Don Grusin (with whom she co-wrote the happy "Ooh Wee [The Carnival]"), Deborah Henson-Conant (whose harp adds punch to "In My Dreams"), Lee Ritenour, and Nelson Rangell (whose alto soars on the title cut). But as tantalizing as the music is, it is Austin who gives the collection wings with a powerful voice whose mood she so artfully modulates depending on the feel of the individual tune. Soft and tender on her own composition "In My Life," easy and lilting for "In My Dreams," and full of genuine excitement for "Through the Test of Time" and "Ooh Wee." An added bonus is the Oscar nominated "The Girl Who Used to Be Me," which gives Austin a chance to show her range, even if the tune is a bit schmaltzy. ~ by Jonathan Widran, AMG. 

GRP Records, GRD-9603, 1990
Recorded At Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood, California 

Personnel:
Patti Austin - Vocals, Backing Vocals, Vocal Arrangements
Dave Grusin - Piano, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Harmonica,
Rhythm & Vocal Arrangements, Vocals [Background]
Nelson Rangell - Alto Saxophone
Ernie Watts - Tenor Saxophone
David Paich - Keyboards, Synthesizer, Arranger
Greg Phillinganes - Piano
Steve Porcaro - Synthesizer
Michael Landau, Lee Ritenour - Guitar
Nathan East, Neil Stubenhaus - Bass
Deborah Henson-Conant - Harp
Harvey Mason - Drums
Paulinho Da Costa, Lenny Castro, Michael Fisher, Jeff Porcaro - Percussion
Robin Beck, Shelton Becton, Jocelyn Brown, Bill Eaton, Lani Groves,
Casey Sissik, James "D-Train" Williams - Vocals [Background] 

Strings:
David Nadien - Concert Master, Violin
Elena Barere, Arnold Eidus, Barry Finclair, Regis Iandiorio, Charles Libove, Louann Montesi, John Pintavalle, Matthew Raimondi, Richard Sortomme, Marti Sweet, Gerald Tarack - Violin
Jean R. Dane, Carol Landon, Sue Pray - Viola
Charles McCracken, Richard Locker - Cello 

Tracks:
01. Through The Test Of Time {David Pack, Jeff Pescetto} (5:07)
02. Too Soon To Know {Lorraine Feather, Michael McDonald, David Pack} (4:23)
03. In My Life {Patti Austin} (4:04)
04. Love Is Gonna Getcha {Lou Pardini, Alan Scott, Reed Vertelney} (5:04)
05. Ooh-Whee [The Carnival] {Patti Austin, Don Grusin} (5:41)
06. Believe The Children {Lyn Laboriel, Lou Pardini, Abraham Laboriel, Sr.} (5:36)
07. Good In Love {Robin Batteau, François Eckart, Jeff Southworth} (4:38)
08. Wait For Me {Don Grusin, Kate Markowitz, Christina Trulio} (5:26)
09. First Time Love {Patti Austin, Dave Grusin, Harvey Mason, Sr.} (5:31)
10. In My Dream {Eddie Arkin, Edward Arkin, Beckie Foster} (5:09)
11. The Girl Who Used To Be Me {Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch} (4:16) 

Total Time: 54:55 

Credits:
Producer, Executive Producer, Liner Notes - Dave Grusin
Executive Producer, Producer - Larry Rosen
Producer - David Paich
Production Coordination - Suzanne Sherman
Production Assistant - Barbara Hein
Engineer - Bill Cooper, Tom Knox, Ed Rak, Bob Schaper
Assistant Engineer, Engineer - Matthew "Boomer" La Monica, Joe Martin, Brian Soucy
Engineer, Mixing - Don Murray
Mixing Assistant - Elaine Anderson
Digital Editing - Mike Landy, Robert Vosgien
Mastering - Wally Traugott
Creative Director - Andy Baltimore
Photography - Richard Corman
Graphic Design - David Gibb, Jacki McCarthy, Andy Ruggirello, Dan Serrano
Liner Notes - Patti Austin