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
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