Herbie Hancock - Lite Me Up

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:00
Size: 87,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. Lite Me Up!
(3:58)  2. The Bomb
(6:13)  3. Gettin' To The Good Part
(4:29)  4. Paradise
(3:54)  5. Can't Hide Your Love
(4:03)  6. The Fun Tracks
(3:58)  7. Motor Mouth
(7:40)  8. Give it All Your Heart

By 1978, Hancock had another identity as a dance/fusion attraction with the albums Feets Don't Fail Me Now and Sunlight. Lite Me Up is an even more concerted effort to fuse jazz with pop. Hancock handled all of the production chores on all but two of the eight tracks. His main arranger and lyricist here is Rod Temperton, the former Heatwave member who worked with Quincy Jones on albums Off the Wall and Light Up the Night. The title track and "The Bomb" are glossy, propulsive offerings reminiscent of prime Jones without his skill at making it all stick. The biggest hit here, the sleek "Getting' to the Good Part" adheres to the Steely Dan's Gaucho style, has a gorgeous bridge, and has Hancock doing his loved or hated vocoder lead vocals. From a jazz perspective, there is precious little of it on Lite Me Up. In fact, the songs "The Fun Tracks" and the humorous "Motor Mouth" sound like Heatwave retreads. The last song stands out, however. The beautiful, hooky ballad "Give It All Your Heart" features both Hancock and Patrice Rushen both doing their vocal leads on vocoder. The track perfectly captures both prime Temperton and Hancock's '78-'82 fusion ballad style. Songs with producers Jay Graydon and Narada Michael Walden both feature the artist doing vocals without the gadgetry, and, believe it or not, the vocoder is more definitive. Despite the better tracks, Lite Me Up doesn't have the adventurous nature of Hancock's jazz/pop of the era. ~ Jason Elias https://www.allmusic.com/album/lite-me-up-mw0000318353

Personnel:  Vocals, Vocals [Vocoder] – Herbie Hancock, Patrice Rushen, Wayne Anthony;  Backing Vocals – Edi Lehman (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8), Herbie Hancock (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8), Jim Gilstrap (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8), John Lehman (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8), Patti Austin (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8), Paulette McWilliams (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8);  Bass – Louis Johnson (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 8);  Drums – John Robinson, Jeff Porcaro, Narada Michael Walden;  Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Clavinet [Clavitar], Synthesizer [Yamaha-cs 80, The Source By Moog, Mini Moog, Waves Mini Moog, Prophet 5, Arp 2600, Arp Odyssey], Keyboards [Emu Digital Keyboard], Synthesizer [Oberheim 8-voice Synthesizer, Roland Jupiter 8], Clavinet [Hohner], Vocoder [Sennheiser], Synthesizer [Synclavier Digital Synthesizer, Linn Drum Synthesizer], Piano – Herbie Hancock; Guitar – David Williams (4) (tracks: 2, 3, 6 to 8), Steve Lukather (tracks: 1);  Saxophone, Woodwind – Gary Herbig (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8), Larry Williams (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8);  Trombone – Bill Reichenbach (2) (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8);  Trumpet – “Dr. Negroidal, The” (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8); Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Jerry Hey (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8);  Trumpet, Trombone – Chuck Findley (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 8)

Lite Me Up

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Narada Michael Walden - Evolution

Styles: Vocal, Soul 
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:38
Size: 130,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Evolution
(3:45)  2. Billionaire On Soul Street
(4:26)  3. Babys Got In Going On
(5:12)  4. Freedom
(3:47)  5. Song For You
(4:41)  6. It's The Sixties
(3:18)  7. Tear The House Down
(4:28)  8. Me And My Girl
(6:12)  9. Heavens In My Heart
(4:28) 10. Standing Tall
(4:16) 11. Long And Winding Road
(3:15) 12. Show Me How To Love Again (Booda Remix)
(3:44) 13. Billionaire On Soul Street (Booda Remix)

2015 release from the veteran producer, drummer, singer and songwriter. Evolution is a strong statement from Narada, inspired by the "retro" sound that is so prevalent on the radio and in clubs today. The album features mostly original material and two covers Freedom by Richie Havens and The Long and Winding Road by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. 

Narada explains about the album's first single: "This album Evolution means the world to me because it reflects my personal feeling of spirituality and that feeling renewed for life by having my children Kelly and Kaylah in my life and my wife Katie. Having children now at this time in my life really has touched my heart to feel like WOW! Look how lucky and how blessed I am by God." ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Narada-Michael-Walden/dp/B015RD3L4Q

Evolution

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Narada Michael Walden - I Cry, I Smile

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:30
Size: 104,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:40)  1. I Need Your Love
(4:22)  2. Better Man
(3:42)  3. Soul Bird
(3:57)  4. I Remember
(4:58)  5. Oneness-Cry
(4:47)  6. Mango Bop
(1:18)  7. Rainbow-Sky
(5:46)  8. I Cry, I Smile
(4:36)  9. Heaven's Just a Step Ahead
(4:21) 10. So Long

Drummer/songwriter/producer/vocalist Narada Michael Walden's career spans over three decades and is threaded with gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards. He's produced and/or (co) written number one hits by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey ("Vision of Love"), Aretha Franklin ("Freeway of Love"), and Lisa Fischer ("How Can I Ease the Pain"). His proficient drumming skills have made him a first-call session musician playing on countless recording sessions.Walden has played on all kind of sessions from rock, jazz, pop, R&B, to fusion, sharing the recording and concert stage with the likes of John McLaughlin, the Mahavishnu Orchestra (a 21-year-old Narada replaced drumming legend Billy Cobham), and Jeff Beck (his Wired album) to name a small few. His own career as a recording artist is showcased on Rhino's Ecstasy's Dance: The Best of Narada Michael Walden. Walden's eclecticism is threaded throughout his recordings in varying degrees. In the '80s, he became a Grammy-winning mega-producer: Producer of the Year in 1987, Album of the Year for the 1993 movie soundtrack The Bodyguard (Narada Michael Walden, producer), and the Song of the Year award in 1985 for writing Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love." The song helped the Queen of Soul land her first platinum album. Walden was named one of the Top Ten Producers With the Most Number One Hits by Billboard magazine. Narada produced the Temptations' "Stay," the group's first number one record in 25 years from their platinum-plus Grammy-nominated Phoenix Rising. He also produced tracks for their follow-up album, Ear-Resistable issued by Motown/Universal on May 16, 2000.

Born April 23, 1952, in Kalamazoo, MI, Walden was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy. After college graduation, he trekked to Miami, FL, playing in various rock bands. Signing with Atlantic Records, his debut album, Garden of Love Light, included the mid-tempo "Delightful," which charted at 81 R&B in spring 1977. His next LP, I Cry I Smile, boasted the sweet "So Long" and the radio-aired LP tracks the languid "I Need Your Love," the delicious "I Remember," and the charming "Better Man." Even though these top-notch tracks received airplay in Chicago and other markets, other than "Better Man," none were released as singles. Instead, the label picked "Soulbird" and "Manago Bop," which worked well as album tracks, but not singles. The Awakening proved to be his breakthrough album, going to number 15 R&B in spring 1979 on the strength of the brassy "I Don't Want Nobody Else (To Dance With You)." Awakening radio-aired LP tracks were the airy "Listen to Me" and the jubilant album opener "Love Me Only" (also arranged by Patrick Adams). Awakening also featured top session bassist Keni Burke, formerly of the Five Stairsteps and best known for his own "Risin' to the Top."

His second highest charting single, "I Shoulda Loved Ya," hit number four R&B in late 1979. It was on his The Dance of Life (number nine R&B, late 1979), which included the gentle ballad "Why Did You Turn Me On." "You're #1" and "Summer Lady" were both on his Confidence LP from summer 1982. Walden's cover of the Four Tops' "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Reach Out," a huge dance hit, was listed on Looking at You, Looking at Me, which charted in spring 1983. Switching to Warner Bros., his duet with Patti Austin, the Motown-ish pop confection, "Gimme Gimme Gimme," issued as Narada Michael Walden with Patti Austin, went to number 39 R&B in early 1985 and was listed on his The Nature of Things album. His single "Divine Emotions" on the Warner Bros. imprint Reprise Records appeared in the Michael J. Fox movie Bright Lights, Big City. The Divine Emotion LP included the charting mellow single "Wild Thing" and the smooth, chugging, radio-aired LP track "That's the Way That I Feel About Cha." His 1995 Toshiba/EMI album was titled Sending Love to Everyone. In late 1985, Walden opened Tarpan Studios, a state-of-the-art recording studio located near San Francisco. Walden's work appears on releases by Stacy Lattisaw ("Let Be Your Angel") ,Al Green (Your Heart's in Good Hands), Shanice Wilson ("I Love Your Smile," "I Hate to Be Lonely"), Ray Charles, Diana Ross, George Michael, Wild Orchid, Tevin Campbell, Angela Bofill, Diana Ross, MyTown, Steve Winwood, Phaze II, Regina Belle-Passion ("Baby Come to Me"), Andy Vargas, Debelah Morgan, Jai, Jermaine Stewart ("We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"), Natalie Cole ("Good to Be Back), Clarence Clemons, Puff Johnson, Eddie Murphy ("Put Your Mouth on Me"), and Carl Carlton ("The Bad CC"), among many many others. Other Narada Michael Walden-related releases are Stacy Lattisaw and Johnny Gill (Perfect Combination), Lisa Fischer (So Intense), and the movie soundtracks to Beverly Hills Cop II, Perfect, Waiting to Exhale, License to Kill, The Bodyguard, Jason's Lyric, 9 1/2 Weeks, Crooklyn, Free Willy, and The Associate. ~ Ed Hogan https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-cry-i-smile/id305111925

Personnel:  Narada Michael Walden: Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Keyboards;  Christine Faith, Elisa Delieson, Cheryl Alexander: Backing vocals;  Hiram Bullock, Raymond Gomes: Guitars;  Cliff Carter: Keyboards;  Neil Jason: Bass;  Herbie Mann, Norma Jean Bell: Flute, Reeds;  Sammy Figueroa, Rafael Cruz: Percussion;  Michael Gibbs: String Arrangements & Conducting

I Cry, I Smile

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