A Brand New Me

by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Aretha Franklin

Overview

Producers Nick Patrick and Don Reedman spearheaded If I Can Dream, the 2015 album that paired old Elvis Presley recordings with new overdubs from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. If I Can Dream turned into something of an international sensation, spawning a pair of sequels from Elvis and opening the door for similar sets, such as 2017's A Brand New Me, where Patrick and Reedman pair the Royal Philharmonic with Aretha Franklin. Unlike Elvis, Aretha is alive and well in 2017, but the producers choose to dress up Franklin's classic Atlantic recordings in a manner similar to what they did with Elvis. Comparatively, it's not quite as sticky as Presley, who had a wealth of schlocky middle-of-the-road material to use as a foundation, but that means the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra feels even more intrusive, offering unnecessary strings to recordings that were already sublime. Furthermore, the whole concept of the record is a bit off-putting: it's as if the producers were eager to create a posthumous Aretha Franklin album while she's still alive. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/24/2017
Label:	Atlantic / Rhino / Warner Bros.
UPC:	0081227942366
Rank:	55448

Tracks

1. Think
2. Don't Play That Song (You Lied)
3. I Say a Little Prayer
4. Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)
5. A Brand New Me
6. A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like)
7. Angel
8. Border Song (Holy Moses)
9. Let It Be
10. Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby)
11. You're All I Need to Get By
12. Respect

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra,Featured Artist
Aretha Franklin   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Seldon Powell   Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Patti Austin   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Andrew Love   Sax (Tenor)
Steve Pearce   Bass,Guitar,Guitar (Bass)
Andy Caine   Vocals (Background)
Philharmonic Orchestra   Orchestra,Featured Artist
Bobby Womack   Guitar
Tommy McClure   Guitar (Bass)
Almeda Lattimore   Vocals (Background)
Margaret Branch   Vocals (Background)
Brenda Bryant   Vocals (Background)
King Curtis   Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Chuck Rainey   Guitar (Bass)
Tony Studd   Trombone
Ledisi   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Cornell Dupree   Guitar (Bass)
Joe Farrell   Sax (Tenor)
Frank Wess   Sax (Tenor)
Steve Sidwell   Conductor,String Conductor
Ellie Greenwich   Vocals (Background)
Spooner Oldham   Organ,Piano
Joe South   Guitar
Graham Harvey   Piano
Donny Hathaway   Organ,Piano
Eric Gale   Guitar (Bass)
Floyd Newman   Sax (Bass),Sax (Baritone)
Gene Chrisman   Drums
Ben Castle   Sax (Alto)
Erma Franklin   Vocals (Background)
Joe Newman   Trumpet
David Hood   Guitar (Bass)
Wayne Jackson   Trumpet
Valerie Pinkston   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Hugh McCracken   Guitar,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Electric)
Robin Smith   Conductor,String Conductor
Roger Hawkins   Drums,Saxophone,Vocals (Background)
Jerry Jemmott   Guitar (Bass)
Ralph Burns   Conductor
Jim Dickinson   Keyboards
Richard Tee   Organ
Pete Murray   Organ,Piano,Piano (Electric)
Ray Lucas   Drums
Michael Utley   Keyboards
Al Jackson, Jr.   Drums
Simon Gardiner   Trumpet
Ryan Quigley   Trumpet
The Sweet Inspirations   Horn,Vocals (Background)
Sammy Creason   Drums
Matt Holland   Trumpet
Billy Preston   Organ,Piano
Lynn Fiddmont   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Tommy Cogbill   Guitar,Guitar (Bass)
Howard "Buzz" Feiten   Guitar
Melvin Lastie   Cornet,Trumpet
Charlie Freeman   Guitar
Haywood Henry   Sax (Baritone)
Tim Cansfield   Guitar
Danny Cummings   Percussion
Ralph Salmins   Drums
Andy Wood   Trombone
Bernie Glow   Trumpet
Barry Beckett   Organ
Eddie Hinton   Guitar
Carolyn Franklin   Vocals (Background)
Charles Chalmers   Sax (Tenor)
Jamie Talbot   Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Paul Spong   Trumpet
Phil Woods   Soloist,Sax (Alto)
Nigel Hitchcock   Saxophone,Sax (Alto)
Neil Sidwell   Trombone
Kenneth Bichel   Synthesizer
Jerry Weaver   Guitar
Nigel Barr   Trombone
Miriam Grey   Vocals (Background)
Willie Bridges   Saxophone,Sax (Baritone)
Ann S. Clark   Vocals (Background)
Adam Linsley   Trumpet
Greg Field   Vocals (Background)
Martin Williams   Saxophone,Sax (Baritone)
Shena Winchester   Vocals (Background)
Pat Smith   Vocals (Background)
Graeme Blevins   Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Jimmy Johnson   Guitar,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Acoustic)
Clare McInerney   Sax (Baritone)
Alistair White   Trombone
Bernard Purdie   Drums
Chris White   Sax (Tenor)
Mirriam Grey   Vocals (Background)
Alistar White   Trombone
Paul Sprong   Trumpet

Technical Credits

Ted White   Composer
Paul McCartney   Composer
Betty Nelson   Composer
Kenny Gamble   Composer
Clarence Paul   Composer
Steve Sidwell   Arranger,Brass Arrangement,String Arrangements
Curtis Mayfield   Composer
Carole King   Composer
Josh Phillips   Project Manager
John Hurley   Composer
John Lennon   Composer
Valerie Simpson   Composer
Robin Smith   Arranger,String Arrangements,Orchestral Arrangements
Peter Cobbin   Engineer
Jerry Butler   Composer
Ronnie Wilkins   Composer
Jerry Wexler   Composer,Producer,Pro-Tools
Nigel Reeve   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Bernie Taupin   Composer
Quincy Jones   Producer
Nick Patrick   Arranger,Producer,Rhythm Arrangements
Otis Redding   Composer
Theresa Bell   Composer
Arif Mardin   Producer,Brass Arrangement
Ahmet Ertegun   Composer
Stevie Wonder   Composer
Burt Bacharach   Composer
Gerry Goffin   Composer
Ray Staff   Engineer,Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Hal David   Composer,Lyricist
Richard Cottle   Brass Arrangement
Elton John   Composer
Carolyn Franklin   Composer
Don Reedman   Arranger,Producer,Rhythm Arrangements
Jim Doris   Composer
Nickolas Ashford   Composer
Chris Walden   Arranger,Brass Arrangement,String Arrangements,Orchestral Arrangements
Ahmet Nugetre   Composer
Aretha Franklin   Composer,Producer
Morris Broadnax   Composer
Tom Dowd   Producer
Kirsty Whalley   Engineer,Digital Editing
Jimmy Turrell   Cover Illustration
Peter Schwier   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Jerry Schatzberg   Photography
Greg Field   Engineer,Producer,Mixing Engineer,Assistant Producer
Sonny Saunders   Composer
Giancarlo Sciama   Project Manager
Cecile de Tournesac   Engineer,Digital Editing
Ertegun and Nelson   Composer,Lyricist