The Essential Babyface

by Babyface

Overview

After his stint with the Deele in the late '70s, Babyface (along with co-conspirator L.A. Reid) almost single-handedly set the standard of commercial adult contemporary R&B since the early '80s, when he rose to prominence as an in-demand songwriter and producer. He's been responsible for an armada of hits rivaled by only a few other producer/songwriters in modern commercial chart history, writing hits for Madonna, Boyz II Men, Eric Clapton, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and a legion of other artists. However, within that span of time his solo efforts have been sorely overlooked by mainstream audiences, being primarily accepted only by die-hard R&B fans. This makes the Essential Babyface release all the more important, as it's a survey of just his works and not productions of other artists. It's a comprehensive look at his career, from the quiet storm ballads of his early years like "Whip Appeal" to the up-tempo urban radio hits like "How Come, How Long" (featuring guest vocals by Stevie Wonder), and leaves no stone unturned in between. Unlike his 2000 collection, Essential Babyface doesn't rely so much on his productions for other artists, which makes it instantly appealing to die-hard fans and gives casual listeners an appreciation of the depths of Babyface's talent. The only exception comes from his MTV Unplugged medley, featuring two of his all-time biggest productions: the Boyz II Men anthems "I'll Make Love to You" and "End of the Road." The Essential Babyface is easily the strongest representation to date of Babyface as an artist, and not just a producer/songwriter. ~ Rob Theakston

Product Details

Release Date:	06/10/2003
Label:	Bmg / Epic / Sony Music Entertainment
UPC:	0886919797428

Tracks

1. I Said I Love You
2. Never Keeping Secrets
3. Every Time I Close My Eyes
4. Talk To Me
5. When Can I See You
6. For the Cool In You
7. My Kinda Girl
8. Whip Appeal
9. Soon As I Get Home
10. Well Alright [From Poetic Justice]
11. The Day (That You Gave Me a Son)
12. How Come, How Long
13. This is For the Lover In You
14. Medley: I'll Make Love To You/End of the Road
15. Medley: I'll Make Love To You/End of the Road [Continued]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Babyface   Primary Artist,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background),Drums,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards
Howard Hewett   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Stevie Wonder   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals,Harmonica,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Jeffrey Daniel   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Kenny G   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Saxophone,Featured Artist
LL Cool J   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Jody Watley   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Mariah Carey   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Gerald Albright   Guest Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Greg Phillinganes   Guest Artist,Piano
Sheila E.   Guest Artist,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Eric Clapton   Guest Artist,Guitar
Michael Thompson   Guitar
Reggie Young   Trombone
Kenny Crouch   Piano
Ray Brown   Trumpet,Trumpet
Beverly Crowder   Vocals (Background)
Kenneth Crouch   Piano
Kevon Edmonds   Vocals (Background)
L.A. Reid   Drums,Percussion
Shanice Wilson   Vocals (Background)
Dede O'Neal   Vocals (Background)
Wayne Linsey   Keyboards
Bo Watson   Keyboards,Musical Direction
Nathan East   Bass
Ricky Lawson   Drums
Kayo   Bass,Guitar (Bass),Synthesizer Bass
Melvin Edmonds   Vocals (Background)
Oscar Brashear   Trumpet
Reggie Griffin   Keyboards
Marc Nelson   Vocals (Background)
William Ross   Conductor
Tim Carmon   Keyboards
Michael Hart Thompson   Guitar
Lynn Linsey   Vocals (Background)
Bill Ross   Conductor
Larry Johnson   Saxophone
Reggie C. Young   Trombone
De Rock   Percussion
John "J.R." Robinson   Drums

Technical Credits

Babyface   Drum Programming,Composer,Producer
LL Cool J   Producer
L.A. Reid   Composer,Producer
Leo Sacks   Compilation Producer
Joseph M. Palmaccio   Mastering
Howard Hewett   Composer
Perri Reid   Composer
Daryl Simmons   Composer,Producer
Stevie Wonder   Composer
Bryce Wilson   Drum Programming
William Ross   String Arrangements
Ron Kellum   Design,Art Direction
Dana Meyers   Composer
Randee Saint Nicholas   Photography
John Atashian   Photography
Bill Ross   String Arrangements
Harry Langdon   Photography
Neal Preston   Photography
Rick Day   Cover Photo,Photography