Giving You the Best That I Got

by Anita Baker

Overview

The sizeable following that Anita Baker acquired with Rapture proved quite receptive to the only slightly less appealing Giving You the Best That I Got -- an album that's quite similar to its predecessors. Though not quite on a par with The Songstress or Rapture, Best is far superior to most of 1988's uninspired R&B releases. Instead of tampering with Rapture's consistently romantic and mellow soul/pop approach, Elektra brought back that album's producer, Michael J. Powell, and kept her at the top of the charts with such sleek yet earthy fare as "Just Because" (whose harmonies bring to mind producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, but lack the hip-hop elements they're quick to employ), "Priceless," the haunting "Good Love," and the title song. Much of Baker's music has contained jazz overtones, but on the Brazilian-influenced, slightly bossa nova-ish "Good Enough," Sarah Vaughan's influence becomes even more apparent -- and indicates that she is making a tremendous mistake by not recording outright jazz. ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date:	10/25/1990
Label:	Atlantic / Elektra
UPC:	0075596082723
Rank:	39713

Tracks

1. Priceless
2. Lead Me into Love
3. Giving You the Best That I Got
4. Good Love
5. Rules
6. Good Enough
7. Just Because
8. You Belong to Me

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Anita Baker   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
George Duke   Guest Artist,Piano
Gary Taylor   Keyboards
Lynne Fiddmont   Vocals (Background)
Perri   Vocals (Background)
Joseph Vitarelli   Claves,Synclavier
Lori Perry   Vocals (Background)
Nathan East   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Vernon D. Fails   Keyboards
Roy Galloway   Vocals (Background)
Pinkston   Vocals (Background)
Marva King   Vocals (Background)
Michael J. Powell   Guitar
Omar Hakim   Drums
Carl Carwell   Vocals (Background)
Lynn Fiddmont   Vocals (Background)
Gerald Albright   Saxophone,Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor)
Rev. Dave Boruff   Saxophone,Sax (Tenor),Synthesizer
Robbie Buchanan   Keyboards,Synthesizer
Alex Brown   Vocals (Background)
Carol Perri   Vocals (Background)
Kevin Moore   Guitar
Angel Edwards   Vocals (Background)
Neal Walker   Keyboards
Valerie Mayo   Vocals (Background)
Sonny Burke   Keyboards,Keyboards
Carl Corwell   Vocals (Background)
Peter "Ski" Schwartz   Keyboards
David Spradley   Keyboards
Peter Schwartz   Keyboards
Darlene Perri   Vocals (Background)
Herschel Boone   Vocals (Background)
Laurie Perri   Vocals (Background)
Sharon Perri   Vocals (Background)
Neil Walker   Keyboards
Lori ?   Vocals (Background)
Paul Jackson, Jr.   Guitar
Paulinho Da Costa   Percussion
Bobby Lyle   Piano
Chuck Findley   Trumpet
Donnie Lyle   Guitar
Patrick Moten   Keyboards
Bruce Nazarian   Synclavier
Fred White   Vocals (Background)
Dean Gant   Piano
Valerie Pinkston-Mayo   Vocals (Background)
Nell Walker   Keyboards
The Perri Sisters   Vocals (Background)
Danny Lyle   Guitar
Vernon Fails   Keyboards
David Boruff   Saxophone

Technical Credits

Anita Baker   Producer,Arranger,Composer,Executive,Vocal Arrangement,Executive Producer
Barney Perkins   Engineer
Michael J. Powell   Producer,Arranger,String Arrangements
Gary Taylor   Composer
Maggie Ryder   Composer
Perri   Vocal Arrangement
Joseph Vitarelli   Musician
Phil Nicholl   Composer
Randy Holland   Composer
Pinkston   Arranger
Michael McDonald   Composer
Michael O'Hara   Composer
Mike Brown   Engineer
Arif Mardin   Arranger
Rev. Dave Boruff   Programming,Synthesizer Programming
Robbie Buchanan   Arranger,Programming,String Arrangements,Additional Production,Synthesizer Programming
Alex Brown   Arranger,Composer,Vocal Arrangement
Carol Perri   Arranger,Group Member
Milton Chan   Engineer,Second Engineer
Warren Woods   Engineer
Sefra Herman   Coordination,Production Coordination
Valerie Mayo   Vocal Arrangement
Scott McLain   Assistant Engineer
Michael OHara   Composer
Darlene Perri   Arranger,Group Member
Sami McKinney   Composer
Les D. Cooper   Engineer
Bob Lacivita   Assistant Engineer
Laurie Perri   Arranger,Group Member
Sharon Perri   Arranger,Group Member
Carol Bobolts   Art Direction
Nick Viterelli   Assistant Engineer
Skip Scarborough   Composer
Steve Lane   Composer
Robbie Kondor   Arranger
Bernie Grundman   Mastering
Billy Livsey   Composer
Joe Mardin   Musician
Craig Burbidge   Engineer
Larry Prentiss   Composer
Carly Simon   Composer
Graham Lamb   Composer
Graham Lyle   Composer
David Bornuff   Additional Production,Programming
Tweed and Tominaga   Production Coordination
Terry Britten   Composer
Paul Riser   Arranger,String Arrangements
Bruce Nazarian   Engineer,Programming,Synclavier Programming
James McBride   Composer
Garry Glenn   Composer
Les Cooper   Engineer
Tim Purvis   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Valerie Pinkston-Mayo   Vocal Arrangement
Fred Law   Engineer
Adrian Buckmaster   Photography
The Perri Sisters   Vocal Arrangement
Sephra Herman   Production Coordination
Elliott Peters   Engineer
David Boruff   Synthesizer Programming