Harmony

by Josh Groban

Overview

Part of Josh Groban's charm is his ability to imbue cover songs with such warmth and technical sonority as to convince you in the moment that his is the best version. It's a skill he highlights with his ebullient 2020 covers album Harmony. Produced by Bernie Herms, with additional production work by Steve Jordan, Tommee Profitt, and Federico Vindver, Harmony finds Groban putting his distinctive, classically informed spin on some of his favorite songs, from jazz standards to more contemporary pop fare. It's the kind of album singers would readily make in the 1960s and '70s, and which allowed them to explore a variety of songs from outside their regular genre. The record opens with a dramatic take on "The World We Knew (Over and Over)," which builds upon Frank Sinatra's 1967 spaghetti western-accented original with cinematic orchestration that lends it a James Bond-theme song quality. The orchestration continues throughout the album as Groban's warm voice is framed in lush strings, vibrant horns, and a deft modicum of guitar and keyboard flourishes. The arrangements are eminently tasteful and help to further enhance his adept readings of songs like Robbie Williams' "Angels," Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home," and Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me." Elsewhere, we get compelling renditions of such well-known standards as Charles Aznavour's "She," "The Impossible Dream," and the Elvis classic "It's Now or Never." Several nicely done duets are also featured, including a soulful interpretation of Sting's "Shape of My Heart" with Leslie Odom, Jr. and a poignant take of "Both Sides Now" with Sara Bareilles. While Groban has already proven his knack for singing songs well outside the classical tradition, Harmony further underlines that surprising adaptability, as well as his virtuosic skill at making those songs his own. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date:	11/20/2020
Label:	Reprise / Warner Bros. / Warner Records
UPC:	0093624888413

Tracks

1. The World We Knew (Over and Over)
2. Angels
3. Celebrate Me Home
4. Shape of My Heart
5. Your Face
6. Both Sides Now
7. She
8. The Impossible Dream
9. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
10. It's Now or Never
11. I Can't Make You Love Me
12. The Fullest

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Josh Groban   Primary Artist,Vocals
Steve Jordan   Drums,Percussion,Guitar (Electric)
Jacob Sooter   Keyboards
Debi Selby   Vocals (Background)
Leslie Odom, Jr.   Vocals,Featured Artist
Jacob Lowery   Bass
Federico Vindver   Bass,Guitar,Keyboards
Devonne Fowlkes   Vocals (Background)
Juliane Gralle   Trombone
Dionisio De Moya   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Jacob Scooter   Keyboards
Austin Goodloe   Guitar
Daniel Fornero   Trumpet
London Studio Orchestra   Orchestra
Andrew Synowiec   Guitar
Buddy Hyatt   Pedal Steel
Kevin Axt   Bass (Acoustic),Bass (Electric)
Joel Guzman   Accordion
Chris Walden   Organ,Trumpet
Tom Scott   Horn
Willie Murillo   Trumpet
Emoni Wilkins   Vocals (Background)
Wayne Cobham   Trumpet
Clifford Carter   Keyboards
Clifton Anderson   Trombone
Vince Mendoza   Guitar (12 String Acoustic)
Javier Solis   Percussion
Dean Parks   Guitar
Don Needham   Drums
Luis Conte   Percussion
Paul Mabury   Drums
Rob Burrell   Vocals (Background)
Isaiah Sharkey   Guitar,Mandolin,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Pino Palladino   Bass
Adam Lester   Guitar,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Baritone),Guitar (Electric)
Randy Waldman   Piano,Fender Rhodes
Bernard Fowler   Vocals (Background)
Ray Brinker   Drums
Andy Selby   Bass,Percussion
Bernie Herms   Piano,Keyboards,Orchestra,Fender Rhodes,Bass (Upright),Piano (Upright)
Davide Rossi   Strings
Bill Ross   Orchestra
Helene Fischer   Featured Artist
Larry Goldings   Piano,Organ
Edwin Livingston   Bass
Cliff Masterson   Conductor,Orchestra Leader
Jimmie Lee Sloas   Bass
Sara Bareilles   Featured Artist
Ramon Stagnaro   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Jorge Vivo   Vocals
Kirk Franklin   Vocals,Featured Artist
Dan Needham   Drums,Percussion
Jeff Driskill   Saxophone
Chuck Findley   Brass
Jason Webb   Piano

Technical Credits

Joe LaPorta   Mastering
Ivan Brailsford   Management
Robert Williams   Composer
Sean Moffitt   Mixing
Julian Peploe   Design,Art Direction
Steve Jordan   Producer
Eduardo di Capua   Composer
Jay Franco   Assistant
Jacob Sooter   Musical Producer
Susie Gillis   Contractor,Orchestra Contractor
Leslie Odom, Jr.   Duet
James Shamblin   Composer
Federico Vindver   Producer,Programming
Ken Johnson   Production Manager
Jon Castelli   Mixing
Aaron Shroeder   Composer
John Presley   Assistant
Sean R. Badum   Assistant,Assistant Engineer,Recording Assistant
Jason Staniulis   Assistant,Vocal Engineer,Vocal Recording
Christine Hynde   Composer
David Ramirez   Programming
Zach Grappone   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Tom Kelly   Composer
Isobel Griffiths   Contractor
Herbert Kretzmer   Composer
Jeff Cain   Editing,Assistant
Buckley Miller   Engineer,Recording
Guy Chambers   Composer
Gloria Estefan   Composer
Will Schillinger   Engineer
Carl Sigman   Composer
Bert Kaempfert   Composer
Charles Aznavour   Composer
Humberto Gatica   Mixing
David Hamilton   Instrumentation
Mitch Leigh   Composer
Chris Walden   Orchestra Assembly,Orchestral Arrangements
Steve Fallone   Assistant
Diarmuid Quinn   A&R
Herbert Rehbein   Composer
Javier Concepcion   Programming
Tyler Gordon   Engineer,Vocal Engineer,Vocal Recording,Assistant Engineer
Jorge Calandrelli   Arranger
Michael Reid   Composer
Warren David   Assistant
Tommee Profitt   Mixing,Editing,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
John Prestage   Assistant Engineer,Orchestration Recording,Assistant,String Engineer
Michael Wolters   Assistant
Andrew Eccles   Photography
Jonna Terrasi   A&R
Greg Calibi   Mastering
Cheryl Jenets   A&R
Emilio Estefan, Jr.   Composer,Producer
Clifton Anderson   Horn Arrangements
Vince Mendoza   Arranger,String Arrangements
Wally Gold   Composer
Geoff Foster   Engineer,String Engineer,Orchestration Recording,Assistant Orchestra Engineer
Glen Hansard   Composer
Dave O'Donnell   Mixing,Engineer
Robbie Williams   Composer
Robert James   Composer
Johnny Nash   Composer
Joni Mitchell   Composer
Rob Burrell   Mixing,Engineer,Recording,Vocal Engineer,Vocal Recording
Josh Groban   Composer
Phil Cody   Composer
Neil Sedaka   Composer
Rachel Busic   Assistant
Richard Leher   Legal Advisor
Christian Koala   Assistant
Jorge Vivo   Piano Engineer,Vocal Engineer,Vocal Recording,Mixing,Editing,Engineer,Recording
Gordon Sumner   Composer
Allen Shamblin   Composer
Paul Simon   Composer
Andy Selby   Mixing,Editing,Producer,Assistant
Eden Ahbez   Composer
Bernie Herms   Mixing,Arranger,Producer,Programming,Orchestra Assembly,String Arrangements,Orchestral Arrangements
Bob Ludwig   Mastering
Billy Steinberg   Composer
Joe Darion   Composer
Ellen Wakayama   Design,Art Direction
Michael Walters   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Cristian Robles   Mixing
Helene Fischer   Duet
Dominic Miller   Composer
Cliff Masterson   Arranger,Orchestral Arrangements
Ewan MacColl   Composer
Sara Bareilles   Duet
Kenny Loggins   Composer
Kirk Franklin   Composer