🎵 AotW AOTW: Vernell Brown, Jr. - Stay Tuned (CD-5382)

[Captain Bacardi]

Vernell Brown, Jr.
STAY TUNED
A&M CD-5382

Released 1992

Format: CD

Produced by Vernell Brown, Jr. for Mr. Chop's Unlimited Productions & Land Richards for IIWII Music.

Songs:

• 1. Seize The Moment - 5:31
  2. Everybody Needs A Friend - 4:15*
  3. Reminiscing - 6:36
  4. Hot Potatoe - 5:02
  5. Living The Dream - 3:23
  6. Moving On - 4:06
  7. Mirror Image - 5:11
  8. Stay Tuned - 3:48*
  9. Where's The Funk? - 4:07
  10. Whoever You Are - 4:19*
  11. Night Walker - 4:59
  12. 138 M.P.H. - 3:00
  
  All songs written by Vernell Brown, Jr. except * written by Vernell Brown, Jr. and Will Jennings.

Musicians:
Vernell Brown, Jr. - Yamaha Acoustic Piano, MIDI Grand Piano and Keyboards
Land Richards - Drums
Ernest Tibbs - Bass
Darryl Richards - Tenor, Soprano & Alto Saxophones
Gregory Cook - Guitar
Lenny Castro - Percussion
Tyrone Bowen - Lead Vocal (2, 8 )
Vearline Beard - Lead Vocal (10)
Raymond L. Brown - Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Reginal Young - Trombone
Gary A. Bias - Saxophone
Vocals: Lynne Fiddmont Linsey, Bridgette Bryant, Nadirah Ali, Alfie Silas, Mortonette Jenkins, Vonciele Faggett

Recorded at Studio Ultimo, Grandmasters Recorders LTD, Los Angeles, CA and Studio Zero, Van Nuys, CA.
Recording Engineer: Joe Borja
Assistant Engineer: Tom Beiner (Studio Ultimo)
Mixed Digitally at Suma Music Group, Los Angeles, CA
Mixed by Ray Bardani
Assisted by Ryan Dorn
Mastered Digitally by Steve Hall at Future Disc Systems, Hollywood, CA
All songs were recorded "live".

Art Direction: Chuck Beeson
Design: F Ron Miller
Photography: John Casado
B&W Group Photos: Frank Jackson


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is your basic smooth jazz outing, complete with all that's good and bad with smooth jazz. This is very groove-oriented, lots of wailing saxes, and unfortunately, some very tepid vocals on songs such as "Everybody Needs A Friend" and "Whoever You Are". When Vernell Brown, Jr. does get in some piano playing, it's pretty good. They finally get into some real jazz on the final two songs, with "138 mph" the real highlight of the album. Other than that there's not a whole lot here that already hasn't been done a thousand times. 2 & 1/2 stars from me.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[jazzdre]

in the early 90s,this album was played a lot on the smooth jazz station here in ny.from what i undrestand,vernell was discovered by jerry moss,and then jerry hooked vernell up with stix hooper of the crusaders,to produce the album.vernell wasn't into music for the long haul;he had other career plans,but the cut that i heard(hot potato)showed a promising future had he stayed in jazz.some of the background singers used to work with gino vannelli(vonciele faggett,alfie silas)