🎵 AotW AOTW: Vernell Brown, Jr. - STAY TUNED (CD-5382)

[Captain Bacardi]

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

Released 1992
Peaked at #17 on the Top Contemporary Jazz chart (1992)

Format: CD/Cassette

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]

Vernell Brown's sophomore effort on A&M unfortunately is a smooth jazz mess. It starts off well with a funky "Seize The Moment", then things go quickly downhill with a sappy vocal. There are three vocals features on this album, and none of them are very good. The rest of the album is the usual smoooothy gunk that infests many radio stations. All is not completely lost, however, as the album ends on a fiery note with "138 M.P.H." But it seems the first and last songs are only bookends to a sugary Muzak festival. 2 stars.



Capt. Bacardi