Just Between Us (Norman Brown album)

Just Between Us is the debut album by jazz guitarist Norman Brown. It was released in 1992 by Motown Records. The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

Background

Brown produced the album with guest appearances by Stevie Wonder, Kirk Whalum, Ronnie Laws, the Earth, Wind & Fire Horns and Boyz II Men. The album contains cover versions of two songs: "Love Holiday" by Earth, Wind & Fire and "Too High" by Stevie Wonder. The latter song was featured in the end credits of the film Passenger 57.

Critical reception

Sherri Winston of the Sun Sentinel called Just Between Us "jazzy fun that gets moody and sexy and thoughtful, but never boring... A beautiful ride."

Thom Jurek of AllMusic, in a 4 out of 5 stars review, commented, "The end result is an album that, although surely a product of its time in terms of production, is musically timeless. Its sense of balance between composition, arrangement, improvisation, and its various genre blends is still a blueprint for contemporary jazz in the 21st century."

Track listing

Personnel

• Norman Brown – guitar, arrangements (1–3, 5–11), music concept (4), BGV arrangements (9)
• Herman Jackson – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 7, 11), synthesizers (9), synth strings (10)
• Wayne Linsey – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 11)
• Jerry Peters – keyboards (2)
• Brian Simpson – keyboards (2, 8), programming (2, 8)
• Bobby Lyle – acoustic piano (4, 7, 9), acoustic piano solo (8)
• Larry Farrow – keyboards (10), synth bass (10)
• Juewett Bostick – programming (10), arrangements (10)
• Al McKay – rhythm guitar (4)
• Richard Patterson – bass (1, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11)
• Sam Sims – bass (2, 8)
• Verdine White – bass (4)
• Nathan East – bass (7, 9)
• Chuck Morris – drums (1, 3, 5, 6, 11)
• Land Richards – cymbals (2, 8, 10), arrangements (3, 8), drum fills (10)
• Michael Baker – drums (4, 7, 9)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 3, 4, 6, 9)
• Munyungo Jackson – percussion (2, 7, 11)
• Ronnie Laws – soprano saxophone (1)
• Kirk Whalum – tenor saxophone (1)
• Gerald Albright – tenor saxophone (1, 5)
• Gary Bias – saxophones (4, 7, 9), flute (4, 7, 9)
• Jeff Clayton – saxophones (4, 7, 9), flute (4, 7, 9)
• Reggie Young – trombone (4, 7, 9)
• Ray Brown – trumpet (4, 7, 9)
• Stevie Wonder – harmonica (6), lead vocals (6), arrangements (6)
• Norman Connors – arrangements (1–3, 5, 7–11)
• Benjamin Wright – arrangements (4, 7, 9), horn arrangements (7, 9), string arrangements (9)
• Denise Stewart – BGV arrangements (4, 9)
• Perri – backing vocals (4, 9)
• Boyz II Men – backing vocals (6)
• Della Miles – backing vocals (10)
• Tony Warren – backing vocals (10)

Production

• Steve McKeever – executive producer, producer (6), mixing (6)
• Norman Connors – producer (1–5, 7–11)
• Norman Brown – co-producer (1–3, 5, 8, 10, 11)
• Ralph Sutton – recording, mixing (3, 7, 9, 10)
• John Falzarano – recording (2, 8)
• Brian Simpson – recording (2, 8)
• Richard Huredia – assistant engineer (1–9, 11)
• Noel Hazen – assistant engineer (4, 7, 9)
• Brant Biles – mixing (1, 2, 6)
• Malcolm Cecil – mixing (1, 2, 6)
• Robert Margouleff – mixing (1, 2, 6)
• Barney Perkins – mixing (4)
• Elliott Peters – mixing (5, 8, 11)
• William Cooper – mix assistant (1, 2)
• Bob Tucker – mix assistant (3, 7, 9, 10)
• Kenny Ochoa – mix assistant (4, 5)
• David Betancourt – mix assistant (8)
• Tina Antoine – mix assistant (11)
• Bruce Walker – A&R project coordinator
• Stephen Meltzer – art direction
• Shauna Woods – design
• Todd Gray – photography

References

External links