Melissa (Melissa Manchester album)

Melissa is the third album by Melissa Manchester, released on the Arista Records label in 1975. It reached #12 on the Billboard Albums chart on the strength of her first U.S. Top Ten hit "Midnight Blue" (#6). In 2001, the album was re-released.

Track listing

All songs were written by Melissa Manchester and Carole Bayer Sager, unless stated otherwise.

Personnel

• Melissa Manchester – lead vocals, acoustic piano (1–4, 7, 8, 10), string conductor (3, 10), electric piano (5, 9), clavinet (6)
• James Newton Howard – electric piano (1–4, 7), clavinet (2, 8), ARP synthesizer (2, 4, 9), organ (5, 6), acoustic piano (6), celesta (9)
• David Wolfert – acoustic guitar (1, 7, 8), electric guitars (1–7), guitars (8)
• John "Cooker" Lo Presti – bass
• Kirk Bruner – drums (1–8), percussion (2, 4), cuica (4), talking drum (6), backing vocals (9)
• King Errisson – congas (2, 5, 8)
• Don Diego Gujo – cowbell (8)
• Morton K. Salt – percussion (9)
• Trevor Lawrence – tenor saxophone (3, 6, 8), horn arrangements (3, 6, 8), string arrangements (3, 5, 7, 10), soprano saxophone (5), baritone saxophone (6, 8), alto saxophone (10)
• John Rotella – baritone saxophone (3)
• Gene Dinwiddie – tenor saxophone (6, 8)
• Lew McCreary – trombone (3)
• Steve Madaio – trumpet (3, 6, 8)
• Sid Sharp – concertmaster (10)
• Vini Poncia – backing vocals (1, 3, 7, 9)
• Lucy Mike – backing vocals (2)
• David Lasley – backing vocals (6)
• Arnold McCuller – backing vocals (6)
• Brie Howard – backing vocals (9)

Production

• Richard Perry – executive producer
• Vini Poncia – producer
• Bob Schaper – recording engineer, remixing (10)
• Bill Schnee – remixing (1–9) at Sound Labs (Hollywood, California)
• Reed Stanley – assistant engineer
• The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California) – mastering location
• Bob Heimall – art direction
• Arton Associates – design
• Pacific Eye & Ear – illustration
• Ed Caraeff – photography
• Larry Brezner, Jack Rollins and Charles H. Joffe – management

References