Never Letting Go is the fourth album by singerâÂÂsongwriter Phoebe Snow, released in 1977.
Reception
Robert Christgau wrote of the album: "By now Snow projects a jazz singer's assurance, and the originals are still overshadowed by the covers ... the tempos are invariably too reflective, and the reprises invariably too much." In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic William Ruhlmann wrote that "the record marked a fall-off in both her commercial success and her artistic accomplishment. The tasty studio musicians and Phil Ramone's pop-jazz production were still in place, and Snow remained a remarkable singer, but her synthesis of styles was beginning to seem not so much inspired as muddled."
Track listing
All songs written by Phoebe Snow, except where noted.
- "Love Makes a Woman" (Carl Davis, Eugene Record, William Sanders, Gerald Simms) â 3:21
- "Majesty of Life" â 3:36
- "Ride the Elevator" â 3:55
- "Something So Right" (Paul Simon) â 4:02
- "Never Letting Go" (Stephen Bishop) â 3:12
- "We're Children" â 3:01
- "The Middle of the Night" â 3:33
- "Electra" â 3:53
- "Garden of Joy Blues" (Clifford Hayes) â 4:31
Personnel
Musicians and vocalists
- Phoebe Snow â vocals, acoustic guitar (2, 6)
- Ken Ascher â acoustic piano (1, 7, 8), electric piano (1, 5, 7), organ (1), keyboards (3, 9), synthesizers (7)
- Richard Tee â electric piano (2, 4)
- Bob James â acoustic piano (5), electric piano (6)
- Hugh McCracken â electric guitar (1, 4, 5, 7), acoustic guitar (2, 5, 6), electric slide guitar (3), harmonica (3)
- Steve Burgh â electric guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar (5), acoustic guitar (6)
- Steve Khan â electric guitar (1, 3, 8), "plunger" electric guitar (7), electric 12-string guitar (8), electric guitar solo (8), acoustic guitar (9)
- Will Lee â bass (1, 5âÂÂ7)
- Tony Levin â bass (2âÂÂ4, 8, 9)
- Chris Parker â drums (1, 4âÂÂ7)
- Grady Tate â drums (2, 7)
- Steve Gadd â drums (3, 8, 9)
- Ralph MacDonald â percussion (1, 2, 4, 6)
- Michael Brecker â tenor sax solo (1, 6)
- Hubert Laws â flute solo (2)
- Eddie Daniels â clarinet solo (3)
- Phil Woods â alto sax solo (5)
- David Nadien â concertmaster
- Gwen Guthrie â backing vocals (1, 4, 5)
- Lani Groves â backing vocals (1, 4, 5)
- Patti Austin â backing vocals (1, 4, 5)
- Kenny Loggins â vocals (6)
Orchestra
- William Eaton â orchestration (1, 2, 8), woodwind orchestration (4)
- Robert Freedman â orchestration (3, 5), string orchestration (4)
- Ken Ascher â orchestration (7)
Strings
- David Nadien â concertmaster
- Janet Hamilton and Charles McCracken â cello
- Russ Savakos â double bass
- Lamar Alsop and Emanuel Vardi â viola
- Sanford Allen, Joyce Flissler, Harry Glickman, Marvin Morgenstern, David Nadien, Tony Posk, Herbert Sorkin and Carol Webb â violin
Brass
Woodwinds
Production
Reception