2009 Vanessa Williams – The Real Thing
The Real Thing is the eighth studio album by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams. It was released by Concord Records on May 27, 2009. The album features productions by Keith Thomas, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Rob Mathes, and Rex Rideout. The Real Thing peaked at number 91 on the US Billboard 200. It also reached number one on the Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, number two on the Top Jazz Albums chart, and number 36 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Tracks
1 Breathless (Lauren Evans; Rex Rideout; Taj Jackson) 04:49
2 Hello Like Before (Bill Withers; John Collins) 04:26
3 Loving You (Carole Bayer Sager; Babyface) 03:29
4 Just Friends (Babyface) 04:13
5 The Real Thing (Stevie Wonder) 05:10
6 Lazy Afternoon (Jerome Moross; John Latouche) 04:54
7 Close To You (Bebel Gilberto; Guy Sigsworth) 04:36
8 I Fell In (Phil Galdston; Shelea Frazier) 04:44
9 October Sky (Carl Sturken; Evan Rogers; Javier Colon) 04:24
10 Come On Strong (Sammy Cahn; Jimmy Van Heusen) 02:36
11 If There Were No Song (Rob Mathes; Stephanie Lewis) 04:29
Biography
Musicians
1 Breathless
| Bass | Abraham Laboriel Sr |
| Drums | Abe Laboriel Jr |
| Acoustic Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Acoustic Guitar | Michael Ripoll |
| Keyboards | Rex Rideout |
| Programming | Rex Rideout |
| Percussion | Mike White |
| Background Vocals | Lauren Evans |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
2 Hello Like Before
| Bass | Abraham Laboriel Sr |
| Drums | Abe Laboriel Jr |
| Acoustic Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Fender Rhodes | Keith Thomas |
| Piano | Keith Thomas |
| Programming | Keith Thomas |
| Trumpet | Mike Haynes |
| Percussion | Eric Darken |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
3 Loving You
| Bass | Ethan Farmer |
| Guitar | Agape Jerry |
| Guitar | Michael Ripoll |
| Piano | Rob Mathes |
| Horns | Garrett Smith |
| Horns | Miguel Gandelman |
| Horns | Ray Monteiro |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
4 Just Friends
| Bass | Reggie Hamilton |
| Drums (programming) | BabyFace |
| Keyboards | BabyFace |
| Piano | Greg Phillinganes |
| Background Vocals | BabyFace |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
5 The Real Thing
| Bass | Carlos Henriquez |
| Acoustic Guitar | Rob Mathes |
| Fender Rhodes | Rob Mathes |
| Keyboards | Ricky Gonzalez |
| Piano | Ricky Gonzalez |
| Programming | Ricky Gonzalez |
| Trombone | Ozzie Melendez |
| Trumpet | Raul Agraz |
| Percussion | Luisito Quintero |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
6 Lazy Afternoon
| Bass | Abraham Laboriel Sr |
| Drums | Abe Laboriel Jr |
| Acoustic Guitar | Michael Ripoll |
| Acoustic Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Keyboards | Rex Rideout |
| Programming | Rex Rideout |
| Percussion | Mike White |
| Background Vocals | Kimberly Brewer |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
7 Close To You
| Bass | Carlos Henriquez |
| Acoustic Bass | Carlos Henriquez |
| Acoustic Guitar | Rob Mathes |
| Fender Rhodes | Rob Mathes |
| Keyboards | Ricky Gonzalez |
| Programming | Ricky Gonzalez |
| Percussion | Luisito Quintero |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
8 I Fell In
| Bass | Abraham Laboriel Sr |
| Drums | Abe Laboriel Jr |
| Guitar | Jonathan Crone |
| Acoustic Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Acoustic Guitar | Jonathan Crone |
| Piano | Keith Thomas |
| Programming | Keith Thomas |
| Percussion | Eric Darken |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
9 October Sky
| Bass | Craig Nelson |
| Drums | Derrek Phillips |
| Guitar | Jonathan Crone |
| Piano | Keith Thomas |
| Programming | Keith Thomas |
| Percussion | Eric Darken |
| Vocals | Javier Colon |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
10 Come On Strong
| Bass | Dave Carpenter |
| Drums | Gregg Field |
| Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Piano | Mike Lang |
| Sax | Dan Higgins |
| Sax | Joel Peskin |
| Sax | Pete Christlieb |
| Trombone | Alan Kaplan |
| Trumpet | Gary Grant |
| Trumpet | Rick Baptist |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
11 If There Were No Song
| Bass | Carlos Henriquez |
| Acoustic Guitar | Rob Mathes |
| Fender Rhodes | Rob Mathes |
| Keyboards | Ricky Gonzalez |
| Piano | Ricky Gonzalez |
| Programming | Ricky Gonzalez |
| Trombone | Ozzie Melendez |
| Trumpet | Raul Agraz |
| Percussion | Luisito Quintero |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
Other Musicians
Cello – Armen Ksajikian, Christina Soule, Stephen Erdody, Trevor Handy (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10)
Cello – Richard Locker (Track 7)
Viola – Brian Dembow, David Walther, Irina Voloshina, Roland Kato, Vicki Miskolczy (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10)
Viola – Vincent Lionti (Track 7)
Violin – Bruce Dukov, Alyssa Park, Anatoly Rosinsky, Darius Campo, Johana Krejci, Katia Popov, Margaret Wooten, Natalie Leggett, Phillip Levy, Raymond Kobler, Rebecca Bunnell, Roberto Cani, Robin Olson (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10)
Violin – Elena Barere, Katherine Livolsi (Track 7)
Liner Notes
Producer – Rex Rideout (Tracks 1, 6)
Producer – Keith Thomas (Tracks 2, 8, 9, 10)
Producer – Babyface (Tracks 3, 4)
Producer – Rob Mathes (Tracks 5, 7, 11)
Arranged By – Keith Thomas (Tracks 2, 8, 9)
Arranged By – Rob Mathes (Tracks 5, 7, 11)
Arranged By (Horns) – Rob Lewis (Track 3)
Arranged By (Horns, Strings, Track) – Tom Scott (Track 10)
Arranged By (Strings) – Nick Lane (Tracks 1, 6)
Arranged By (Strings) – Jorge Calandrelli, Brian Benson, Junko Tamura, Peter Tomashek (Tracks 2, 8, 9)
Arranged By (Co) – Darrell Crooks (Track 6)
Concertmaster – Bruce Dukov (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10)
Conductor – Nick Lane (Tracks 1, 6)
Conductor – Jorge Calandrelli (Tracks 2, 8, 9, 10)
Conductor – Rob Mathes (Tracks 5, 7, 11)
Engineer (Strings Pro Tools) – Paul Smith (Tracks 1, 6, 8, 10)
Engineer (Assistant) – Tom Bender
Engineer (Assistant) – Bruce Monical (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10)
Engineer (Assistant) – Casey Lewis, Jonathan Crone (Tracks 2, 8, 10)
Engineer (Assistant) – Don Goodrick (Tracks 5, 7, 11)
Mastered By – Robert Friedrich
Mixed By – Mick Guzauski
Recorded By – Nathaniel Kunkel (Tracks 1, 2, 8, 9, 10)
Recorded By – Seth Presant (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 10)
Recorded By – Rex Rideout (Tracks 1, 6)
Recorded By – Paul Boutin (Tracks 3, 4)
Recorded By – Alex Venguer, Wayne Warnecke (Tracks 5, 7, 11)
Recorded By – Bill Whittington, Jonathan Crone (Track 9)
Recorded By (Strings) – Bill Smith (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10)
Recorded By (Additional) – Jonathan Crone (Tracks 2, 8, 10)
Art Direction – Abbey Anna
Design – Michael Gassel
Photography – Gilles Toucas
Mastered At Telarc International
Recorded At KAR Studios
Recorded At NRG Studios
Recorded At G Studio Digital
Recorded At Capitol Studios
Recorded At Willowbrooke Studios, Franklin, TN
Recorded At Brandon’s Way Recording
Recorded At Legacy Recording Studios
Recorded At Peaceful Waters Music
Mixed At Barking Doctor Recording
Phonographic Copyright Concord Music Group Inc
Copyright Concord Music Group Inc