Rippingtons
Welcome To The St. James' Club
The Story
"Welcome To The St. James' Club" stands with "Curves Ahead" and "Tourist In Paradise" as one of the best loved Rippingtons CDs, with its nine instrumentals and one vocal track (the psuedo-African chorus of "Kenya"). A few tracks also feature the Rippingtons hallmark scat (wordless) vocals, but Russ Freeman is clearly the center of the musical arrangements, using a wide variety of guitars, guitar synthesizer, keyboards, bass, drums and anything else he could think of to create the right smooth jazz vibe. Interestingly the even numbered tracks tend to be the more dynamic, edgy tracks (and usually feature the overdriven electric guitar solos), while the odd numbered tracks tend to be more introspective, romantic or relaxing. Anyone know why?
The Music
04:41 | Welcome To The St. James' Club | Instrumental |
04:53 | Wednesday's Child | Instrumental |
05:24 | I Watched Her Walk Away | Instrumental |
05:23 | Kenya | Vocal |
05:04 | Affair In San Miguel | Instrumental |
04:59 | Tropic Of Capricorn | Instrumental |
03:53 | Who's Holding Her Now? | Instrumental |
04:57 | Soul Mates | Instrumental |
04:34 | Passion Fruit | Instrumental |
03:25 | Victoria's Secret | Instrumental |
The Artists
Russ Freeman | Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitar, Classical Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer, Keyboard Programming, Percussion, Keyboards, Bass, Drums, Production, Arrangements, Engineering, Mixing |
Jeff Kashiwa | Sax, EWI |
Tony Morales | Cymbals, Hat, Additional Cymbals |
Steve Reid | Percussion, Vocals, Additional Engineering |
Brant Biles | Additional Shaker |
Carl Anderson | Vocals |
Lynn Fiddmont | Vocals |
Kirk Whalum | Sax |
Judd Miller | EVI |
Steve Bailey | Additional Fretless Bass, Additional Fretted Bass |
Brandon Fields | Sax, Soprano Sax |
Patti Austin | Vocals |
Deedee Bellson | Vocals |
Kevin Guillaume | Vocals |
Vinnie Colaiuta | Drums |
Mike Lang | Acoustic Piano |
Joe Sample | Acoustic Piano |
Dave Grusin | Executive Production |
Larry Rosen | Executive Production |
Robert Margouleff | Additional Engineering, Mixing |
Anthony Jeffries | Additional Engineering |
Mike Scotella | Additional Engineering |
David Nesse | Additional Engineering |
Brant Biles | Associate Mix Engineering |
Carl Griffin | Additional Mixing on "Kenya", "Wednesday's Child" and "Soul Mates" |
Bruce Volk | Technical Support |
Bernie Grundman | Editing, Mastering |
Suzanne Sherman | GRP Production Coordination |
Bill Mayer | Front Cover Artwork |
Jeff Sedlik | Photography |
Dan Serrano | Graphic Design |
David Gibb | Graphic Design |
Andy Ruggirello | Graphic Design |
Jacki McCarthy | Graphic Design |
Andy Baltimore | GRP Creative Direction |
Recorded March-May, 1990 at The Slam Shack & Pacifique Studios. Additional engineering at Slam Shack, Pacifique and Aire L.A. Studios.
Mixed with B.A.S.E. Spacial Audio Processing at Aire L.A. Studios, Glendale, CA, May 1990. Edited and mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Wardrobe and stylist: Andi Howard. Hair: Lucia Casteneda. Make-Up: Bruce Grayson |