Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel includes: Elton John, Tina Turner, Spice Girls, Janet Jackson, Boyz II Men, Shania Twain, Heather Headley, Sherie Scott, Lenny Kravitz, James Taylor, Lulu, Kelly Price, Dru Hill, Angelique Kidjo, LeAnn Rimes, Sting (vocals); Kenny Mims, Michael Grimes, Lloyd Willis (guitar); Gavyn Wright, Roger Garland, Chris Tomling, Pat Kiernan, Boguslav Kostecki, Vaughan Arman, Simon Fischer, Wilf Gibson, John Bradbury, Mark Berrow, Jackie Shave, Liz Edwards, Perry Montague-Mason (violin); Robbie Lynn (keyboards); Carl Herrgesell (Wurlitzer piano, harmonium); Phillippe Saisse (Fender Rhodes); Craig Young, Robbie Shakespeare (bass); Edgar Meyer (acoustic bass); Omar Hakeem (drums, percussion); Sly Dunbar (drums); Twiggy (background vocals). | | Producers include: Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Peter Collins, Jean Hebrail, Jimmy Jam. | | Engineers include: Garfield McDonald, Delroy Harrison, Mike Malak. | | Includes liner notes by Tim Rice. | | Lyricist: Tim Rice. | | Personnel: Elton John (background vocals); James Taylor (vocals, guitar); Rob Mathes (guitar, keyboards); Julian Gallagher (guitar, programming); David Barry , Clem Clempson, Kenny Mims, Lloyd "Gitsy" Willis (guitar); Lenny Kravitz (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Wurlitzer organ, drums, timpani, background vocals); Mark Berrow, Abe Appleman, Barry Finclair, Simon Fischer, Donna Tecco, Daria Tedeschi, Roger Frisch, Rebecca Hirsch, Liz Sobieski, John Bradbury, Julia Persitz, Marti Sweet, Wilfred Gibson, Helen Foli, Perry Montague-Mason, Elena Barere, Roger Garland, Boguslaw Kostecki, Paul Peabody, Carol Webb, Gavyn Wright, Jackie Shave, Jean Ingraham, Avril Brown, Ann Leathers, Jan Mullen (violin); Sue Pray, Julien Barber, Judy Witmer, Bob Smissen, Sabina Thatcher, Carol Landon, Kate Wilkinson, Juliet Haffner, Peter Lale (viola); Diane Barere, Mark Orrin Shuman, Frank Schaefer, Laura Sewell, Ellen Westerman, David Daniels , Jeanne LeBlanc, Richard Locker, Martin Loveday, Caryl Paisner, Anthony Pleeth (cello); David Tofani (flute, alto flute); Ed Calle (flute, saxophone); Pamela Sklar (flute); Virgil Blackwell (clarinet, bass clarinet); Diane Lesser (oboe, horns); Merilee Klemp, Christopher Hooker (oboe); Andy Snitzer (tenor saxophone); Jeff Kievet, Tony Concepcion, Tony Kadleck, Byron Stripling (trumpet); Jim Pugh, Michael Davis , Dana Teboe, Larry Farrell (trombone); David Taylor (bass trombone); John Clark , Bob Carlisle (horns); Carl Herrgesell (piano, harmonium); Doug Katsaros, Jeff Bova, Vance Taylor (piano); Philippe Saisse (Fender Rhodes piano); Matt Rowe (keyboards, programming); Daryl Simmons (keyboards, drum programming); Clifford Carter, Joe Deal, Baby Dave, Guy Babylon, Robert Lyn (keyboards); Edgar Meyer (acoustic bass); Zev Katz (electric bass); Jarod Barnes (drums, percussion); Stokely, Sly Dunbar, Shawn Pelton (drums); Jill Dell'Abate (tambourine); Luis Conte, Russ Kunkel, Scott Meeder (percussion); Jan Folkson, Pat Thrall, Jake Davies, Paul Waller (programming); Alexander Richbourg (drum programming); Chevelle Franklyn, Darryl Tookes, Diva Gray, Karen Kamon, Charles Mangold, James "D-Train" Williams , Angela Clemmons-Patrick, Lauren Kinhan, Peter Mann (background vocals). | | Audio Mixers: Dave Pensado; Frank Filipetti; Glenn Barratt; Jon Gals; Patrick Lindsay; Lord-Alge; John Holbrook; Nathaniel Kunkel; Andy Bradfield; Steve Hodge. | | Liner Note Author: Tim Rice. | | Recording information: Bridge Sound Studios, Conshohocken, PA; Music Works, Kingston, Jamaica; Rocket Records; Town House Studios, London, England; Village. | | Unknown Contributor Role: Mike Long. | | Arrangers: Jean H?brail; Jimmy Jam; Lenny Kravitz; Nathan Morris; Ang?lique Kidjo; Rob Mathes; Rob Mounsey; Shawn Stockman; Sisq¢; Wanya Morris; Terry Lewis; James "Big Jim" Wright ; Michael Hanna. | | The Lion King proved to be one of Elton John's most successful projects -- which is quite an achievement for one of the most successful rockers in history. Given its level of popularity, it's only logical that John would re-team with his Lion King collaborator Tim Rice. Perhaps to some it was surprising that they adapted Verdi's Aida as their next project, but it made sense -- Rice's background was in show tunes and John's songs tended to sound like show tunes. Hence, they were a perfect pair to modernize Aida for the Great White Way -- at least in theory. In practice, their collaborations sound like soft rock and adult contemporary tunes, especially the way they're presented here. None of the songs on Aida are performed in the order they are in the show, nor are they performed in character. However, they are performed by a variety of different vocalists, including John, Sting, the Spice Girls, Lenny Kravitz, Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes, James Taylor, Janet Jackson and Tina Turner, plus Heather Headley, the only member of the cast to be featured on this record. As such, the album doesn't feel like a show -- it feels like an afternoon of adult contemporary radio. This isn't a bad thing, since John is a virtuoso of the form, and many of his contributions here are worthy (often better than his Lion King work) and all the featured players do them justice. Still, Aida feels incomplete, quite possibly because it is structured as a various-artists album, not a cast recording -- which is really what you want when you want to listen to cast recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine | | After collaborating with Tim Rice on the enormously successful Lion King soundtrack, Elton John once again joined forces with the veteran stage lyricist on a contemporary score for Verdi's AIDA. Based on Egypt's enslavement of Nubia in the time of the Pharoahs, AIDA tells the story of ill-fated love between Prince Radames and a Nubian slave whose name graces this work. John recruited a cavalcade of musical superstars, stopping long enough to duet with Lulu ("The Messenger"), Janet Jackson ("I Know The Truth"), LeAnn Rimes ("Written In The Stars") and Heather Headley and Sherie Scott, members of the stage show ("A Step Too Far.") | | Elsewhere, John and Rice wrote material that ranges from Sting's Sly & Robbie-produced reggae romp "Another Pyramid" to the rhythmically explosive teaming of Tina Turner and Angelique Kidjo on "Easy As Life." John's broad musical palette find him using Motown-flavored rhythms on Lenny Kravitz's infectious "Like Father Like Son," fusing hip-hop and gospel on Kelly Price's "The Gods Love Nubia" and giving Headley a chance to show off vocal chops on "Elaborate Lives." |
Musical Guests | | Sting | | LeAnn Rimes | | Tina Turner | | Spice Girls | | Janet Jackson | | Boyz II Men | | Shania Twain | | James Taylor | | Dru Hill | | Lulu |
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