It's Real (James Ingram album)
It's Real | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 1989 | |||
Recorded | 1987–89 | |||
Studio | Soundworks and Sigma Sound (New York, NY) Ocean Way Recording Midi Madness Studio Studio Ultimo (Los Angeles, CA) Encore Studios The Enterprise (Burbank, CA) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 51:27 | |||
Label | Qwest Records, Warner Bros. Records | |||
Producer | James Ingram, Thom Bell, Gene Griffin, Gerald Levert, Dennis Matkosky, Michael J. Powell, Bernard Taylor | |||
James Ingram chronology | ||||
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It's Real is the third full-length recording by American R&B singer-songwriter James Ingram. It was released in May 1989 on Qwest/Warner Bros. Records, and features the smash hit single "I Don't Have the Heart", which peaked at number 1 for 1 week. It also features a remake of the classic song "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", re-written with different lyrics and entitled "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Man".
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Boston Globe | (favourable)[2] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [3] |
Robin Katz, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week, left mainly favourable overlook on this album, saying that "Ingram presents his usual standard of contemporary sophisticated soul." He concluded: "Title track could be a smash and will appeal to Bobby Brown boppers while final cut is weepie in Whitney style."[4]
Track listing
Side one - It's Real Hard
- "It's Real" (Kemp Frank, Gene Griffin, Barry Hankerson, Ingram) - 5:13
- "I Wanna Come Back" (Marc Gordon, Gerald Levert) - 4:51
- "Call On Me" (Ingram, Bernard Taylor) - 4:03
- "So Fine" (Ingram, Bernard Taylor) - 4:04
- "Love Come Down" (Gene Griffin, Ingram) - 5:40
- "Baby Be Mine" (Bell, Ingram) - 5:00
Side two - It's Real Soft
- "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Man" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jerry Wexler) - 5:04
- "Love One Day At a Time" (Ingram, Monty Seward) - 4:31
- "I Don't Have the Heart" (Jud Friedman, Allan Rich) - 4:14
- "Someday We'll All Be Free" (Donny Hathaway, Edward Howard) - 4:10
- "When Was the Last Time the Music Made You Cry" (Ingram, Dennis Matkosky, Kathy Wakefield) - 4:57
Production
- Executive Producers – James Ingram and Thom Bell
- Producers – Gene Griffin (Tracks 1 & 5); Gerald Levert and Marc Gordon (Track 2); James Ingram (Tracks 3, 4 & 7-10); Bernard Taylor (Track 3); Michael J. Powell (Track 6); Monty Seward (Track 7); Thom Bell (Tracks 8, 9 & 10); Dennis Matkosky (Track 10).
- Associate Producers – Barry Hankerson and Benny Medina
- Production Coordination – John Tominaga (Track 6); Yolandra Fletcher King (Tracks 7-10).
- Engineers – Dave Way (Tracks 1 & 5); Mike Tarsia (Track 2); Barney Perkins (Tracks 2 & 6); Paul Ericksen (Tracks 3, 4 & 7-10); Winston Johnson (Tracks 3, 4 & 7-10); Steve Van Arden (Track 3); Robert Loftus (Track 4); Dennis Matkosky (Track 10).
- Assistant Engineers – Tony Shimkin (Tracks 1 & 5); Tom Biener, Marty Hozenberg, Fred Kelly Jr., David Radin and Mitch Zelinsley (Tracks 2, 3, 4 & 6-10).
- Additional Engineer on Track 6 – Milton Chan
- Mixing – Barney Perkins (Track 2); Mike Tarsia (Track 2); Sidney Burton (Tracks 3 & 4); Winston Johnson (Tracks 3, 4, 7, 9 & 10); Paul Ericksen (Tracks 7-10).
- Mastered By Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
- Management – Barry Hankerson at The Midwest Group.
Personnel
- James Ingram – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 7), arrangements (3, 4, 7, 9, 10), keyboards (3, 4, 9), drums (3, 4)
- Winston Johnson – keyboard programming (all tracks), Synclavier programming (all tracks),
- Dwayne Russell – keyboard programming (all tracks)
- Brian Simpson – keyboard programming (all tracks)
- Frank Stangerup – keyboard programming (all tracks)
- Teddy Riley – all instruments (1, 5), backing vocals (1, 5), arrangements (1, 5),
- Jim Salamone – keyboard sequencing (2)
- Bernard Taylor – keyboards (3, 4), drums (3, 4), arrangements (3, 4)
- Aaron Zigman – keyboards (3, 4)
- Vernon Fails – keyboards (6), rhythm arrangements (6)
- Robbie Buchanan – synthesizer programming (6)
- Monty Seward – keyboards (7), synthesizers (7), backing vocals (7), arrangements (7)
- Jud Friedman – keyboards (8), programming (8), arrangements (8)
- Dennis Matkosky – keyboards (10), synthesizers (10), arrangements (10)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (3, 7, 8)
- Abraham Laboriel – bass (6, 10)
- Freddie Washington – bass (7)
- Thom Bell – bass (8), arrangements (8, 9, 10), horn and string arrangements (8, 9, 10), conductor (8, 9, 10)
- Nathan East – bass (9)
- Ricky Lawson – drums (6, 8, 9)
- Jeff Porcaro – drums (7)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (7)
- Dan Higgins – saxophones (4)
- Larry Williams – saxophones (4)
- Gerald Albright – saxophone solo (6)
- Ernie Watts – saxophone (7)
- Gary Grant – trumpet (4)
- Jerry Hey – trumpet (4), horn arrangements (4)
- Toots Thielemans – harmonica solo (9)
- Marc Gordon – arrangements (2)
- Michael J. Powell – rhythm arrangements (6)
- Sephra Winters – horn and string contractor (8, 9, 10)
- Bernard Belle – backing vocals (1)
- Regina Belle – backing vocals (1)
- Marsha McClurkin – backing vocals (1)
- William Aquart, Jr. – backing vocals (1)
- Gerald Levert – backing vocals (2), arrangements (2)
- Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (3)
- Phil Perry – backing vocals (3, 4)
- Bobbette Jamerson – backing vocals (6)
- Tim Johnson – backing vocals (6)
- Valerie Pinkston-Mayo – backing vocals (6), BGV arrangements (6)
- Carl Calwell – backing vocals (7)
- Josie James – backing vocals (7)
- Marva King – backing vocals (7)
- Kimaya Seward – backing vocals (7)
- The Aquarian Singers – backing vocals (8, 9)
Additional Credits
- Art Direction – Kim Champange and Jeri McManus
- Design – Andy Engel
- Photography – Aaron Rapoport
- Personal Assistant – Yolandra Fletcher King
- Stylist – Cecille Parker
- Hair and Make-up – Elbert Oliver
Charts
Chart (1989) | Peak position |
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Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[5] | 34 |
US Billboard 200[6] | 117 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] | 44 |
References
- ^ "James Ingram: It's Real". allmusic.com. AllMusic.
- ^ Thorpe, Richard (March 22, 1989). James Ingram: It's Real. Boston Globe. p. 99.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 343.
- ^ Katz, Robin (24 June 1989). "Review: James Ingram – It's Real" (PDF). Music Week. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 24. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2022 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – James Ingram – It's Real". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
- ^ "James Ingram Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
- ^ "James Ingram Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2020.