Accura – Five X Five
Anita Baker is pure elegance and a powerhouse vocalist best known for her quiet storm work in the ’80s. Her path to stardom wasn’t exactly smooth… At 16, Baker began singing at Detroit nightclubs and caught the eye and ear of David Washington, co-founder of soul group Chapter 8. She later joined the band for a period of time until they were dropped by Arista because the label didn’t care for Baker’s vocals. Thinking she was done with the music industry, Baker then worked as a receptionist at a law firm until she was approached by Chapter 8’s Otis Smith to do a solo album. Thankfully, she agreed and the rest is history. 1986’s Rapture was the album that really put Baker on the map. Winning her two Grammys and selling over 5 million copies, the album is a timeless quiet storm classic that would go on to influence generations of R&B singers. “Sweet Love” fills the room with that magical feeling every time with Baker’s classy alto soaring over a smooth groove produced by Chapter 8’s other co-founder Michael J. Powell. – Ally
Recommended – Full Listen
Tags: Quiet Storm / R&B
Tracklist:
A1 Sweet Love
A2 You Bring Me Joy
A3 Caught Up In The Rapture
A4 Been So Long
B1 Mystery
B2 No One In The World
B3 Same Ole Love
B4 Watch Your Step
Credits:
Backing Vocals- Alex Brown(A2,B4), Anita Baker(A1,B2), Bunny Hull(A1,A2,A4,B3,B4), Darryl Phinnissee(A1,A2,A4,B2-B4), Jim Gilstrap(A1,A2,A4,B3,B4), Lynn Davis(B2), Natalie D. Jackson(B1), Phillip Ingram(B2), Vesta Williams(A2,B4)
Bass- David B. Washington(A3,B1,B4), Freddy “Ready Freddie” Washington(A1,A2,B3), Jimmy Haslip(A4)
Creative Director- Hale Milgrim
Design- Sue Keston
Drums- Arthur Marbury III(A3,B1), Ricky Lawson(A1,A2,B3,B4)
Engineer- Barney Perkins(A1-B1,B3,B4), Gary Skardina(B2), Robert Feist(B2)
Executive Producer- Anita Baker
Guitar- Donald Griffin(A4,B4), Gregg Moore(A1,A2,B3), Michael J. Powell(A3,B1)
Keyboards- Anita Baker(B4), Sir Gant(A1,A2,A4,B3,B4), Vernon Fails(A3,B1)
Mastered By- Bernie Grundman
Mixed By- Barney Perkins(A1-B1,B3,B4), Michael J. Powell(A1-B1,B3,B4)
Percussion- Lawrence Fratangelo(A3,B1), Lorenzo Brown(A3),Paulinho Da Costa(A1,A2,B2-B4)
Producer- Gary Skardina(B2), Marti Sharron(B2), Michael J. Powell(A1-B1,B3,B3)
Saxophone- Don Myrick(A2), Donald Albright(B4)
