Kiki Dee - Kiki Dee (1977) (LP) - €5,00

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Pauline Matthews (born 6 March 1947), better known by her stage name Kiki Dee, is an English pop singer. Known for her blue-eyed soul vocals, she was the first female singer from the UK to sign with Motown's Tamla Records.

Kiki Dee strikes as a potentially great singer but, on record at least, she seems to hold something in reserve.

 So it is with this album; her singing is undeniably 'good' but it lacks any sort of conviction. 

Having said that she isn't helped by the rather ordinary songs or the somewhat pedestrian production.

Perhaps, Kiki’s best album, with a solid set of songs, top-notch production and excellent singing throughout. 

High point is the barn-storming album-closer “First Thing in the Morning,” another Bias Boshell composition which should have been a much bigger hit. Features a guest appearance from members of Electric Light Orchestra on her version of Robert Palmer’s “How Much Fun.”

The self-titled  Kiki Dee (1977) yielded two hits ‘Chicago’ and ‘First Thing In The Morning’ (and featured session heavyweights The Brecker Brothers).

This 1977 Kiki Dee release is simply one of the best of her records. First of all Kiki's voice is beautiful and surely would deserve wider recognition. 

But that's not all: she penned herself five songs on this album and co-wrote another two, which is perhaps a lesser known side of Kiki Dee. The contribution of Keyboardist/composer Bias Boshell with two great songs is remarkable. 

Then we have the great musicians (most of them worked with Elton John, producer of the album) with special attention to the great guitar man Davey Johnstone who's all over... and the also the great James Newton-Howard. 

Then we have the exquisite orchestral arrangements, the horn arrangements with the Brecker Brothers (incl. great sax wizard Michael Brecker who sadly passed away recently) and another one of my favourites David Sanborn on alto sax (what a solo on "Keep right on"!).

This is a kind of soul-jazzy-funk-soft rock that I love so much, close to Steely Dan's music, I should say. There are no weak tracks, I love all of them, but I can't help make a special remark on "Keep right on" and "In return".

Side A

A1.  How Much Fun - 3:08

A2.  Sweet Creation - 3:40

A3.  Into Eternity - 3:07

A4.  Standing Room Only - 4:18

A5.  Bad Day Child - 3:19

A6.  Chicago - 4:18

Side B

B1.  Night Hours - 4:51

B2.  Keep Right On - 4:34

B3.  In Return - 3:56

B4.  Walking - 3:19

B5.  First Thing In The Morning - 5:46

Companies, etc.

• Produced For – Frank N. Stein Productions Ltd.
• Recorded At – The Manor
• Recorded At – A&R Studios
• Recorded At – Abbey Road Studios
• Recorded At – Sarm West Studios
• Mixed At – Sarm West Studios

Credits

• Acoustic Guitar – Davey Johnstone (tracks: A5, B1)
• Art Direction – David Costa
• Backing Vocals – Kiki Dee (tracks: A3, A5, B1, B3), R & J Stone (tracks: A1, A4, B5), Sunny (tracks: A1, A4, B5), Tony Burrows (tracks: A1, A4, B5)
• Bass – Dee Murray (tracks: A1, A2, A4, A5, B1 - B4), Phil Curtis (tracks: A6, B5)
• Brass – Barry Rogers (tracks: A2, B2, B3), David Sanborn (tracks: A2, B2, B3), Michael Brecker (tracks: A2, B2, B3), Randy Brecker (tracks: A2, B2, B3)
• Brass, Arranged By – James Newton-Howard (tracks: A2, B3), Randy Brecker (tracks: B2)
• Cello, Arranged By – Hugh McDowell (tracks: A3), Melvin Gale (tracks: A3)
• Conductor – Louis Clark (tracks: A1)
• Drums – Steve Holley (tracks: A1, A2, A4 - A6, B1 - B5)
• Electric Piano – Bias Boshell (tracks: A6, B5), James Newton-Howard (tracks: B1)
• Guitar – Brian Holloway (tracks: B5), Davey Johnstone (tracks: A1, A3, A4, B4)
• Guitar [Solo] – Andy Dalby (tracks: B5)
• Management – John Reid
• Mandolin, Dulcimer – Davey Johnstone (tracks: A5)
• Mellotron – James Newton-Howard (tracks: A3)
• Orchestra, Arranged By, Conductor – Gene Page (tracks: A6, B5)
• Organ – James Newton-Howard (tracks: A4, B2, B3)
• Percussion – Ray Cooper (tracks: A5, A6, B1, B3)
• Photography By – Gered Mankowitz
• Piano – Bias Boshell (tracks: A4), James Newton-Howard (tracks: A1, A2, A5, A6, B1, B2, B3, B4)
• Producer – Clive Franks, Elton John
• Saxophone [Solo] – David Sanborn (tracks: B2)
• Strings, Arranged By – Richard Tandy (tracks: A1)
• Synthesizer [ARP] – James Newton-Howard (tracks: A2, A4)
• Synthesizer [Polymoog] – Richard Tandy (tracks: A1)
• Vibraphone – Ray Cooper (tracks: B1)

Recorded at EMI Studios Abbey Road

Notes

Release:  1977

Format:  LP, Vinyl

Genre:  Pop

Label:  The Rock Record Company

Catalog#  5C 062-98681

Vinyl:  Goed (G)

Cover:  Lichte Gebruikerssporen (G) (Gatefold)

Prijs: €5,00