Alabaster Box (CD - 1999)

Personnel includes: CeCe Winans (vocals); Darryl Dixon (acoustic guitar); George Cocchini (guitar); Carl Gorodetzky, The Nashville String Machine (strings); Donald Hayes (saxophone); Tom Howard (piano); Fred Hammond (keyboards, bass, programming, background vocals); Noel Hall (organ, keyboards); Jeff Roach, Michael Linney, Kent Hooper (programming); Dan Needham, Marvin McQuitty (drums); Resa Bell, Bricie Byars, Miautra Dias, Pam Kenyon Donald, Sherri Edwards, LaShonda Lewis, Tamika Lucas, Yoshawndala Parker, Cynthia Pasley, Bryan Pratt, Ferderick J. Purifoy II, Lisa Cochran, Ron Hemby, Marabeth Jordan, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Jan Harris, Vicki Hampton, Christopher Harris, Davey Hammond, Marsha Johns (background vocals).

Producers include: Fred Hammond, Christopher Harris, Mark Kibble, David Thomas, Cedric Dent.

Engineers include: Void Caprio, JB Baird, Todd Robbins.

Recorded at Dark Horse Studios & Fun Attic Studios, Franklin, Tennessee; Ocean Way Studios & Vertical Sound Studio, Nashville, Tennessee; Tribe Sound, Van Nuys, California; Face To Face Studios, Southfield, Michigan. Includes liner notes by CeCe Winans.

ALABASTER BOX was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.

Personnel: CeCe Winans (vocals); Dan Needham (guitar, snare drum); George Cocchini (guitar); Darryl "Major D" Dixon (acoustic guitar); Nashville String Machine, Carl Gorodetzky (strings); Donald Hayes (saxophone); Tom Howard (piano); Noel Hall (organ, keyboards); Fred Hammond (keyboards, bass guitar, drum programming, background vocals); Tommie Walker (keyboards, keyboard programming, drum programming); Marvin McQuitty (drums, snare drum); Michael Linn (programming, drum programming); Jeff Roach, Kent Hooper (programming); Chris Harris, Cynthia Pasley, Bricie Byars, Marsha Johns, LaShonda Lewis, Davey Hammond, Sherri Edwards, Bryan Pratt, Tamika Lucas, Frederick Purifoy II, Yoshawandala Parker, Resa Bell, Miautra Dias, Pamkenyon Donald, Jan Harris, Lisa Cochran, Marabeth Jordan, Ron Hemby, Vicki Hampton (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Fred Hammond; Ray Hammond; Tom Laune.

Liner Note Author: CeCe Winans.

Recording information: Dark Horse Studios, Franklin, TN; Face To Face Studios, Southfiel; Fun Attic Studios, Franklin, TN; Ocean Way Studios, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: Michael Gomez .

Arranger: Fred Hammond.

Alabaster Box isn't a box-set package devoted to CeCe Winans, but rather her third non-Christmas solo album, and the first for her own Wellspring label. It's a return to her gospel roots, in contrast to the straight-ahead urban soul of Everlasting Love, and it's a triumphant one. Winans sounds invigorated by the spiritual material, delivering committed performances and commanding vocals. The production sounds very contemporary, if a little slick at times, but that's not likely to bother most fans. Alabaster Box is an excellent album from a terrific talent. ~ Steve Huey minimize