Closer (CD - 2003)

Personnel includes: Josh Groban (vocals); Leo Z. (piano, keyboards, programming, background vocals); Angie Passerella (acoustic & Classical guitars); Dean Parks, Ramon Stagnaro, Michael Thompson (guitar); Joshua Bell (violin); Devis Mariotti (flute, whistle, background vocals); Eric Rigler (Uillean pipes); David Foster (piano); Mark Hammond (keyboards, programming); David Fall (drums); Raphael Padila (percussion); Jochem Van Der Saag (programming); Richard Page, Andrea Sandri (background vocals); Deep Forest.

Producers: David Foster, Walter Afanasieff, Leo Z., Mauro Malavasi, Eric Mouquet.

Recorded at Chartmaker Studios, Malibu, California.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Personnel: Josh Groban (piano, background vocals); Dean Parks, Norbert Gallo, Michael Hart Thompson , Ramon Stagnaro (guitar); J'Anna Jacoby, Joshua Bell (violin); Eric Rigler (Uilleann pipe); David Foster (piano, keyboards); Mark Portmann, Walter Afanasieff (keyboards, programming); Eric Mouquet, Mark Hammond (keyboards); David Fall (drums); Rafael Padilla (percussion); Paul Schwartz (programming, drum programming); Courtney Blooding, Andrea Sandrei, Marco Marinangeli, Richard Page (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Humberto Gatica; Pierre Jacquot.

Recording information: Blue Studios (09/26/2003); Chalice, CA (09/26/2003); Chartmaker Studios, Malibu, CA (09/26/2003); EMM Studio, France (09/26/2003); Leo Z's Studio (09/26/2003); Sony Studios, Culver City, CA (09/26/2003); Wallyworld, LA (09/26/2003).

Photographer: Olaf Heine.

Arrangers: Klaus Derendorf; Eric Mouquet; Jeremy Lubbock; Mark Hammond; Mark Portmann; Paul Schwartz ; William Ross; David Foster; Walter Afanasieff.

Powerhouse vocalist Josh Groban may not be all things to all people, but he's certainly many things to many people. An international sensation, Groban is a Broadway-ready belter, romantic crooner, and classical/pop crossover phenomenon. Groban largely shies away from the more operatic side of his musical personality on CLOSER, leaning more towards a lush, cosmopolitan style that finds him singing in Italian, French, Spanish, and English with equal aplomb.

While the album is speckled with adult-contemporary pop production touches courtesy of Groban's mentor David Foster, much of the record sports a cinematic, grandly orchestrated feel. And on the closing track "Never Let Go," his collaboration with ambient popsters Deep Forest, Groban even bucks for inclusion on a future volume of the PURE MOODS series, showing that he's always got another stylistic surprise up his sleeve. minimize