Dance with My Father (2003)

Personnel: Luther Vandross (vocals); Beyonce Knowles, (vocals); Foxy Brown, Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah (rap vocals); Robbie Nevil (guitar, keyboards); Brion James, Victor Vega, Paul Jackson Jr. (guitar); Stevie Wonder (harmonica); Nat Adderley Jr. (piano, electric piano, keyboards); Chris James (piano); James Porte, Marcus Miller (keyboards, programming); Skip Anderson (keyboards, vibraphone); Byron Miller (bass); Ivan Hampden (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Cissy Houston, Tawatha Agee, Cindy Mizelle, Brenda White-King, Khadijah Mohammed, Ulisa Ivey, James "D Train" Williams, Michael Harvey, Ricky McDonald, Fonzi Thornton (background vocals).
Producers: Luther Vandross, Nat Adderley Jr.
Recorded at The Hit Factory, New York, New York; Beartracks Studios, Suffern, New York; Hannibal Studios, Santa Monica, California; Skip Trip-Algoryhthm Studios, Belle Mead, New Jersey.
DANCE WITH MY FATHER won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. "Dance With My Father" won for Song Of The Year and for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The song was also nominated for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals and for Best R&B Song. "The Closer I Get To You" won for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.
This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel: Luther Vandross (vocals, background vocals); Foxy Brown , Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes (vocals); Robbie Nevil (guitar, keyboards); Brion James, Ricky Watford "Bishop", Víctor Vega, Jay Williams, Paul Jackson, Jr. , Phil Hamilton, Rick Watford (guitar); Stevie Wonder (harmonica); Nat Adderley, Jr. (piano, electric piano, keyboards); Chris James (piano); Skip Anderson (keyboards, vibraphone, programming); Ivan Hampden (drums, keyboard programming, drum programming); Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Reed Vertelney (programming, keyboard programming, drum programming); Marcus Miller (keyboard programming, drum programming, background vocals); James Porte, Rex Rideout, Richard Marx (keyboard programming, drum programming); Cindy Mizelle, Cissy Houston, Brenda White-King, April Owens, Candace Thomas, Joyce James, Fonzi Thornton, Rick McDonald, Michael J, James "D-Train" Williams , RL, Sharon Bryant, Tawatha Agee, Big Bub (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: "You Can Ask" Giz; Ray Bardani.
Recording information: Beartracks Studios, Suffern, NY; Dengen, Torrance, CA; Hannibal Studios, Santa Monica, CA; Hannnibal Studios, Santa Monica, CA; Playground Minimansion Studios, NJ; Right Track Studios, New York, NY; Skip Trip-Algorhythm Studios, Belle Mead, NJ; The Dengen, Torrance, CA; The Hit Factory, New York, NY.
Photographer: Kevin Westenberg.
Arrangers: James Porte; Ivan Hampden; Skip Anderson; Marcus Miller; Nat Adderley, Jr.; Reed Vertelney; Rex Rideout.
Life can be cruel and nowhere is this more apparent than when Luther Vandross was felled by a stroke just prior to the release of DANCE WITH MY FATHER. For the most personal of his 15 albums, Vandross dipped into the worlds of R&B and hip-hop for help on a handful of songs. Checking in are Beyonce Knowles playing Donny Hathaway to Luther's Roberta Flack on a lush reading of "The Closer I Get to You" that finds the roles flipped and Busta Rhymes hopping aboard a thumping cover of Bill Withers' "Lovely Day" (that includes a Part II). Also helping out with the heavy lifting are Queen Latifah on the snappy "Hit It Again" with its crackling rhythms, and bad-girl Foxy Brown who brings plenty of attitude to the sassy "If It Ain't One Thing." For all the celebrity cameos, Vandross is most successful when he masterfully changes gears into his guise as pop's premiere balladeer. With his velvety croon, this New York City native reminisces about better times on the wistful "Once Were Lovers" (featuring a moving Stevie Wonder harmonica solo) and also delivers the heartfelt title track, a self-described career song dedicated to Vandross' late father.
Life can be cruel, as made apparent when Luther Vandross was felled by a stroke just prior to the release of DANCE WITH MY FATHER. For the most personal of his 15 albums, Vandross dipped into the worlds of R&B and hip-hop for help on a handful of songs. Checking in are Beyonce Knowles playing Roberta Flack to Luther's Donny Hathaway on a lush reading of "The Closer I Get to You" and Busta Rhymes hopping aboard a thumping cover of Bill Withers's "Lovely Day" that includes a "Part II." Also helping out with the heavy lifting are Queen Latifah on the snappy "Hit It Again" with its crackling rhythms, and bad girl Foxy Brown, who brings plenty of attitude to the sassy "If It Ain't One Thing." For all the celebrity cameos, Vandross is most successful when he masterfully changes gears into his guise as pop's premier balladeer. With his velvety croon, this New York City native reminisces about better times on the wistful "Once Were Lovers" (featuring a moving Stevie Wonder harmonica solo) and also delivers the heartfelt title track, a self-described career song dedicated to Vandross's late father. minimize