Rahsaan Patterson RAHSAAN PATTERSON

Personnel includes: Rahsaan Patterson, Mikelyn Roderick (vocals, hand claps); Keith Crouch (various instruments); Kevin Wyatt (vocals, bass); Dinky Bingham (vocals, programming); Jamey Jaz (acoustic guitar, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Clavinet, keyboards, drum programming, claps); Michael Campbell, Tim Pierce (guitar); Glenn McKinney (guitar, sitar); Billy Preston (organ); Ira Schick (keyboards); Les Pierce (keyboards, drums); Christopher Bolden (keyboards, drum programming); Roy Pennon (bass); Jimmy Keegan (drums); Mike Fisher (percussion); Nora Payne (hand claps); Alvin Chea, David Thomas, Mark Kibble, Lua Crofts, Naimeh Heath (background vocals).
Producers include: Keith Crouch, Jamey Jaz, Les Pierce, Ira Schick, Dinky Bingham.
Engineers include: Jamey Jaz, John Van Nest, Keith Crouch.
Personnel: Rahsaan Patterson (vocals, background vocals); Glenn McKinney (guitar, sitar); Aaron McLain, Basil Fung, Mike Campbell , Sheldon Reynolds, Tim Pierce (guitar); Jamey Jaz (acoustic guitar, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, keyboard programming, drum programming); Anatoly Rosinsky, Robin Olson, Juliann French, Darius Campo (violin, strings); Alan Grunfeld, Jacqueline Brand , Peter Kent, Margaret Wooten (violin); Andrew Picken, James Ross , Danny Seidenberg (viola); Barbara Porter, Matt Eunes, Sachi Patitucci, Carrie Holzman-Little, Rachel Robinson , Joel Derouin, Larry Corbett, Armen Ksadjikian, Simon Oswell, Berj Garabedian (strings); Tom Saviano (saxophone); Rev. Dave Boruff, Gary Grant, Steve Madco (horns); Jimmy Keegan (organ, drums); Billy Preston (organ); Les Pierce (keyboards, drums); Christopher Bolden (keyboards, programming); Keith Crouch (Moog synthesizer, drums, claves, percussion, programming, background vocals); Michael Fisher (percussion); Dinky Bingham, Naimeh Heath, Kevin Wyatt, Mikelyn Roderick, Lua Crofts, Jay Douglas, David Porter Thomas , Mark Kibble, Alvin Chea (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Craig Burbidge; Dave Pensado; Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander ; John VanNest; Booker T. Jones.
Recording information: Aire La Studios, Glendale, CA; Encore Studios, Burbank CA; Funktional Productions, New York, NY; Moving Hands Studios, Sherman Oaks, CA; Music Grinder, Hollywood, CA; OPOPP Productions, Los Angeles, CA; Studio 56 (B-Funk Lab), Los Angeles, CA; Trax Recording, Hollywood, CA; Tribe Sound, Van Nuys, CA.
Unknown Contributor Role: Keith Crouch.
Arrangers: Jamey Jaz; Keith Crouch.
Greatly influenced by Stevie Wonder's recordings of the 1970s, young Rahsaan Patterson showed much promise on his self-titled debut album of 1997. While it's impossible to miss Wonder's considerable influence on slow- and medium-tempo offerings like "Tears Ago," "My Sweetheart," and "Spend the Night," the R&B singer/composer never comes across as a clone and sounds like he's intent on being his own man. One thing Patterson (who was named after jazz innovator Rahsaan Roland Kirk) won't be accused of is favoring style over substance -- when many of his contemporaries in the urban contemporary market were heavily into gimmickry, Patterson kept things honest and straightforward on a disc that isn't breathtaking, but is heartfelt and satisfying. ~ Alex Henderson

• Format: CD
• Genre: R&B