Back on the Block | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 21, 1989 [1] | |||
Recorded | 1988–1989 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 57:54 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Quincy Jones | |||
Quincy Jones chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Robert Christgau | B+ [3] |
Los Angeles Times | [4] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
Back on the Block is a 1989 studio album by Quincy Jones. [6] The album features musicians and singers from across three generations, including Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, El DeBarge, Ray Charles and a 13-year-old Tevin Campbell.
Multiple singles were lifted from the album and found success on pop and R&B radio, including "I'll Be Good to You", "I Don't Go for That", "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)", and "Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)", which was originally an instrumental track on the Brothers Johnson's Look Out for #1 set. "Tomorrow" is also noteworthy for introducing a young Tevin Campbell to the music scene. Back on the Block won the 1991 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Jones' track "Setembro", by Brazilian composers Gilson Peranzzetta and Ivan Lins, was featured on the soundtrack of the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood . Back on the Block topped the R&B Albums chart for twelve weeks, and topped the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart as well.
Back on the Block featured the last studio recordings of jazz singers Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.
Fitzgerald and Jones had previously worked together on her 1963 album with Count Basie, Ella and Basie! . Jones had produced three albums with Sarah Vaughan when they both worked for Mercury Records.
At the 33rd Grammy Awards, Back on the Block won seven Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
In arranging, Jerry Hey, Quincy Jones, Ian Prince and Rod Temperton won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for "Birdland", and Glen Ballard, Hey, Jones and Clif Magness won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for "The Places You Find Love".
Jones also won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance for "Birdland", and the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
Bruce Swedien won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for his work on the album.
Ray Charles and Chaka Khan won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "I'll Be Good to You".
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group went to Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T, Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel, Quincy Jones III and Jones for "Back on the Block".
All tracks produced by Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton. ”Tomorrow (A Better You, A Better Me)” co-produced by Jerry Hey.
# | Title | Writer(s) | Arranger(s) | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Prologue (2Q's Rap)" | Big Daddy Kane, Quincy Jones | 1:04 | |
2 | "Back on the Block" | Jones, Rod Temperton, Siedah Garrett, Caiphus Semenya, Ice-T, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee, Big Daddy Kane | Rhythm by Quincy Jones, QD III, Rod Temperton & Bill Summers Vocals by Quincy Jones & Andraé Crouch | 6:34 |
3 | "I Don't Go for That" | Ian Prince | Rhythm & Vocals by Ian Prince | 5:11 |
4 | "I'll Be Good to You" | George Johnson, Louis Johnson, Sonora Sam | Rhythm & Vocals by Quincy Jones | 4:54 |
5 | "The Verb To Be (Introduction to Wee B. Dooinit)" | Mervyn Warren | 0:29 | |
6 | "Wee B. Dooinit (Acapella Party by the Human Bean Band)" | Jones, Garrett, Ian Prince | Rhythm by Quincy Jones & Ian Prince Vocals by Quincy Jones, Ian Prince, Siedah Garrett, Mark Kibble & Rod Temperton | 3:34 |
7 | "The Places You Find Love" | Glen Ballard, Clif Magness Swahili Lyrics by Caiphus Semenya | Rhythm Originally by Quincy Jones, Clif Magness & Glen Ballard Vocals by Quincy Jones, Andraé Crouch & Caiphus Semenya | 6:25 |
8 | "Jazz Corner of the Word (Introduction to "Birdland")" [note 1] | Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee | Rhythm by Quincy Jones & Bill Summers | 2:54 |
9 | "Birdland” | Joe Zawinul | Rhythm by Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton & Ian Prince Horns by Quincy Jones & Jerry Hey | 5:33 |
10 | "Setembro (Brazilian Wedding Song)" | Ivan Lins, Gilson Peranzzetta | Rhythm by Quincy Jones & Greg Phillinganes Vocals by Quincy Jones & Mark Kibble | 5:05 |
11 | "One Man Woman" | Garrett, Ian Prince, Harriet Roberts | Rhythm by Quincy Jones & Ian Prince | 3:44 |
12 | "Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)" | Music by George Johnson, Louis Johnson Lyrics by Siedah Garrett | Rhythm by Quincy Jones & Jerry Hey Vocals by Quincy Jones & Rod Temperton | 4:46 |
13 | "Prelude to the Garden" | Jorge Calandrelli | Synth Strings by Jorge Calandrelli | 0:54 |
14 | "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)" | Jones, Temperton, Garrett, El DeBarge | Rhythm by Quincy Jones & Rod Temperton Vocals by Quincy Jones, Siedah Garrett & Rod Temperton Synthesizer by Jerry Hey | 6:41 |
Adapted credits from the liner notes of Back on the Block. [9]
Chart (1989–1990) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [10] | 73 |
Austrian Albums Chart [11] | 19 |
Dutch Albums Chart [12] | 38 |
German Albums Chart [13] | 5 |
New Zealand Albums Chart [14] | 24 |
Norwegian Albums Chart [15] | 16 |
Swedish Albums Chart [16] | 26 |
Swiss Albums Chart [17] | 21 |
UK Albums Chart [18] | 26 |
US Billboard 200 [19] | 9 |
US Top Contemporary Jazz Albums | 1 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [20] | 1 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [21] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Japan (RIAJ) [22] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [23] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [24] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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