Just Between Us (Norman Brown album)

Just Between Us
Studio album by Norman Brown
Released	September 8, 1992
Recorded	1992
Studio	Lion Share, Studio On Wheels, Studio 56 and Music Animals (Los Angeles, CA) Ocean Way Recording and M'Bila Studios (Hollywood, CA) Simpson Sonics (Van Nuys, CA) Alpha Studios and Encore Studios (Burbank, CA) Golden Scarab Studios (Studio City, CA)
Genre	Jazz, smooth jazz
Length	59:31
Label	Motown
Producer	Norman Brown, Norman Connors, Steve McKeever
Norman Brown chronology
Just Between Us (1992) After the Storm (1994)

Just Between Us is the debut album by jazz guitarist Norman Brown. ^[1] It was released in 1992 by Motown Records. ^[2] The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. ^[3]

Background

Brown produced the album with guest appearances by Stevie Wonder, Kirk Whalum, Ronnie Laws, the Earth, Wind & Fire Horns and Boyz II Men. ^[2] The album contains cover versions of two songs: "Love Holiday" by Earth, Wind & Fire and "Too High" by Stevie Wonder. The latter song was featured in the end credits of the film Passenger 57 .

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]

Sherri Winston of the Sun Sentinel called Just Between Us "jazzy fun that gets moody and sexy and thoughtful, but never boring... A beautiful ride." ^[5]

Thom Jurek of AllMusic, in a 4 out of 5 stars review, commented, "The end result is an album that, although surely a product of its time in terms of production, is musically timeless. Its sense of balance between composition, arrangement, improvisation, and its various genre blends is still a blueprint for contemporary jazz in the 21st century." ^[4]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Stormin'"	Norman Brown	6:09
2.	"Just Between Us"	Norman Brown	5:08
3.	"East Meets West"	Norman Brown	5:24
4.	"Love's Holiday"	Skip Scarborough, Maurice White	5:47
5.	"It's a Feelin'"	Norman Brown	4:00
6.	"Too High"	Stevie Wonder	5:11
7.	"Something Just for You"	Norman Brown	5:26
8.	"Here to Stay"	Norman Brown	6:31
9.	"Moonlight Tonight"	Norman Brown, Angel Rodgers	5:36
10.	"Sweet Taste"	Norman Brown	4:26
11.	"Inside"	Norman Brown	6:03

^[2]

Personnel

• Norman Brown – guitar, arrangements (1–3, 5–11), music concept (4), BGV arrangements (9)
• Herman Jackson – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 7, 11), synthesizers (9), synth strings (10)
• Wayne Linsey – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 11)
• Jerry Peters – keyboards (2)
• Brian Simpson – keyboards (2, 8), programming (2, 8)
• Bobby Lyle – acoustic piano (4, 7, 9), acoustic piano solo (8)
• Larry Farrow – keyboards (10), synth bass (10)
• Juewett Bostick – programming (10), arrangements (10)
• Al McKay – rhythm guitar (4)
• Richard Patterson – bass (1, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11)
• Sam Sims – bass (2, 8)
• Verdine White – bass (4)
• Nathan East – bass (7, 9)
• Chuck Morris – drums (1, 3, 5, 6, 11)
• Land Richards – cymbals (2, 8, 10), arrangements (3, 8), drum fills (10)
• Michael Baker – drums (4, 7, 9)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 3, 4, 6, 9)
• Munyungo Jackson – percussion (2, 7, 11)
• Ronnie Laws – soprano saxophone (1)
• Kirk Whalum – tenor saxophone (1)
• Gerald Albright – tenor saxophone (1, 5)
• Gary Bias – saxophones (4, 7, 9), flute (4, 7, 9)
• Jeff Clayton – saxophones (4, 7, 9), flute (4, 7, 9)
• Reggie Young – trombone (4, 7, 9)
• Ray Brown – trumpet (4, 7, 9)
• Stevie Wonder – harmonica (6), lead vocals (6), arrangements (6)
• Norman Connors – arrangements (1–3, 5, 7–11)
• Benjamin Wright – arrangements (4, 7, 9), horn arrangements (7, 9), string arrangements (9)
• Denise Stewart – BGV arrangements (4, 9)
• Perri – backing vocals (4, 9)
• Boyz II Men – backing vocals (6)
• Della Miles – backing vocals (10)
• Tony Warren – backing vocals (10)

Production

• Steve McKeever – executive producer, producer (6), mixing (6)
• Norman Connors – producer (1–5, 7–11)
• Norman Brown – co-producer (1–3, 5, 8, 10, 11)
• Ralph Sutton – recording, mixing (3, 7, 9, 10)
• John Falzarano – recording (2, 8)
• Brian Simpson – recording (2, 8)
• Richard Huredia – assistant engineer (1–9, 11)
• Noel Hazen – assistant engineer (4, 7, 9)
• Brant Biles – mixing (1, 2, 6)
• Malcolm Cecil – mixing (1, 2, 6)
• Robert Margouleff – mixing (1, 2, 6)
• Barney Perkins – mixing (4)
• Elliott Peters – mixing (5, 8, 11)
• William Cooper – mix assistant (1, 2)
• Bob Tucker – mix assistant (3, 7, 9, 10)
• Kenny Ochoa – mix assistant (4, 5)
• David Betancourt – mix assistant (8)
• Tina Antoine – mix assistant (11)
• Bruce Walker – A&R project coordinator
• Stephen Meltzer – art direction
• Shauna Woods – design
• Todd Gray – photography

^[2]

References

1. "Words of the Week". Jet. Vol. 83, no. 2. November 2, 1992. p. 40.
2. Norman Brown: Just Between Us. Motown Records. 1992.
3. "Norman Brown: Just Between Us (Top Contemporary Jazz Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
4. Jurek, Thom. "Norman Brown: Just Between Us". AllMusic .
5. Winston, Sherri (September 24, 1992). "BROWN GIVES LABEL FINE START". newsbank.com. Sun Sentinel . Retrieved November 22, 2024.

External links

• Norman Brown – Just Between Us at Discogs (list of releases)