| Moving Forward | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 14, 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 2008–2009 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label | Reform | |||
| Producer | Loren Harriet, Bernie Williams | |||
| Bernie Williams chronology | ||||
| ||||
Moving Forward is the second studio album by former New York Yankees outfielder turned jazz musician, Bernie Williams.
The album was released on April 14, 2009, through the independent label, Reform Records. Williams, who played lead and rhythm, composed nine of the 14 tracks on the album. Several well-known guests are featured on the album, including Bruce Springsteen, Dave Koz, and fellow athlete turned musician Wayman Tisdale.
Moving Forward made it on to five different Billboard charts, including 178 on the magazine's main chart, the Billboard 200, but it found its greatest success on the Top Contemporary Jazz chart, where it peaked at #2. In addition to the album, two singles also made it to the Billboard's Smooth Jazz Songs. "Go For It" made it to #1, while "Ritmo De Otono" peaked at #2. [1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
The album was met with positive reviews. Allmusic gave the album four out of a possible five stars, stating "while the four-time World Series champ's glory days are behind him as a ballplayer, he's Moving Forward towards a stellar career in music." [3] Dave Sheinin from The Washington Post also gave the album a favorable review, stating that "if you can deal with some clichéd jazz-fusion production, there are some interesting songs, some virtuoso flourishes (many of them from Williams, whose talent as a guitarist is evident) and some cool moments". [4]
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 | 178 |
| Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz | 2 |
| Billboard Jazz Albums | 3 |
| Billboard Top Heatseekers | 6 |
| Billboard Top Independent Albums | 23 |
Wayman Lawrence Tisdale was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and a smooth jazz bass guitarist. A three-time All American at the University of Oklahoma, he was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
"Fire" is a song written by Bruce Springsteen in 1977 which had its highest profile as a 1978 single release by the Pointer Sisters. The song was later released by Robert Gordon and Springsteen himself.
"I See Your Smile" is a single by Cuban American singer and songwriter Gloria Estefan. It was released on February 8, 1993 by Epic Records in Europe, the UK and the US as the third single worldwide, and second in America, from her first compilation album, Greatest Hits (1992). The song was written by Jon Secada and Miguel A. Morejon and produced by Emilio Estefan, Jr., Jorge Casas and Clay Ostwald. It is a Latin-pop ballad about someone who cannot get over their lost love. In the US, the song was released instead of the "Miami Hit Mix / Megamix" medley, which was the second single released in most of the world outside America. The song performed well on the US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, peaking at number three.
Peter White is an English musician and composer who plays guitar, piano, accordion and harmonica. He is known for his 20-year collaboration with Al Stewart.
Forever, for Always, for Luther Volume II, released on November 21, 2006 by Rendezvous Entertainment, is a smooth jazz various artists tribute album, with ten popular songs written by Luther Vandross. The album was produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner, as a follow-up to their earlier GRP Records tribute album, Forever, For Always, For Luther.
Forever, for Always, for Luther, released on July 27, 2004, by GRP Records, is a smooth jazz various artists tribute album, with ten popular songs written by Luther Vandross. The album featured vocal arrangements by Luther, and was produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner.
Jon Secada is the English-language debut album by Cuban American pop singer Jon Secada, released in 1992. The album features four singles that reached the Top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 or the Top 10 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, including "Just Another Day", which was also a big hit worldwide. The album was certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 album chart in March 1993. At the 5th Lo Nuestro Awards, the album won the award for "Pop Album of the Year".
"Just Another Day" is a song Cuban singer-songwriter Jon Secada recorded for his debut studio album, Jon Secada (1992). Secada and Miguel Morejon wrote the song, and SBK Records released it as the album's lead single in March 1992. The subject of this pop-soul-and-Latin-influenced ballad is the protagonist's deep desire to be with his lover and his inability to find happiness or contentment without them. Its music uses minor keys, piano melodies, and dramatic vocal performances, and a catchy hook serves as its foundation, "Just Another Day" combines a seductive, rhythmic cadence under Secada's baritone-tenor vocal range that is enveloped by a simple song structure.
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American Ride is the thirteenth studio album by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released on October 6, 2009 by Show Dog Nashville. Its lead-off single was the title track, which became his 19th No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in October. The album includes 12 songs, 11 of which Keith wrote or co-wrote, and one of which is a tribute to Wayman Tisdale. This was Keith's last album for the Show Dog Nashville label before merging with Universal South to form Show Dog-Universal Music. As of June 2014, the album has sold 500,000 copies and was certified Gold in the U.S. by the RIAA.
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Alive is a studio live album by the Chick Corea Akoustic Band, released in 1991 through the record label GRP. The album peaked at number three on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart.
The Dance is the fifth studio album by American smooth jazz saxophonist Dave Koz. It was released by Capitol Records on September 28, 1999. The album peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. The album sold more than 500,000 copies and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
December Makes Me Feel This Way is the fourth studio album by saxophone player Dave Koz. Koz's first holiday album was released by Capitol Records on September 23, 1997. Koz provided vocals on album title track "December Makes Me Feel This Way." The album peaked at #2 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Robert Brookins was an American singer, songwriter, producer and musician. A member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire he also worked with artists such as George Duke, Stephanie Mills, Stanley Clarke and The Whispers.
Brian Simpson is an American contemporary jazz pianist and composer. He has released 11 albums as a solo artist, his most recent, Soul Connection, released in 2023.
Power Forward is a studio album by Wayman Tisdale released in 1995 on Motown Records. The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
In the Zone is the second studio album by Wayman Tisdale released in 1996 on Motown Records. The album reached No. 7 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and No. 9 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
