| The Universal Masters Collection | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | December 2, 2003 | |||
| Recorded | 1977–1982 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label | Universal | |||
| Grace Jones chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 2006 Colour Collection re-release | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
The Universal Masters Collection is a mid-price compilation of recordings by Grace Jones, first released by Universal Music in 2003.
With the exception of "La Vie en rose" from the 1977 album Portfolio , the 13-track package focuses on material from Jones' Compass Point trilogy: Warm Leatherette (1980), Nightclubbing (1981), and Living My Life (1982). Included in the booklet is an essay by Daryl Easlea, which incorrectly states Jones' birth year. [2]
The album was later re-released a number of times by Universal with the same track listing, but alternate covers and new titles. 2005 saw the release of Best 1200 on the Japanese market. Colour Collection, released in 2006, used the Living My Life picture on its cover, while the German pressing Star-Club präsentiert Grace Jones (2008) recycled the Nightclubbing cover art. In 2008 the album was re-issued as Classic Grace Jones.
| Region | Year | Name | Format(s) | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | 2003 | The Universal Masters Collection | CD | Universal |
| Japan | 2005 | Best 1200 | ||
| Worldwide | 2006 | Colour Collection | ||
| Germany | 2008 | Star-Club präsentiert Grace Jones | ||
| Worldwide | Classic Grace Jones | CD, Download | Universal, Spectrum | |
Grace Beverly Jones is a Jamaican model, singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. In 1999, Jones ranked 82nd on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll, and in 2008, she was honored with a Q Idol Award. Jones influenced the cross-dressing movement of the 1980s and has been an inspiration for artists including Annie Lennox, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Solange, Lorde, Róisín Murphy, Brazilian Girls, Nile Rodgers, Santigold, and Basement Jaxx. In 2016, Billboard magazine ranked her as the 40th greatest dance club artist of all time.
Alex Sadkin was an American record producer, engineer, mixer and mastering engineer.
"Warm Leatherette" is a song by Daniel Miller's project The Normal, released in 1978.
"The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" is a 1966 song written by Smokey Robinson. It was a hit single in 1967 for the American girl group The Marvelettes for the Motown label, from their self-titled album released that same year. In 1980, Jamaican singer Grace Jones remade the song and had minor success with her version in the US. The song has had several cover versions over the years. Blondie included a cover as the closing track on their 1982 conceptual album The Hunter. Massive Attack and Tracey Thorn recorded a cover for the soundtrack to Batman Forever in 1995. Most recently, Bette Midler performed a rendition included in the deluxe edition of her 2014 studio album It's The Girls!. Another cover also appeared on Jerry Garcia Compliments in 1974 and was performed live by the Jerry Garcia Band until into the early 90s.
Nightclubbing is the fifth studio album by Jamaican singer and songwriter Grace Jones, released on 11 May 1981 by Island Records. Recorded at Compass Point Studios with producers Alex Sadkin and Island Records' president Chris Blackwell, as well as a team of session musicians rooted by rhythm section Sly and Robbie, the album marked her second foray into a new wave style that blends a variety of genres, including reggae, art pop, dub, synth-pop and funk. The album has cover versions of songs by Bill Withers, Iggy Pop, Astor Piazzolla, and others, and original songs, three of which co-written by Jones.
Island Life is a compilation album by Grace Jones released in December 1985, summing up the first nine years of her musical career. The album sits among Jones' best-selling works.
Portfolio is the debut studio album by Grace Jones, released in 1977 by Island Records. It spawned her first big hit, "La Vie en rose".
Warm Leatherette is the fourth studio album by Grace Jones, released on 9 May 1980 by Island Records. The album features contributions from the reggae production duo Sly and Robbie and is a departure from Jones' earlier disco sound, moving towards a new wave-reggae direction.
The Grace Jones Story is a 2006 anthology of recordings by Grace Jones, spanning from 1977 to 1993.
Living My Life is the sixth studio album by Grace Jones, released in 1982. It was the last of three albums she recorded at the Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas. Of all the Grace Jones albums, Living My Life is the rarest; physical CD copies are highly sought after and often sell for high prices on the secondhand music market.
A One Man Show is a long-form music video collection featuring Jamaican singer Grace Jones, released in 1982. The video mainly consists of music videos, with some concert footage filmed when Jones was touring with the eponymous tour.
The Ultimate Collection is a 3-CD anthology of recordings by Grace Jones, released in 2006 by Universal.
Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions is a compilation of recordings by Grace Jones released in 1998 by Island Records. The two-disc anthology consists mostly of material pulled from 1980–1982 recording sessions.
"Pull Up to the Bumper" is a 1981 single by Jamaican singer Grace Jones, released as the third single from her fifth album, Nightclubbing. Sonically, it is an uptempo electro-disco, post-punk, dance-pop and reggae-disco song with dub production, "pulsing drums and chic new-wave licks", as well as elements of funk and R&B music. Its lyrics were written by Jones alone, while she, along with Kookoo Baya and Dana Manno, are credited as its composers. The song's instrumental part was originally recorded in 1980 during the Warm Leatherette sessions; however, it did not make the album as Chris Blackwell found its sound not fitting in the rest of the material. It was completed for the 1981 critically acclaimed album Nightclubbing and became its third single in June 1981. The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs in the US and number 53 in the UK. When re-released in 1986, it peaked at number 12 in the UK. The track has come to be one of Jones' signature tunes and her first transatlantic hit.
The Ultimate is a compilation of recordings by Grace Jones released in 1993. The album would cover the same material as 1985's Island Life, in addition to four other tracks. The Ultimate was only released in the Netherlands, where it enjoyed considerable success.
Hurricane is the tenth studio album by singer Grace Jones, released in 2008, and her first album of new material in nineteen years. The album includes a number of autobiographical songs and the title track was first recorded as a 1997 collaboration with Tricky under the title "Cradle to the Grave". The album sold over 100,000 in Europe only and three years after the original release, Jones released a dub version of it. Hurricane – Dub came out on September 5, 2011.
"I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)" is a single by Jamaican singer Grace Jones, released in 1981. The song is a reworking of Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango". It has sold 146,800 copies in France.
"Private Life" is a 1980 song written by Chrissie Hynde, and released by both English band The Pretenders, and Jamaican singer Grace Jones in 1980.
"Do or Die" is a single by Grace Jones, released in 1978, promoting her album Fame.
Grace Jones' discography consists of 10 studio albums, eight compilation albums and 53 singles.
