Sax for Stax explained

Sax for Stax
Type:	studio
Artist:	Gerald Albright
Cover:	Gerald Albright - Sax for Stax.jpg
Released:	June 24, 2008
Recorded:	Unknown
Genre:	Jazz
Label:	Peak Records
Producer:	Gerald Albright, Rex Rideout
Prev Title:	New Beginnings
Prev Year:	2006
Next Title:	Pushing the Envelope
Next Year:	2010

Sax for Stax is the thirteenth studio album by Saxophonist Gerald Albright issued in 2008 by Peak Records.^[1] The album rose to No. 4 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, No. 7 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart and No. 24 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Critical reception

Sax for Stax was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009.^[5]

Track listing

1. "Theme from "The Men"" (Isaac Hayes) - 5:08
2. "Knock on Wood" (Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper) -4:04
3. "Never Can Say Goodbye" (Clifton Davis) - 4:17 (Featuring Will Downing)
4. "Memphis Passion" (Gerald Albright) - 4:54
5. "Respect Yourself" (Luther Ingram, Mack Rice) - 5:05 (featuring Ledisi)
6. "I Stand Accused" (William Butler, Jerry Butler) - 5:11
7. "Cheaper to Keep Her" (Mack Rice) - 4:22
8. "Walkin' Down Beale Street" (Gerald Albright) - 4:30
9. "What You See Is What You Get" (Tony Hester) - 4:50 (featuring Philip Bailey)
10. "Who's Making Love?" (Bettye Crutcher, Don Davis, Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson) - 4:16
11. "W.C. Handy Hop" (Gerald Albright) - 4:36

Personnel

• Gerald Albright – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, arrangements (1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11), flute (3, 4. 6), percussion (4, 11), bass (6, 8), vocal arrangements (6), horn arrangements (10)
• Tracy Carter – keyboards (1, 2, 3, 5, 7-11)
• Rex Rideout – keyboards (2, 5, 6, 9, 10), arrangements (2, 5, 6, 9, 10)
• Arlington Jones – keyboards (4)
• Errol Cooney – guitars (1)
• Rick Watford – acoustic guitar (4), electric guitar (4), guitars (8, 11)
• Darrell Crooks – guitars (6)
• Melvin Lee Davis – bass (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10)
• Teddy Campbell – drums
• Lenny Castro – percussion (1, 2, 3, 5-10)
• Kirk Whalum – tenor saxophone (8)
• Mark Cargill – strings (1, 3, 6, 9), string arrangements (1, 3, 6, 9)
• Will Downing – vocals (3)
• Ledisi – vocals (5)
• Selina Albright – backing vocals (6)
• Philip Bailey – vocals (9)
• Mabvuto Carpenter – additional backing vocals (9)

Production

• Andi Howard – executive producer
• Mark Wexler – executive producer
• Gerald Albright – producer (1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11), recording
• Rex Rideout – producer (2, 5, 6, 9, 10), recording
• Marc Green – recording
• Steve Sykes – recording
• Josh Blanchard – assistant engineer
• Seth Presant – assistant engineer
• Don Murray – mixing
• Eric Boulanger – mastering
• Sangwook "Sunny" Nam – mastering
• Valerie Ince – label coordinator
• Yvonne Wish – project coordinator
• Sonny Mediana – cover design, package design
• Carl Studna – photography
• George Duke – liner notes
• Ross Moss – management
• Chapman Management – management

Studios

• Recorded at Castle Oaks Productions (Calabasas, California); KAR Studios (Sherman Oaks, California); Bright Music Studios (Moonpark, California); CCI Media (Torrance, California); The Green Room (London, UK).
• Mixed at G Studio Digital (Studio City, California); The Firehouse (San Francisco, California).
• Mastered at The Mastering Lab (Ojai, California).

Notes and References

1. Gerald Albright: Sax for Stax. 2008. Peak Records.
2. Web site: Gerald Albright: Sax for Stax (Contemporary Jazz Albums). Billboard. billboard.com.
3. Web site: Gerald Albright: Sax for Stax (Jazz Albums). Billboard. billboard.com.
4. Web site: Gerald Albright: Sax for Stax (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums). Billboard. billboard.com.
5. Web site: Gerald Albright. The Recording Academy. grammy.com.