Smooth Sailin' (Isley Brothers album) explained

Smooth Sailin'
Type:	studio
Artist:	the Isley Brothers
Cover:	Isleys-sailin.jpg
Released:	1987
Recorded:	1986–1987
Studio:	Conway (Hollywood, California) Ocean Way (Los Angeles, California) Westlake (Los Angeles, California)
Genre:	R&B
Length:	41:23
Label:	Warner Bros.
Producer:	Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Angela Winbush
Prev Title:	Masterpiece
Prev Year:	1985
Next Title:	Spend the Night
Next Year:	1989

Smooth Sailin' is an album by the American musical group the Isley Brothers, released in 1987 on Warner Bros. Records.^[1] It was the first album that the group released as a duo of Rudolph and Ronald after the untimely death of eldest brother O'Kelly, who died in 1986 due to occlusive coronary artery disease. Hooking up with R&B singer-songwriter Angela Winbush, the Isleys scored with the top 10 R&B title track and "I Wish", also an R&B top 40 hit.

Critical reception

The Los Angeles Times wrote that the album is close "to the old Isley style-slow, sensuous R&B."^[2]

Personnel

The Isley Brothers

• Ronald Isley – lead & background vocals
• Rudolph Isley – lead & background vocals

with

• Tony Maiden – guitar (tracks 1–6)
• Angela Winbush – keyboards (tracks 2–8), Moog synthesizer (track 7); bass synthesizer (tracks 1, 2), drum machine (track 5), additional background vocals (tracks 2, 3, 7)
• Jeff Lorber – additional synthesizers (tracks 1, 3–6)
• Raymond Reeder – synthesizer (tracks 7); string line guitar synthesizer & drum machine (track 8)
• Nathan East – bass (tracks 1, 3–6)
• Louis Johnson – bass (track 2)
• Gregory Phillinganes – bass synthesizer (track 2)
• Rayford Griffin – drums (tracks 1, 2, 6)
• Andre Fischer – drums (tracks 4, 7)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (tracks 1–3, 5)

Technical personnel & arrangements

• Produced by Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley & Angela Winbush
• Recorded & mixed by Steve Sykes
• Additional engineer (Conway Studios): Czaba Petocz
• Assistant engineer (Ocean Way Recording): Bob Loftus, Joe Schiff, Mike Ross
• Assistant engineer (Westlake Studios): Debbie Johnson
• Mastered by Brian Gardner
• Art direction & design by Janet Levinson
• Photography by Jeff Katz

Charts

Year-end charts

External links

• The Isley Brothers - Smooth Sailin (1987) album releases & credits at Discogs

Notes and References

1. News: Oermann . Robert K. . I'm looking over the albums that shook my soul in 1987 . USA Today . December 31, 1987.
2. News: Hunt . Dennis . Isley Brothers' 'Sailin' Back on Charts . Los Angeles Times . 3 July 1987 . Calendar . 21.
3. Web site: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1987. Billboard. January 14, 2021.