The Big Throwdown Explained

The Big Throwdown
Type:	Studio
Artist:	LeVert
Cover:	The Big Throwdown.jpg
Released:	July 1, 1987
Recorded:	1986–1987
Studio:	Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Great Tracks, Cleveland, Ohio QCA, Cincinnati, Ohio Mad Hatter, Los Angeles, California Encore, Burbank, California Unique Recording, New York City
Genre:	New jack swing^[1]
Length:	46:24
Label:	Atlantic Records
Producer:	Gerald Levert & Marc Gordon Reggie Calloway Craig Cooper
Prev Title:	Bloodline
Prev Year:	1986
Next Title:	Just Coolin'
Next Year:	1988

The Big Throwdown is the third album by Cleveland, Ohio-based R&B group LeVert.

Reception

Released in 1987, led by the number one R&B and top five Pop single, "Casanova", this album would reach number three on the Billboard R&B Albums charts.

Track listing

1. "Casanova" (Reggie Calloway) - 6:25
2. "Good Stuff" (Gerald Levert, Tommie Miller) - 4:20
3. "Don't U Think It's Time" (Gerald Levert, Marc Gordon) - 4:28
4. "My Forever Love" (Gerald Levert, Marc Gordon) - 4:35
5. "Love the Way U Love Me" (Marc Gordon) - 4:42
6. "Sweet Sensation" (Gerald Levert, Marc Gordon) - 4:20
7. "In N Out" (Gerald Levert, Sean Levert, Marc Gordon) - 4:30
8. "Temptation" (Reggie Calloway, Vincent Calloway, Joel Davis, Gloria Larson) - 8:48
9. "Throwdown" (Gerald Levert, Sean Levert, Marc Gordon) - 4:16

Personnel

LeVert

• Gerald Levert – lead vocals, backing vocals, drum programming (7), arrangements, vocal arrangements
• Sean Levert – backing vocals, vocal arrangements
• Marc Gordon – backing vocals, keyboards (2-7), string and bell arrangements (7), arrangements, vocal arrangements

Additional musicians

• Joel Davis – keyboards (1, 8)
• David Ervin – keyboards (1, 8), drums (1, 8)
• Odeen Mays Jr. – keyboards (1, 8)
• Craig Cooper – arrangements (1-6, 8, 9), keyboards (2-6, 9), drum programming (2-7, 9)
• Dan Rodowicz – additional synthesizers, strings
• Mark Rossi – additional synthesizers, strings
• Jim Salamone – Fairlight programming and sampling, percussion (5)
• Gene Robinson – guitars (1, 8)
• Johnny "T" Jones – additional guitars (1, 8)
• Robert Cunningham – guitars (2, 3, 5-7, 9)
• Norman Harris – guitars (4-6)
• Mike Ferguson – bass (2, 4-6)
• Sam Peak – saxophone (4, 6, 9)
• Billy Terrell – string and bell arrangements (1-6, 8, 9), additional synthesizer and string arrangements, conductor
• Eddie Levert – vocal arrangements
• Donald Murphy – additional backing vocals
• Dwayne Simon – additional backing vocals

Production

• Reggie Calloway – producer (1, 8), assistant mix engineer (2-7, 9)
• Vincent Calloway – co-producer (1, 8), assistant mix engineer (2-7, 9)
• Craig Cooper – producer (2-7, 9)
• Marc Gordon – producer (2-7, 9)
• Gerald Levert – producer (2-7, 9)
• Keith Cohen – mix engineer (1)
• Anne Frager – recording (2-7, 9)
• Bruce Seifert – recording (2-7, 9)
• Mike Tarsia – recording (2-7, 9), mixing (2-7, 9)
• Craig Burbidge – mix engineer (2-7, 9)
• Jim Krause – mix engineer (2-7, 9)
• Eddie DeLena – mix engineer (8)
• Elmer Flores – assistant mix engineer (1)
• Jim Greene – assistant mix engineer (2-7, 9)
• Rob Harvey – assistant mix engineer (2-7, 9)
• Donnie Kraft – assistant mix engineer (2-7, 9)
• Steve Moeller – assistant mix engineer (2-7, 9)
• Russ Bracher – assistant mix engineer (8)
• Scott McMinn – recording assistant (2-7, 9)
• Adam Silverman – recording assistant (2-7, 9)
• Nimitr Sarikanada – mastering at Masterworks Recording, Inc. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• Eddie Levert – cover concept
• Bob Defrin – art direction
• David Michael Kennedy – photography
• Irvin McKnight – wardrobe
• Jane Davenport – stylist

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1987)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[2]	32
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[3]	3

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions^[5]
		US Pop	US R&B	US Dance
1987	"Casanova"	5	1	27
	"My Forever Love"	-	2	-
1988	"Sweet Sensation"	-	4	-

Notes and References

1. News: Troy L. . Smith . 50 essential albums in Cleveland music history . February 2016 . . August 5, 2016.
2. Web site: Levert, TLP. Billboard. January 14, 2021. subscription.
3. Web site: Levert, BLP. Billboard. January 14, 2021. subscription.
4. Web site: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1987. Billboard. January 14, 2021.
5. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4748/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} LeVert US singles chart history]. allmusic.com. September 29, 2011.