Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building explained
Up On the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building, released in 1993 on Columbia Records, is a cover album and also the twenty-first studio album by Neil Diamond. It contains a duet with Dolly Parton, string arrangements by David Campbell, along with re-makes of tracks associated with the Brill Building, where Diamond had worked in the 1960s.
It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Personnel
Musicians and Vocals
- Neil Diamond – lead vocals
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16), acoustic piano (14, 15)
- Jim Cox – Wurlitzer electric piano (3, 5), Hammond B3 organ (10), bass (12)
- Bill Payne – acoustic piano (5, 14, 16)
- Bob Mann – guitars (1, 3, 4, 5, 7-15)
- Dean Parks – guitars (2, 7, 13, 16)
- David King – guitars (6)
- Louis Gutierrez – guitars (6)
- Doug Livingston – pedal steel guitar (14)
- Larry Klein – bass (1, 2, 3), additional bass (12)
- Bob Glaub – bass (4, 5, 7-16)
- Chris Wagner – bass (6)
- Carlos Vega – drums (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 12, 13, 14)
- Russ Kunkel – drums (4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 15)
- James Bradley, Jr. – drums (6)
- Peter Asher – percussion (1, 5, 11, 12, 13, 16), marimba (12)
- Michael Fisher – percussion (4, 8, 10, 11)
- M.B. Gordy – timpani (6), vibraphone (11)
- Bill Bergman – saxophone (3, 5, 10, 16), sax solo (3)
- Don Markese – clarinets (3, 5, 10, 16), flutes (3, 5, 10, 16), saxophone (3, 5, 10, 16)
- Lon Price – saxophone (3, 5, 10, 16)
- Brandon Fields – alto saxophone (4)
- Greg Smith – bass saxophone (13)
- Nick Lane – trombone (3, 5, 10, 16)
- Wayne Bergeron – trumpet (3, 5, 10, 16)
- Dennis Farias – trumpet (3, 5, 10, 16)
- Oscar Brashear – trumpet (12)
- Gavyn Wright – concertmaster
- Isobel Griffiths – musical contractor
- Dolly Parton – lead vocals (1)
- Rosemary Butler – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 10, 16)
- Wendy Fraser – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 10, 16)
- Portia Griffin – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 10, 16)
- Raven Kane – backing vocals (1, 3, 10, 16), vocal contractor
- Andrea Robinson – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 10, 16)
- Julia Waters – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 10, 13, 16)
- Maxine Waters – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 10, 16)
- Terry Wood – backing vocals (1, 3, 10, 16)
- Carmen Twillie – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 10, 16)
- Valerie Carter – backing vocals (4, 11, 13)
- Kate Markowitz – backing vocals (4, 11, 13)
- Laura Satterfield – backing vocals (4, 5, 11)
- Donna Davidson – backing vocals (5)
- Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals (5)
- Julie Ritter – backing vocals (6)
- Gretchen Seager – backing vocals (6)
- Josef Powell – backing vocals (13)
- Oren Waters – backing vocals (13, 15)
- Randy Crenshaw – backing vocals (14, 15)
- Jon Joyce – backing vocals (14, 15)
- Gene Morford – backing vocals (14, 15)
- Jerry Whitman – backing vocals (14, 15)
- Roger Freeland – backing vocals (15)
- Donny Gerrard – backing vocals (15)
- John Hendricks – backing vocals (15)
- Steve Lively – backing vocals (15)
- Rick Logan – backing vocals (15)
Arrangements
- Peter Asher – rhythm arrangements (1-6, 8, 10-16), orchestral arrangements (2), BGV arrangements (5)
- The Neil Diamond Band – rhythm arrangements (1, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16)
- David Campbell – orchestral arrangements (1-4, 8, 10-16), orchestra conductor (1, 3, 4, 7-16), BGV arrangements (1, 3, 4, 10-16), horn arrangements (3, 5, 16), rhythm arrangements (8), arrangements (9)
- Mary's Danish – rhythm arrangements (6)
- Alan Lindgren – arrangements (7)
- The Ten Lonely Guys – rhythm arrangements (15)
Production
- Producer – Peter Asher
- Production Coordinator – Ivy Skoff
- Production Assistant – Cathy Kerr
- Recorded and Mixed by Frank Wolf
- Additional Engineer – Bernie Becker
- Assistant Engineers – Jeff Foster, Nathaniel Kunkle, Gil Morales, Jeff Orchard, Marnie Riley, Brian Soucy and Brett Swain.
- Recorded at Conway Studios and Arch Angel Studios (Los Angeles, CA); Air Lyndhurst Hall (London, England, UK).
- Mixed at Conway Studios
- Edited by Tom Hensley
- Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
- Project Coordinator – Sam Cole
- Art Direction – David Kirschner
- Design – Jan Weinberg
- Assistant Design – Barbara Lebow
- Cover Photo – Eugene Adabari
- Photography – David Attie, BMI Photo Archives, Impact Photos and Michael Ochs Photos.
- Liner Notes – Neil Diamond
External links
- [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r190870|pure_url=yes}} All Music Guide entry]
