''Right Rhythm'' is the fourteenth studio album by
the Pointer Sisters, released on June 12, 1990 by the
Motown
Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
label.
History
In 1978, the Pointer Sisters had begun an eleven-year association with
Richard Perry - first through his
Planet Records label and then still working with Perry with
RCA Records - with the group amassing a total of eleven
Top 40 hits. The Pointer Sisters' 1984 multi-platinum album release, ''
Break Out'' was parent to four Top Ten hits including "
I'm So Excited
"I'm So Excited" is a song by American vocal group the Pointer Sisters. Jointly written and composed by the sisters in collaboration with Chris Christian, it was originally released in September 1982, reaching number 30 on the US ''Billboard'' ...
" introduced on the 1982 ''
So Excited!'' album but remixed and added to later pressings of 1983 ''
Break Out''. The career climax achieved there was followed by a decline in popularity and in 1988 the Pointer Sisters ended their contract with RCA.
It was reported in March 1989 that the Pointer Sisters were negotiating with
Motown Records
Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...
. The label passed on the group when they'd sought their first record deal in 1971, though sister and original member
Bonnie Pointer left the group for a solo career with Motown from 1977-1981. The group signed with Motown in May 1989 with member
June Pointer then stating: "We want to help Motown get back up where it was" referencing the label's own faded fortunes.
[8 May 1989 Daily News of Los Angeles (CA)]
Motown did not prove to be the label that would recharge the Pointer Sister's career. The label released the groups' ''Right Rhythm'' album in the summer of 1990 following the May 1990 issue of the advance single "Friends' Advice"; that single was a relative failure, only reaching #36 on the
''Billboard'' R&B charts. The second single, a ballad called "After You", also failed to find a widespread audience. A third single, a remixed version of the album's "Insanity", managed a #62 R&B peak (#11 on the
''Billboard'' dance charts). ''Right Rhythm'' would be the only album release by the Pointer Sisters on Motown.
The ''Right Rhythm'' track "Billy Said Yes" featured background vocals by
Issa Pointer
Issa Kuren Edwards (born January 22, 1978), known professionally as Issa Pointer, is an American singer and member of the vocal group the Pointer Sisters.
Early life
Born in 1978, Pointer is the daughter of the Pointer Sisters' member Ruth Pointer ...
, the daughter of Ruth Pointer: Issa Pointer would replace June Pointer in the group's membership in 2002.
Track listing
# "Friends' Advice (Don't Take It)"
(Donald Robinson, Tina Harris) - 4:04
# "Man With the Right Rhythm"
(Anita Pointer, Charles Kelly) - 4:51
# "Real Life"
(Kurt Farquhar, Paul Chiten) - 4:09
# "After You"
(Deborah Thomas, Terry Shaddick) - 4:30
# "You Knocked the Love (Right Outta My Heart)"
(Fritz Cadet, Millie Jackson, Timmy Allen) - 4:47
# "Billy Said Yes"
(Brenda Blonski, John Patterson, Morris "Butch" Stewart) - 3:49
# "Insanity"
(Danny Sembello
Daniel Sembello (January 15, 1963 – August 15, 2015) was an American songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist.
He produced recordings by artists including George Benson and Pebbles, and he had his compositions recorded by Chaka K ...
, Marti Sharron) - 3:57
# "What a Woman Wants"
(Henry Gaffney) - 4:21
# "Where Have You Been?"
(Anita Pointer, David Harvey, June Pointer, Sami McKinney) - 4:55
# "(We Just Wanna) Thank You" - 3:25
Personnel
The Pointer Sisters
*
Anita Pointer – vocals
*
June Pointer – vocals
*
Ruth Pointer – vocals
Musicians
*
Levi Seacer, Jr.
Levi Seacer Jr. (born April 30, 1961) is an American musician. He was an early associate of Sheila E. when he was tapped by Prince to form a new touring band after the demise of The Revolution in 1986. Seacer became the band's bassist, as wel ...
– all instruments (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10), rhythm arrangements (2)
* John Barnes – keyboards (4, 8), synthesizers (4, 8, 9)
*
James Anthony Carmichael – keyboards (4, 8, 9)
* Lloyd Tolbert – keyboards (4, 8, 9)
*
Khris Kellow – keyboards (7)
* Ralph Hawkins – synth solo (7)
*
Steve Lindsey
Steve Lindsey (born Steve Clark Lindsey; May 6, 1956) is an American record producer, songwriter music publisher and music industry executive.
Early life
Steve Lindsey, born in New York City, to Mort Lindsey and his wife Judy. He had a conn ...
– keyboards (7), arrangements (7)
* Orpheus – keyboard and drum programming (7)
*
Danny Sembello
Daniel Sembello (January 15, 1963 – August 15, 2015) was an American songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist.
He produced recordings by artists including George Benson and Pebbles, and he had his compositions recorded by Chaka K ...
– keyboard programming (7), arrangements (7)
* Marti Shannon – keyboards (7), arrangements (7)
*
Robbie Buchanan – additional synthesizers (8)
*
Paul Jackson Jr.
Paul Milton Jackson Jr. (born December 30, 1959) is an American fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. Jackson knew by the age of fifteen that he wanted to become a professional musi ...
– guitar (4, 7, 8, 9)
* David Cochran – guitar (8), bass (8)
*
Freddie Washington – bass (4, 9)
*
John Robinson John Robinson may refer to:
Academics
*John Thomas Romney Robinson (1792–1882), Irish astronomer and physicist
* John J. Robinson (1918–1996), historian and author of ''Born in Blood''
*John Talbot Robinson (1923–2001), paleontologist
*John ...
– drums (4, 8, 9)
*
Paulinho da Costa – percussion (4, 8, 9)
* Eric Leads – horns (5)
*
Sheldon Reynolds – rhythm arrangements (2)
*
Niki Haris – vocal arrangements (7)
* Henry Gaffney – vocal arrangements (8)
*
Issa Pointer
Issa Kuren Edwards (born January 22, 1978), known professionally as Issa Pointer, is an American singer and member of the vocal group the Pointer Sisters.
Early life
Born in 1978, Pointer is the daughter of the Pointer Sisters' member Ruth Pointer ...
– French rap (6)
Production
* Producers – Levi Seacer, Jr. (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 & 10); James Anthony Carmichael (Tracks 4, 8 & 9); Marti Shannon (Track 7).
* Associate Producer on Track 7 – Danny Sembello
* Executive Producers – Debbie Sandridge and The Pointer Sisters.
* Engineers – Dave Friedlander (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 & 10);
Calvin Harris
Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums.
His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
(Tracks 4, 8 & 9); Bob Biles, Craig Burbidge, Fletcher Dobrocke and
Val Garay (Track 7).
* Assistant Engineers – Craig Doubet and Tim Penn (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 & 10); Mark Hagen (Tracks 4, 8 & 9); Eric Annest, Gregg Barrett, Lawrence Ethan, Steve Heinke, Mike Scotella, Gary Skardina and Jeff Welch (Track 7).
* Recorded at
Paisley Park Studios (Chanhassen, MN); Scream Studios (Studio City, CA);
Westlake Studios, Music Grinder, Studio 55, Ignition Studios and
Steve Lindsey Studio (Los Angeles, CA); Cal Harris Studios (Woodland Hills, CA); Aire LA (Glendale, CA).
* Mixing – Goh Hotoda and
Shep Pettibone (Track 1); Dave Friedlander and Levi Seacer, Jr. (Tracks 2, 3, 5, 6 & 10); Calvin Harris (Tracks 4, 8 & 9);
Chris Lord-Alge (Track 7).
* Mixed at Axis Studios and Soundworks (New York, NY); Paisley Park Studios; Westlake Studios; The Grey Room (Los Angeles, CA).
* Mastered by Chris Bellman at
Bernie Grundman Mastering
Bernie Grundman is an American audio engineer.
He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1984 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chris Bellman, Patricia Sullivan, and Mi ...
(Hollywood, CA).
* Project Assistant – Gayle Woodard
* Art Direction – Stephen Meltzer
* Design – Julie Moss
* Photography – Paul Jasmin
* Management – Gallin Morey Associates
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Right Rhythm (Pointer Sisters Album)
1990 albums
The Pointer Sisters albums
Motown albums