''Back on the Block'' is a 1989 studio album produced by

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

. The album features legendary musicians and singers from across three generations, including

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

, Joe Zawinul, Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie,

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, play ...

, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick,

Barry White Barry Eugene Carter (September 12, 1944 – July 4, 2003), better known by his stage name Barry White, was an American singer and songwriter. A two-time Grammy Award winner known for his bass voice and romantic image, his greatest success came ...

, Chaka Khan,

Take 6 Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received several Grammy Awards as well as Dove ...

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American folk and jazz singer. He is known for his vocal techniques, such as singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitch—for example, sustaining a melody while also rap ...

, Al Jarreau,

Al B. Sure! Albert Joseph Brown III (born June 4, 1968), known professionally as Al B. Sure!, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, radio host and former record executive. He was born in Boston and raised in Mount Vernon, New York. During the ...

James Ingram James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song. After beginning his career ...

El DeBarge Eldra Patrick "El" DeBarge (born June 4, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He was the focal point and primary lead singer of the family group DeBarge. Popular songs led by El DeBarge include " Time Will Reveal", " Who's Hold ...

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

and a 12-year-old

Tevin Campbell Tevin Jermod Campbell (born November 12, 1976) is an American singer and songwriter. He performed gospel in his local church from an early age. Following an audition for jazz musician Bobbi Humphrey in 1988, Campbell was signed to Warner Bros. Re ...

Overview

Multiple singles were lifted from the album and found success on Pop and R&B radio, including "I'll Be Good to You", "I Don't Go for That", "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)", and "Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)" which was originally an instrumental track on

the Brothers Johnson The Brothers Johnson were an American funk and R&B band consisting of American musicians and brothers George ("Lightnin' Licks") and Louis E. Johnson ("Thunder Thumbs"). They achieved their greatest success from the mid-1970s to early 1980s, ...

's '' Look Out for #1'' set. "Tomorrow" is also noteworthy for introducing a young

to the music scene. ''Back on the Block'' won the 1991 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Jones' track, "Setembro (of brazilian composers Gilson Peranzzetta and

Ivan Lins Ivan Guimarães Lins (born June 16, 1945) is a Latin Grammy-winning Brazilian musician. He has been an active performer and songwriter of Brazilian popular music (MPB) and jazz for over thirty years. His first hit, "Madalena", was recorded by ...

)" was featured on the

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack ...

of the 1991 film, '' Boyz n the Hood''. ''Back on the Block'' topped the

R&B Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...

chart at number-one for twelve weeks, and topped the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart as well.

Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan

''Back on the Block'' featured the last studio recordings of jazz singers

and Sarah Vaughan. Fitzgerald and Jones had previously worked together on her 1963 album with

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

, '' Ella and Basie!''. Jones had produced three albums with Sarah Vaughan when they both worked for

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it i ...

Grammy Awards

At the

33rd Grammy Awards The 33rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 20, 1991. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Quincy Jones was the night's biggest winner winning a total of six awards including Album of the Year. Performers ...

, ''Back on the Block'' won seven Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In arranging,

Jerry Hey Jerry Hey (born 1950) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Michael Jackson's ''Thriller'', '' Rock with You'' ...

, Quincy Jones, Ian Prince and

Rod Temperton Rodney Lynn Temperton (9 October 1949 – 25 September 2016) was an English songwriter, producer and musician. Temperton was the keyboardist and main songwriter for the 1970s pop music, disco and funk band Heatwave, writing songs including " ...

won the

Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement (and its subsequent name changes) has been awarded since 1963. The award is presented to the arranger(s) of the music. Only songs or tracks are eligible, no longer works (e.g. albums). The perfor ...

for " Birdland", and

Glen Ballard Basil Glen Ballard Jr. (born May 1, 1953) is an American songwriter, lyricist, and record producer. He is best known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's 1995 album '' Jagged Little Pill'', which won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Alb ...

, Hey, Jones and Clif Magness won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for "The Places You Find Love". Jones also won the

Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance was an award given to a song or album for excellence in the jazz fusion genre, a combination of rock and jazz. It was given at the Grammy Awards, which began in 1958 under the name Gramophone Awar ...

for "Birdland", and the

Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical The Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical is an honor presented to record producers for quality non-classical music at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in ...

Bruce Swedien Bruce Swedien (; April 19, 1934 – November 16, 2020) was an American recording engineer, mixing engineer and record producer. He was widely known for his work with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney and Barbra Streisand. Swedien fi ...

won the

Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical The Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical has been awarded since 1959. The award had several minor name changes: * In 1959, the award was known as Best Engineered Record – Non-Classical * In 1960, it was awarded as Best Engineeri ...

for his work on the album.

and Chaka Khan won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "I'll Be Good To You". The

Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance. The award was discontinu ...

went to Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T,

Kool Moe Dee Mohandas Dewese (born August 8, 1962), better known by his stage name Kool Moe Dee, is an American rapper, writer and actor. Considered one of the forerunners of the new jack swing sound in hip hop, he gained fame in the 1980s as a member of one ...

Melle Mel Melvin Glover (born May 15, 1961 in The Bronx), better known by his stage name Grandmaster Melle Mel (or simply Melle Mel) () is an American hip hop recording artist who was the lead vocalist and songwriter of Grandmaster Flash and the Furio ...

, Quincy Jones III and Jones for "Back on the Block".

Track listing

All tracks produced by

and

. ”Tomorrow (A Better You, A Better Me)” co-produced by

Charts

Weekly charts

Certifications

Personnel

Adapted credits from the liner notes of ''Back on the Block''. *

– lead vocals (track 1), choir conductor (7), handclaps (2, 6, 9), drums (6), drum machine (2), M1 pads (10) *

Gerald Albright Gerald Albright is an American jazz saxophonist. He earned Grammys for 24/7 in 2012 and Slam Dunk in 2014 and has been nominated for New Beginnings in 2008 and for Sax for Stax in 2009. Biography Born in Los Angeles, Albright grew up in its ...

– alto saxophone solo (tracks 10, 12) * Nadirah Ali – background vocals (track 3) * Maxi Anderson – background vocals (track 7) *

– guitar solo (tracks 8–10) *

Peggi Blu Peggi Blu is an American actress, singer and vocal coach. She is the 1986 "''Star Search Grand Champion (Female Vocalist)''" winner and the winner of the 2013 "Malibu Music Awards" ("''Vocal Coach of the Year''") award. She is best known as an ...

– sampled background vocals (track 7) *

Michael Boddicker Michael Lehmann Boddicker (born January 19, 1953) is an American film composer and session musician, specializing in electronic music. He is a three times National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (N.A.R.A.S.) Most Valuable Player "Synthe ...

– drum machine (track 2), M1 pads (10), synth pads (10), synth programming (4, 7, 9) * McKinley Brown – background vocals (track 12) * Ollie E. Brown – percussion (track 12) *

Jorge Calandrelli Jorge Calandrelli is an Argentinian-born composer, arranger and conductor known for his work with Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Arturo Sandoval, Yo-Yo Ma, Tony Bennett, Elton John, Lady Gaga and John Legend. He has won 6 Grammy Awards and has rece ...

– synth strings (track 13) *

– lead vocals (tracks 2, 12) *

– lead vocals (track 4) * Paulinho da Costa – percussion (track 10, sampled on 7) *

Andraé Crouch Andraé Edward Crouch (July 1, 1942 – January 8, 2015) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, record producer and pastor. Referred to as "the father of modern gospel music" by contemporary Christian and gospel music profess ...

– vocal arranger, choir conductor, background vocals (tracks 2, 7) * Sandra Crouch – choir conductor (track 2), background vocals (2, 7) *

– trumpet solo (tracks 8–9) *

– lead and background vocals (track 14) * George Duke – keyboard solo (track 10, 11) * Chad Durio – backing vocals (track 12) * Sheila E. – timbales solo (track 11) * Nathan East – bass guitar (track 9) * Geary Lanier Faggett – background vocals (track 7) * Vonciele Faggett – background vocals (tracks 2, 7) *

– lead vocals (tracks 6, 8–9) * Kenneth Ford – background vocals (track 12) * Jania Foxworth – background vocals (track 12) *

Siedah Garrett Deborah Christine "Siedah" Garrett (born June 24, 1960) is an American singer and songwriter who has written songs and performed backing vocals for many recording artists in the music industry, such as Michael Jackson, the Pointer Sisters, Brand N ...

– lead vocals (tracks 3, 6–7, 11), background vocals (tracks 3, 11, 14, sampled on 7, additional on 4), choir director (12) * Tammi Gibson – background vocals (tracks 2, 7) * Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet solo (tracks 8–9) * James Gilstrap – background vocals (track 4) * J. C. Gomez – African percussion (track 2) * Jackie Gouche – background vocals (track 7) * Gary Grant – trumpet (track 9) * Reginale Green – background vocals (track 12) * Herbie Hancock – keyboard solo (tracks 3, 7, 10), synth pads (10) * Alex Harris – background vocals (track 12) * Howard Hewett – sampled background vocals (track 7) *

– trumpet (track 9), additional keyboards (7) *

Jennifer Holliday Jennifer Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960) is an American actress and singer. She started her career on Broadway in musicals such as '' Dreamgirls'' (1981–83), '' Your Arms Too Short to Box with God'' (1980–1981) and later became a ...

– sampled background vocals (track 7) * Pattie Howard – sampled background vocals (track 7) * Ice-T – rap (track 2) *

– lead vocals (track 14), additional background vocals (4), sampled background vocals (7) * Jesse Jackson – narrator (track 2) * Paul Jackson Jr. – sampled guitar (track 7) * Al Jarreau – vocals (track 6) * George Johnson – guitar (track 4), sampled background vocals (4) * Louis Johnson – Moog synth bass (tracks 2, 4), bass guitar (2, 4, sampled on 7), sampled background vocals (4) * Tiffany Johnson – background vocals (track 12) * Jean Johnson-McRath – background vocals (tracks 2, 7) * Big Daddy Kane – rap (vocals) (tracks 2, 8 *

Randy Kerber Randy Kerber (born September 25, 1958) is an American composer, orchestrator and keyboard player, who has had a prolific career in the world of cinema.SeRandy Kerberat the IMDb Kerber was born in Encino, California. He began his first national ...

– keyboards (track 12), sampled keyboards (7), sampled synthesizer (7), synth bass (12) * Chaka Khan – lead vocals (tracks 4, 7) * Michael Landau – sampled guitar (track 7) *

Rhett Lawrence James Everett "Rhett" Lawrence is an American record producer and songwriter. He has produced, mentored, and helped launch the career of 5 artists amongst the top 200 artists to be featured on Billboard magazine's top charts from 1955-2012, who ...

– Fairlight bass and analog guitar synthesizer (track 7) * Edie Lehman – background vocals (tracks 6, 7) * Steve Lukather – guitar (tracks 12, 14) * Clif Magness – sampled background vocals (track 7) *

Harvey Mason Sr. Harvey William Mason (born February 22, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, record producer, and member of the band Fourplay. Mason, who attended Berklee in the 1960s, received an Honorary Doctorate at Berklee's 2015 Commencement Ceremony fo ...

– drums (track 4) * Donovan McCrary – background vocals (track 12) * Howard McCrary – background vocals (tracks 2, 7) *

– vocals, additional percussion (track 6) *

– rap (track 2) *

– rap (tracks 2, 8) * James Moody – alto saxophone solo (tracks 8–9) * Perry Morgan – background vocals (tracks 2, 7) * David Paich – keyboards (tracks 4, 10, additional on 7) *

Phil Perry Philip Eugene Perry (born January 12, 1952) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, musician and a former member of the soul group, The Montclairs, from 1971 to 1975. He was also known for performing the opening song to Disney’s sitcom, '' Goof ...

– additional background vocals (track 4) * Tyren Perry – background vocals (track 12) *

Greg Phillinganes Gregory Arthur Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956) is an American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed the role of keyboards to numerous alb ...

– keyboards (tracks 2, 4, 10–11), Fender Rhodes (12, 14) * Steve Porcaro – synth programming (tracks 2, 4, 7, 10) * Ian Prince – keyboards (tracks 3–4, 9–11), vocoder (6), background vocals (3) *

Bill Reichenbach Jr. William Frank Reichenbach Jr. (born November 30, 1949) is an American jazz trombonist and composer. He is the son of Bill Reichenbach, who was the drummer for Charlie Byrd from 1962 to 1973. He is best known as a session musician for television, ...

– trombone (track 9) * John Robinson – drums (tracks 12, 14, sampled on 7) * Derrick Schofield – background vocals (track 7) * Caiphus Semenya – background vocals (track 2) * Shane Shoaf – background vocals (track 12) * Alfie Silas – background vocals (tracks 2, 7) * Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar (14) *

Rose Stone Rose Stone (born Rosemary Stewart, March 21, 1945) is an American singer and keyboardist. She is best known as one of the lead singers in Sly and the Family Stone, a popular psychedelic soul/funk band founded by her brothers, Sly Stone and ...

– choir director (track 12), background vocals (2, 7) * Bill Summers – percussion (track 8, African on 2, additional on 7), hindewhu *

– lead and background vocals (track 14) *

– recording engineer (all tracks), mixing (all tracks), kick & snare drums (tracks 4, 14) *

– background vocals (tracks 1, 6, 10) *

– drum machine (tracks 1–2), handclaps (2, 6, 9) *

Ian Underwood Ian Robertson Underwood (born May 22, 1939) is a woodwind and keyboards player, known for his work with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. Biography Underwood graduated from The Choate School in 1957 and Yale University with a bachelo ...

– handclaps (tracks 2, 6, 9), synth programming (3–4, 10) * Luther Vandross – sampled background vocals (track 7) * Sarah Vaughan – lead vocals (tracks 6, 8–10) *

Mervyn Warren Mervyn Edwin Warren (born February 29, 1964) is an American film composer, record producer, conductor, arranger, lyricist, songwriter, pianist, and vocalist. Warren is a five-time Grammy Award winner and a 10-time Grammy Award nominee. Warren ...

– background vocals (tracks 1, 6, 10), voices (5) * Dionne Warwick – sampled background vocals (track 7) *

– lead vocals (track 14) *

Larry Williams Larry Williams (born Lawrence Eugene Williams, a.k.a. Lawrence Edward Williams; May 10, 1935 – January 7, 1980) was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Williams ...

– saxophone (track 9), keyboards (9, 13–14, sampled on 7), sampled synthesizer (7), synth programming (3–4, 11, 13–14) *

Syreeta Wright Syreeta Wright (February 28, 1946 – July 6, 2004), who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was an American singer-songwriter, best known for her music during the early 1970s through the early 1980s. Wright's career heights we ...

– sampled background vocals (track 4) * Charity Young – background vocals (track 12) * Michael C. Young – synth programming (track 9) * Joe Zawinul – synthesizer solo (tracks 2, 8), sampled synthesizer (9)

Notes

References

{{Authority control Quincy Jones albums 1989 albums Grammy Award for Album of the Year Albums produced by Quincy Jones Albums arranged by Quincy Jones Qwest Records albums New jack swing albums Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical