Brian Mcknight From There To Here 1989-2002 CD

Additional Tracks

Personnel: Brian McKnight (vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); John Willis, (acoustic guitar); Wah Wah Watson (electric guitar, guitar); Nick Moroch, David T. Walker (guitar); Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar); Louis Johnson, Will Lee (bass); Prescott Ellison, Steve Ferroni (drums); Carol Steele (percussion); Brandon Browne, Anthony Nance (programming); Vanessa Williams, Kelly Price (background vocals); Mase.
Producers: Brian McKnight, Brandon Barnes, Gerry E. Brown, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Mario Winans.
Recorded between 1989 & 2002. Includes liner notes by David Nathan.
Personnel: Brian McKnight (acoustic guitar, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, background vocals); David T. Walker, Nick Moroch (guitar); John Willis (acoustic guitar); Wah Wah Watson (electric guitar); Brandon Barnes (drums, keyboard programming); Carol Steele (percussion); Anthony Nance (drum programming); Kelly Price, Vanessa Williams (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Craig Burbidge; Gerry "The Gov" Brown; Gary Tole ; Rob Paustian; Mick Guzauski; Bob Brockman.
Liner Note Author: David Nathan.
Recording information: Backroom Studios, Glendale, CA (1989-2002); Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA (1989-2002); Caribien Sound, Basin, Trinidad (1989-2002); Circle House Studios, Miami, FL (1989-2002); Daddy's House, New York, NY (1989-2002).
Photographers: Herb Ritts; James Minchin; Arnold Turner.
Unknown Contributor Role: Mario Winans.
Thirteen years is a long time in urban/R&B circles, which leaves the rangy career of Brian McKnight sounding like the work of several different artists when compiled in a package like From There to Here: 1989-2002. Most of his material has the sound of soulful adult contemporary, as on quite a few tracks compiled here: "One Last Cry," "Crazy Love," and "Love Is" (the latter featuring Vanessa Williams). McKnight also proved amenable to adding hip-hop beats and contemporary productions comparatively early in his career, and the collection follows this angle as well. The song selections are quite good, ably showing McKnight's technically perfect and artistically pleasing voice to good effect. What makes this a better compilation than ones on most other artists is the fact that Brian McKnight albums tended to have far too much filler to justify getting into the records on their own. One quibble, though: this would've been the perfect disc to anthologize his popular version of the Christmas chestnut "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." ~ John Bush
The story of Brian McKnight, as ably represented by this career-spanning collection, is that of an impressively talented R&B singer with not just the style to make an impression, but the staying power to make that impression last. McKnight's unique appeal is exemplified from the get-go, as the opening track "Let Me Love You" finds the singer juxtaposing images of time travel, astrology, and romantic commitment without ever losing track of the all-important groove. His emotive pipes also prove eminently capable of collaboration, be it with pop siren Vanessa Williams (the ultra-romantic "Love Is") or rapper Mase (the infectiously funky ("You Should Be Mine (Don't Waste Your Time)"). Ultimately, FROM THERE TO HERE is the portrait of a man who has managed to build a lasting career in a notoriously fickle realm, and this disc makes it easy to see just how he accomplished that considerable feat.