Whitney Houston - One Wish: The Holiday Album CD

One Wish: The Holiday Album buy CD music It should come as no surprise that a woman who counts Dionne Warwick as a cousin, Aretha Franklin as a family friend, and whose mother was a legendary session and gospel singer, became a phenomenally successful R&B act. Perhaps more surprising is that it took 17 years after first signing with Arista for Whitney Houston to produce her first greatest hits album. These hits are neatly compartmentalized into a "Cool Down" and a "Throw Down" disc, the former featuring ballads such as "Saving All My Love for You," while the latter showcases remixes of Whitney's uptempo singles such as "How Will I Know." Four new songs, three of which are duets, are also included. At the time of release, her golden voice had led to 16 Number 1 hits (that's two more than Madonna), an Emmy, Grammys and several notable collaborations. A stocking-filler for years to come, we'll wager. Includes liner notes by Amy Linden. Personnel includes: Whitney Houston, Deborah Cox, Kelly ...

One Wish: The Holiday Album CD music Recorded at the Hit Factory, New York. Producers: Mariah Carey, Loris Holland, Walter Afanasieff. Composers: Mariah Carey; Walter Afanasieff. Personnel: Mariah Carey (vocals, background vocals); Dann Huff (guitar); Lenny Pickett (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Greg Phillinganes, Loris Holland (piano); Walter Afanasieff (keyboards, synthesizer, drums, tambourine, programming, drum programming); Kirk Lyons, Randy Jackson (bass guitar); David Cole, Robert Clivillés (drums, percussion, programming); Omar Hakim, Bernard Davis, Buddy Williams (drums); David Silliman (percussion); Dan Shea, Gary Cirimelli (programming); Cindy Mizelle, Shanrae Price, Kelly Price, Melonie Daniels (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Mick Guzauski. Recording information: The Hit Factory, New York, NY. Photographer: Daniela Federici. Arrangers: Loris Holland; Mariah Carey; Walter Afanasieff. Personnel: Mariah Carey (vocals); Dann Huff (guitar); Lenny Pickett (saxophone); Loris Holland (piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Greg Phillinganes (piano); Walter Afanasieff (Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards, synthesizer, bass, tambourine, claps, programming); Randy Jackson, Kirk Lyons (bass); Buddy Williams, Bernard Davis, Omar Hakim (drums); Dave Silliman (percussion); Gary Cirimelli, Dan Shea, Robert Clivilles, David Cole (programming); Melonie Daniels, Shanrae Price, Kelly Price, Cindy Mizzelle (background vocals). Children's Choir: Wayne Daniels, Jr., David Daniels, Nathan Daniels, Jodi Walton, 3D, Jazzmin Walton, Janaye Walton, Tobitha Shinique Owens.

One Wish: The Holiday Album songs Recording information: 1221 Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Chalice Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Germano Studios, New York, NY; Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, FL; Mason Sound, North Hollywood, CA; Oven Studios; Patchwerk Studios, Atlanta, GA; Roc The Mic Studios, New York, NY; Soapbox West Studios, San Francisco, CA; Studio At The Palms, NV; The Boom Boom Room, Burbank, CA; The Chocolate Factory, Chicago, IL; Tree Sound Studios, Norcross, GA. Photographer: Patrick Demarchelier. Arranger: R. Kelly. Personnel: Bernt Rune Stray, Donnie Lyle (guitar); Jochem van der Saag (synthesizer, drum programming); Giorgio Tuinfort, Swizz Beatz (programming); Charlotte Gibson, Courtney Blooding, Gary Houston, Tavia Ivey (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Jaycen Joshua; Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica; Dave Pensado; Andrew Hey; Jochem van der Saag; Harvey Mason, Jr. ; Phil Tan; Tony Maserati .

One Wish: The Holiday Album album for sale THE PREACHER'S WIFE was nominated for a 1988 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. "I Believe In You And Me" was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. That renaissance gal is at it again. As in THE BODYGUARD, Whitney Houston does double duty as star and soundtrack provider for THE PREACHER'S WIFE. Don't look for her to be sticking to the commercial pop-R&B sound that served her so well on her last soundtrack album, though. THE PREACHER'S WIFE finds Houston reaching back to her roots in gospel, and collaborating with some stellar gospel artists, including her mother, Cissy. Several cuts here, including "Hold On, Help Is On The Way" and "I Go To The Rock," find the soulful Georgia Mass Choir supporting Houston in her return to the fold. On "He's All Over Me," Houston is joined by gospel great Shirley Caesar as well. On a more modern tip, Houston delivers "Somebody Bigger Than You And I," accompanied by a veritable who's-who of contemporary R&B, including her husband, Bobby Brown, and Brown's New Edition bandmates Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant. THE PREACHER'S WIFE not only shows where Houston is headed, it proves she hasn't forgotten where she's been. Like The Bodyguard and Waiting to Exhale before it, The Preacher's Wife is a soundtrack that also functions as a Whitney Houston album, but that's where the similarity ends. Where The Bodyguard was adult contemporary pop at its finest and Waiting to Exhale was a virtual encyclopedia of mid-'90s mainstream black pop, The Preacher's Wife is an attempt at gospel-soul. Much of the music on the soundtrack was composed by Babyface, who normally can pull off such fusion. Babyface's pop material and David Foster's production of Houston's "I Believe in You and Me" are the most successful cuts, bar Kirk Franklin's exuberant "Joy," which utterly puts the other gospel cuts on the album to shame. So, there are enough strong cuts to make The Preacher's Wife worthwhile, but anyone who is looking for Houston strutting like a diva will likely be disappointed. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Personnel: Marc Nelson, Whitney Houston (vocals, background vocals); Shanice, Shanna, Babyface (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Dave Way; Dave Reitzas; Frank Wolf; Jon Gass; Mick Guzauski; Steve Lipson; John Hanes . Audio Remixer: Teddy Riley. Recording information: Aquarium Studio, London, England; Brandon's Way Recording, Hollywood, CA; Capitol Studios, L.A., CA; Chartmaker Studios, Malibu, CA; Crossway Studios, Mendham, NJ; Greater Rising Star Church, Atlanta, GA; Hideaway Studio, Pomona, CA; Larrabee Studios North, Universal City, CA; Ocean Way Studios, L.A., CA; O'Henry's, Burbank, CA; Record Plant, Hollywood, CA; Remote Recording Services; Schnee Studio, N. Hollywood, CA; Signet Studios, L.A., CA; Sony Studios, N.Y.C., NY; WEstlake STudios, L.A., CA. Photographers: David Lee ; Sante d'Orazio. Arranger: David Foster. Producers: Mervyn Warren, Whitney Houston, Stephen Lipson, Rickey Minor, Babyface, David Foster. Engineers: Frank Wolf, Michael White, Heff Moraes, Joseph Magee, Wayne Linsey, Paul Ericksen, Brad Gilderman, Felipe Elgueta, Tony Shepard, Ron Banks.

One Wish: The Holiday Album CD music Indeed, it is the most wonderful time of the year, and this reissue of 1993's Christmas Interpretations arrives under the Universal 20th Century Masters series, which has launched its own subset of holiday releases. Produced by fellow soulful crooner Brian McKnight, this ten-song workout is not a collection of holiday favorites (aside from the traditional "Silent Night" that opens and closes the recording), but a series of brand new holiday compositions based on the quiet storm market. The Boyz are in fine form, as per usual, and the production work is of top-notch quality. However, within the smooth delivery lie lyrics that are melancholic and downtrodden, the kind of despair that is commonly associated with the holiday season but just not expressed so soulfully, most notably in the composition "Why Christmas," which reflects the existential angst of world issues during the holiday season. The results are a bit like crossing "What's Going On" with the New Edition classic "Can You Stand the Rain." Not exactly uplifting stuff to play when unwrapping presents or carving the holiday turkey, but if you are into pleasant-sounding melodies and silky-smooth production, then this is the perfect Christmas album for you. While most die-hard fans might already have this in their collections, fans who might have glanced over this release originally would be well-served to pick it up. ~ Rob Theakston Recording information: Backroom Studios, Glendale, CA; Rainbow Recording Studios, Omaha, NE; Studio 4, Philadelphia, PA; The Hit Factory, London, England. Personnel: Brian McKnight (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Boyz II Men; Jim Hinger; Brian McKnight.

One Wish: The Holiday Album buy CD music Whitney Houston's second album sported a flirtier, sexier album cover and a shortened title, and, somewhat improbably, it became an even bigger hit than her 1985 debut. WHITNEY featured an impressive four Number One hits ("I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)," "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," and "So Emotional") and a fifth that went Top Ten, "Love Will Save the Day." Building on what had worked so well on her first record, the dance tracks are frothier and endearingly lighter, and the ballads are bigger and more dramatic, highlighting Houston's genuinely impressive vocal talents without resorting to overly bombastic singing (as she would on later albums). On WHITNEY, the diva shows surprising humility when it comes to her voice, and that restraint helps make it her most likable and consistently appealing set. Arranger: Narada Michael Walden.