Diana Ross Take Me Higher CD - Import

With Take Me Higher, Diana Ross tried to re-enter the pop mainstream of the '90s, working with a variety of producers and songwriters. The problem with the album is she tries too hard to sound contemporary. The multitude of producers means the record is incoherent, flipping between disco, soul, and pop without much purpose. Take Me Higher isn't helped by the fact Ross's voice has begun to thin out and doesn't sound inspired by any of the songs. She sounds unsure of herself throughout the album, both in terms of performance and material, which makes the record one of her least engaging releases. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Take Me Higher, Diana Ross's 19th new studio album since launching her solo career in 1970 and her first in four years, was, like her last two (Workin' Overtime and The Force Behind the Power), a commercial disaster, barely making the charts. Combining tbe work of four separate producers who mostly tried to fit Ross into contemporary dance trends, the album did feature a club bit in the title song, while the ballad "Gone" made the Top 40 in the U.K. But Ross herself seemed to have spent more time posing for the many fashion shots in the booklet than singing tbe pedestrian songs. ~ William Ruhlmann

Reissue of Diana's classic 1995 CD and features 1 bonus track. EMI. 2005.

Engineers include: David "Frazeman" Frazer, Marc "Elvis" Reyburn, Matt Rohr.

Personnel: Diana Ross (vocals); Mark Portmann (conductor, piano, synthesizer, drums, programming); Bill Meyers, Frank "Killer Bee" Martin (conductor); Jon-John (various instruments); Ricardo Silveria (acoustic guitar, guitar); Ramon Stagnaro (acoustic guitar); Ted Pearlman, A. Ray Fuller, Vernon "Ice" Black (guitar); Mike "$" Mani, Monty Seward, Louis "Kingpin" Biancaniello (keyboards, synthesizer, programming); Scott Alspach (keyboards, percussion, programming); Bunny Hull (keyboards, programming, background vocals); Stephan Oberhoff (synthesizer); Colin Sauers, Charles Domanico (bass); Freddie Washington (electric bass); Michael White, Harvey Mason (drums); Ronald Brunner (drums, percussion); Luis Conte, Rafael Radilla (percussion); Patti Austin, Angela Bofill, Dee Dee O'Neil, Jeanie Tracy (background vocals).

Producers: Narada Michael Walden, Nick Martinelli, Brenda Russell, Jon-John, The Boom Brothers.