Robbery [Bonus Tracks]
Robbery
A protracted absence from the studio (a one-year release gap in the '80s was equal to a five-year gap in the early 2000s) caused by a notorious legal dispute with Motown did little to stall Teena Marie s momentum. Robbery Marie s fifth album and first for Epic didn't perform nearly as well on the pop chart as 1981's It Must Be Magic but the devout black following remained, which obviously had no problem with Marie s discreet slipping of a little more rock and Latin jazz into her R&B Epic wisely let their new acquisition do her thing -- it's the first album written completely by Marie and the gradual development in her sound would pay off tenfold with 1984's crossover hit "Lovergirl." (Meanwhile, Marie s ex-label was nurturing D.O.A. projects like Monalisa Young s Knife and Groove Patrol s Inergy ) So is Robbery merely transitional? Not at all. While directing a rotating cast of support, including but not limited to the Average White Band s Steve Ferrone go-to Brazilian percussionist Paulinho Da Costa and undervalued keyboard wiz Patrice Rushen Marie comes up with a set of songs that rivals anything she did for Motown There's a little bit of everything here. It's varied but focused, however, highlighted by the torrid mid-tempo groove "Midnight Magic," the club hit "Fix It," and a trio of excellent ballads in "Dear Lover," the particularly elegant "Casanova Brown," and one of the finest Minnie Riperton tributes -- whether intentional or not -- in "Shadow Boxing." Though the album contains some of the then-up-to-date technology that flawed a lot of other albums released in 1983, Marie knew not to go hog-wild with it. [Epic/Legacy s 2005 reissue has excellent sound and adds three bonus tracks: extended mixes of "Playboy" and "Fix It," as well as the instrumental version of "Midnight Magnet." It's a copy-protected disc and won't play on some computers.] ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
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Credits »
Teena Marie - Arranger
Teena Marie - Producer
Teena Marie - Vocal Arrangement
Teena Marie - Horn Arrangements
Teena Marie - String Arrangements
Teena Marie - Rhythm Arrangements
Teena Marie - Synthesizer Arrangements
Teena Marie - Monologue
Steven Berkowitz - A&R
Harry Bluestone - Concert Master
Lynn Goldsmith - Photography
Paul Jackson, Jr. - Soloist
Daniel LeMelle - Soloist
Eric O'Neal - Synthesizer Arrangements
Joseph M. Palmaccio - Mastering
Paul Riser - Conductor
Paul Riser - Horn Arrangements
Paul Riser - String Arrangements
Paul Riser - String Conductor
Leo Sacks - Reissue Producer
Brian Chin - Liner Notes
Fred Mirza - Horn Arrangements
Fred Mirza - String Arrangements
Howard Fritzson - Art Direction
Nathan Watts - Rhythm Arrangements
Ron Slenzak - Photography
Ron Slenzak - Cover Photo
Dwayne Wedlaw - Synthesizer Arrangements
Mickey Hearn - Monologue
Patti Matheny - A&R
Patti Matheny - Artist Coordination
Jeremy Holiday - A&R
Jeremy Holiday - Artist Coordination
Stacey Boyle - A&R
Stacey Boyle - Artist Coordination
Darren Salmieri - A&R
Darren Salmieri - Artist Coordination
Joy Gilbert Monfried - Project Director
Jo Hay - Design
Anthony Allan Brockert - Monologue
Robert Brooks - Engineer
Robert Brooks - Mixing
Dianne Spoto - Packaging Manager
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