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More Than Friends (album)

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More Than Friends
Studio album by
Jonathan Butler
Released1988
StudioBattery (London, England)
  • East Bay Studios (Tarrytown, New York)
  • Axis Studios, Z Studios, Mastersound, Soundtrack Studios, Soundworks (New York City, New York)
GenrePop, jazz
LabelJive[1]
ProducerBarry Eastmond, Loris Holland, Timmy Allen, Teddy Riley
Jonathan Butler chronology
Jonathan Butler
(1987) 		More Than Friends
(1988) 		Heal Our Land
(1990)

More Than Friends is an album by the South African musician Jonathan Butler, released in 1988.[2][3] The title track was released as a single.[4]

The album peaked at No. 113 on the Billboard 200.[5] Butler supported the album by touring with Najee and Angela Bofill.[6]

Production

[edit]

Butler made it a point to avoid writing about South Africa and its politics.[7] He added elements of hip hop to his sound on More Than Friends; "True Love Never Fails", a duet with Vanessa Bell Armstrong, incorporated gospel influences.[8][9][10] Butler did not feel like he was abandoning jazz so much as becoming more aware of popular music styles.[11] "Sekona" is an instrumental.[12]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[14]

The Washington Post opined that Butler "has all but abandoned whatever musical and vocal distinctiveness he once had in favor of his copycat commercial bent."[15] The Austin American-Statesman determined that the music "is upbeat and infectious with a backbeat that overpowers its occasional lapses into formulaic radio fare."[16] The Richmond Times-Dispatch called More Than Friends a "slickly produced album" that "moves toward the pop mainstream."[17]

AllMusic wrote that the album "continued the de-emphasis on his guitar playing, and was his biggest, most lavishly produced set."[13]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."There's One Born Every Minute (I'm a Sucker for You)"Jonathan Butler, Jolyon Skinner4:57
2."Breaking Away"Butler, Skinner, Loris Holland4:45
3."More Than Friends"Butler, Skinner5:16
4."Take Me Home"Butler4:43
5."True Love Never Fails (duet with Vanessa Bell Armstrong)"Butler, Skinner5:18
6."She's a Teaser"Butler, Skinner4:19
7."She's Hot (Burning Up)"Butler, Skinner4:10
8."Sarah Sarah"Butler, Skinner5:04
9."It's So Hard to Let You Go"Butler, Skinner4:53
10."Sekona"Butler4:40

CD track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."There's One Born Every Minute (I'm a Sucker for You)"Butler, Skinner4:57
2."Breaking Away"Butler, Skinner, Holland4:45
3."More Than Friends"Butler, Skinner5:16
4."Take Me Home"Butler4:43
5."True Love Never Fails"Butler, Skinner5:18
6."Melodie"Butler, Barry Eastmond4:40
7."She's a Teaser"Butler, Skinner4:19
8."She's Hot (Burning Up)"Butler, Skinner4:10
9."Sarah Sarah"Butler, Skinner5:04
10."It's So Hard to Let You Go"Butler, Skinner4:53
11."Sekona"Butler4:40
12."Forever"Butler, Eastmond4:50

Personnel

[edit]
  • Jonathan Butler – vocals (1-10, 12), backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 7, 9-12), acoustic guitar (3-6, 11, 12), lead guitar (8)
  • Barry Eastmond – keyboards (1, 3-7, 9-12), drum programming (1, 5, 6, 9), programming (3, 7, 11, 12), acoustic piano solo (7), synth bass (9), percussion (11)
  • Loris Holland – keyboards (2, 5), drum programming (5), backing vocals (5)
  • Pete Q. Harris – Fairlight programming (1, 2)
  • Jim Baker – Fairlight programming (2)
  • Eric Rehl – keyboards (7), programming (7)
  • Teddy Riley – keyboards (8), drum programming (8)
  • Lance Saban – electric guitars (2)
  • Wayne Braithwaite – bass guitar (2, 4, 10)
  • Timmy Allen – drum programming (3, 7), backing vocals (3, 7)
  • Steve Ferrone – drums (4)
  • Buddy Williams – drum overdubs (5), drums (11)
  • Terry Silverlight – drums (10, 12)
  • Bashiri Johnson – percussion (3, 4)
  • V. Jeffrey Smith – saxophone (2, 5), backing vocals (2)
  • Najee – alto saxophone (9)
  • Marc Russo – alto saxophone (10)
  • Will Downing – backing vocals (1)
  • Curtis King – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 12)
  • Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals (1)
  • Joyce Stovall – backing vocals (1, 2)
  • Darryl Tookes – backing vocals (1, 7)
  • Audrey Wheeler – backing vocals (1, 3), voice (1)
  • Deborah Cooper – backing vocals (2, 9, 10, 12)
  • Natalie Jackson – backing vocals (2)
  • Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (2)
  • Sandra St. Victor – backing vocals (2)
  • Vanessa Bell Armstrong – vocals (5)
  • Alfa Anderson – backing vocals (5)
  • Jocelyn Brown – backing vocals (5)
  • Marva King – backing vocals (5)
  • Charmaine Yates – backing vocals (5)
  • The Darryl Douglas Workshop Choir – choir (5)
  • Darryl Douglas – choral arrangements and conductor (5)
  • Lee Drakeford – backing vocals (8)
  • Aaron Hall – backing vocals (8)
  • Yolanda Lee – backing vocals (9, 10, 12)
  • Vaneese Thomas – backing vocals (9, 10, 12)
  • Janice Dempsey – backing vocals (11)
  • Brenda White-King – backing vocals (11)

Production

[edit]
  • Barry Eastmond – producer (1, 3-7, 9-12)
  • Loris Holland – producer (2, 5)
  • Timmy Allen – producer (3, 7)
  • Teddy Riley – producer (8)
  • Nigel Green – mixing (1, 10, 12)
  • Bryan "Chuck" New – mixing (2-9, 11)
  • Mike Allaire – recording engineer
  • Ron Banks – recording engineer
  • Carl Beatty – recording engineer
  • JC – recording engineer
  • Bill Esses – recording engineer
  • Don Feinberg – recording engineer
  • Jim Hanneman – recording engineer
  • Dennis Mitchell – recording engineer
  • Jonathan Elliott – design
  • Zombart – design
  • Peter Mountain – photography
  • Sheila Rock – photography

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Thompson, Dave (April 2, 2019). Goldmine Record Album Price Guide. Penguin.
  2. ^ "Jonathan Butler Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ^ Duffy, Thom (27 Nov 1988). "Music". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 7.
  4. ^ Heckman, Don (28 Mar 1989). "Jonathan Butler Did It—A Star in the Making". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 6.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2010). Top Pop Albums (7th ed.). Record Research Inc. p. 123.
  6. ^ Jones IV, James T. (28 Feb 1989). "Good Friends tour fuses jazz and soul". USA Today. p. 5D.
  7. ^ Gallo, Phil (February 17, 1989). "South African Butler tries his hand at apolitical pop". Weekend Guide. New Haven Register. p. 34.
  8. ^ Miller, Michael (February 17, 1989). "Jonathan Butler, Jack of All-Musical Trades, to Perform". The State. Columbia. p. 1B.
  9. ^ DeVault, Russ (March 10, 1989). "South African Jonathan Butler Overcame Drug Addiction to Make Musical Comeback". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. D10.
  10. ^ Smith, Brad (February 21, 1989). "Butler's star quality shines at Paramount". Living. The Republican. Springfield. p. 27.
  11. ^ Ruffin, Mark (March 3, 1989). "Former South African idol finds more success in U.S.". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 25.
  12. ^ Eichenberger, Bill (March 3, 1989). "3 Offer Ups, Downs and Even Some Jazz". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 8D.
  13. ^ a b "More Than Friends". AllMusic.
  14. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 92.
  15. ^ Brown, Joe (24 Feb 1989). "On the evidence of the less-than-enthralling 'More Than Friends'...". The Washington Post. p. N19.
  16. ^ Point, Michael (17 Mar 1989). "Jivin' Jonathan". Austin American-Statesman. p. F1.
  17. ^ Farmer, Robin (February 24, 1989). "Childhood Gift Fashioned South African Musicians's Life". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. C1.
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