The Essence of Melissa Manchester is a comprehensive overview of her decade's worth of recordings for Arista. During her stint at the label, she was at the peak of her popularity, racking up a string of adult contemporary hits including "Midnight Blue," "Just Too Many People," "Just You and I," "Don't Cry Out Loud," "Pretty Girls," the Peabo Bryson duet "Lovers After All," and "You Should Hear How She Talks About You." All of those hits, plus several lesser-known gems like "Whenever I Call You Friend," are included on this terrific compilation, which is a definitive retrospective of her finest recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
The Essence of Melissa Manchester
05/20/1997 | Arista
All Music Guide Review
The Essence of Melissa Manchester Track Listing
Credits of The Essence of Melissa Manchester
- Linda Feldman
- Assistant Engineer
- David Manchester
- Bassoon
- Bob Mann
- Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar
- Arif Mardin
- Producer, Remixing
- Harry Maslin
- Producer, Engineer
- Randy McCormick
- Bassoon, Rhythm Track Arrangement, Keyboards
- Glenn Meadows
- Mastering
- Jay Messina
- Engineer
- Leslie Miller
- Vocals (Background)
- Andy Muson
- Bass
- Michael O'Reilly
- Remixing, Assistant Engineer
- Gene Orloff
- Choir Master
- Bill Payne
- Piano
- Richard Perry
- Executive Producer
- Vini Poncia
- Vocals (Background), Producer
- Billy Radice
- Engineer, Mixing
- Larold Rebhun
- Assistant Engineer
- Lee Ritenour
- Guitar
- Tom Robb
- Bass
- Lenny Roberts
- Engineer
- Gray Russell
- Assistant Engineer
- Tom Saviano
- Arranger, Conductor, Saxophone
- Bob Schaper
- Engineer, Remixing
- Allan Schwartzberg
- Drums
- Phil (Boogie) Schier
- Mixing
- Bill Schnee
- Remixing
- Jackson Schwartz
- Mixing Assistant
- Stanley Schwartz
- Clarinet, Clavinet, Piano (Electric), Saxophone, Sax (Tenor), Piano
- Jay Scott
- Sax (Alto)
- Ed Seay
- Engineer, Mixing
- Sid Sharp
- Choir Master
- Jeremy Smith
- Engineer
- Reed Stanley
- Assistant Engineer
- Gary Starr
- Engineer
- Julian Stoll
- Assistant Engineer
- James Stroud
- Percussion, Drums
- Steve Tischer
- Bass, Chalmers, Fender Rhodes
- Linda Tyler
- Assistant Engineer
- Nick VanMaarth
- Assistant Engineer
- Steve Waldman
- Engineer
- Richard Wells
- Assistant Engineer
- Millie Whiteside
- Vocals (Background)
- Larry Williams
- Sax (Alto)
- David Wolfert
- Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Clavinet, Guitar
- Arnold McCuller
- Vocals (Background)
- Hank Medress
- Percussion, Mixing, Arranger, Producer
- Leon Ware
- Vocals (Background), Producer
- Thom Wilson
- Assistant Engineer
- Kevin Hodge
- Mastering
- Greg Philinganes
- Piano (Electric)
- Milt Calise
- Engineer
- George Devenes
- Percussion, Vibraphone, Conga
- Alex Kashevaroff
- Engineer
- Rick Ash
- Assistant Engineer
- Steve Conger
- Assistant Engineer
- Ron Alvaro
- Mixing Assistant
- Dave Appell
- Guitar (Acoustic), Producer
- Carole Bayer Sager
- Liner Notes
- David T. Walker
- Guitar (Electric)
- Jim Keltner
- Drums
- David Nadien
- Choir Master
- Joe Bellamy
- Assistant Engineer
- Harry Bluestone
- Violin, Choir Master
- Tim Boyle
- Engineer
- Russ Bracher
- Assistant Engineer
- Kirk Bruner
- Percussion, Vocals (Background), Drums
- Robbie Buchanan
- Synthesizer, Rhythm Arrangements
- Steve Buckingham
- Guitar, Producer, Rhythm Track Arrangement
- Mickey Buckins
- Percussion
- Dennis Budimir
- Guitar
- Larry Byrom
- Guitar
- Lenny Castro
- Percussion, Vocals (Background)
- Alan Chinowsky
- Engineer
- Tommy Cooper
- Assistant Engineer
- Christopher Dedrick
- Organ, Strings, Trumpet, Conductor, Horn, Piano (Electric), Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements, Woodwind Arrangement
- Didier C. Deutsch
- Compilation Producer
- Steve Dorff
- String Arrangements
- Barry Fasman
- Arranger, Conductor, Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements, Woodwind Arrangement
- Alan Feingold
- Keyboards
- Carla Fredricks
- Assistant Engineer
- James Gadson
- Drums, Electric Drums
- Lewis Hahn
- Assistant Engineer, Remix Assistant
- Ula Hedwig
- Vocals (Background)
- Jean Hugo
- Choir Master
- David Hungate
- Bass
- Abraham Laboriel
- Bass
- Trevor Lawrence
- Sax (Tenor)
- Will Lee
- Vocals (Background)
- John Cooker Lopresti
- Bass, Vocals (Background)
- Steve Lukather
- Guitar
- The Dixie Hummingbirds
- Vocals (Background)
- Peabo Bryson
- Vocals
- Paul Davis
- Vocals (Background)
- Melissa Manchester
- Piano, Arranger, Piano (Electric), Vocals, Vocals (Background), Clavinet, Main Performer
- Don Grolnick
- Organ
- James Newton Howard
- Synthesizer, Piano (Electric)
- Chuck Rainey
- Bass

















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