Positive (Peabo Bryson album)

Positive is a studio album by the American singer Peabo Bryson, released in January 1988 by Elektra Records.[1][2] The album peaked at number 157 on the US Billboard 200 and number 42 on the Billboard R&B albums chart. It was the last album Bryson recorded for Elektra before he briefly returned to Capitol Records.[3] Positive was supported by the single "Without You", which was also the theme song to Leonard Part 6.[4]

Positive
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 1988
GenreSoul, R&B
Length45:01
LabelElektra
Producer
Peabo Bryson chronology
Quiet Storm
(1986)
Positive
(1988)
All My Love
(1989)

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]

The Kingston Whig-Standard wrote that Bryson's "voice flutters and soars, delicate one moment, powerful the next, duelling with the different instruments."[5] The Washington Post deemed Bryson "a smoothly persuasive soul man, not too pleading, not too aggressive."[4]

Ron Wynn of AllMusic called Positive "largely undistinguished, although [Bryson] sang with more conviction and got better material and production than on most of his other Elektra albums. He scored another hit with a familiar weapon: the duet. This time his partner was Regina Belle."[3]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Come on Over Tonight"Jimmy Scott3:47
2."Without You (Love Theme from Leonard Part 6)" (duet with Regina Belle)Lamont Dozier
  • Powell
  • Sir Gant
5:15
3."Hurt"
  • Powell
  • Sir Gant
3:34
4."I Want to Know"Peabo Bryson
  • Bryson
  • Dwight W. Watkins
4:28
5."Tonight"Bryson
  • Bryson
  • Watkins
4:41
6."Positive"
  • Allister Campbell
  • Peter Quigley
  • Powell
  • Sir Gant
5:02
7."When We Need It Bad"
  • Powell
  • Sir Gant
4:58
8."This Time Around"Bryson
  • Bryson
  • Watkins
4:29
9."Still Water"Bryson
  • Bryson
  • Watkins
4:35
10."Crazy Love" (CD-only track)
  • Powell
  • Sir Gant
4:12

Personnel and credits

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Musicians

  • Peabo Bryson – lead vocals, keyboards (4, 5, 8, 9), arrangements (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Gary Barlough – Synclavier programming (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
  • Dean Gant – keyboards (1, 7), Synclavier (1-3, 6, 7, 10), synth bass (1, 7), arrangements (1-3, 6, 7, 10), acoustic piano (2), synthesizers (2-6, 10), BGV arrangements (10)
  • Vernon Fails – electric piano (2)
  • George Martin – keyboards (4, 5, 8, 9), computer programming (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Dwight W. Watkins – keyboards (4, 5, 8, 9), bass (4, 5, 8, 9), computer programming (4, 5, 8, 9), backing vocals (4, 5, 8, 9), arrangements (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Michael J. Powell – guitars (1-3, 6, 7, 10), arrangements (1-3, 6, 7, 10), BGV arrangements (7, 10)
  • Anthony Jackson – bass (2)
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass (3)
  • Nathan East – bass (10)
  • Vinnie Colaiuta – drums (1, 7, 10)
  • Steve Ferrone – drums (2)
  • Jonathan Moffett – drums (3)
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 7, 10)
  • Brandon Fields – saxophone solo (1, 6, 7, 10)
  • Justo Almario – saxophone solo (3)
  • George Del Barrio – string arrangements (2)
  • Keni Burke – backing vocals (1, 7, 10), BGV arrangements (1, 7)
  • Brenda Jones Williams – backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 7-10)
  • Shirley Jones – backing vocals (1, 7, 10)
  • Regina Belle – lead vocals (2)
  • Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (2, 6)
  • Bunny Hull – backing vocals (2, 6)
  • Marva King – backing vocals (2, 6)
  • Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals (2), BGV arrangements (2)
  • Valerie Pinkston – backing vocals (2, 6)
  • Charles Bryson – backing vocals (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Myra Walker – backing vocals (4, 5, 8, 9)

Production

  • Dean Gant – producer (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
  • Michael J. Powell – producer (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
  • Peabo Bryson – producer (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Dwight W. Watkins – producer (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Barney Perkins – engineer (1-3, 6, 7, 10), recording (2-6, 8, 9), mixing (2-6, 8, 9)
  • Greg Townley – additional recording (1, 7, 10)
  • Tom Wright – additional recording (1, 7, 10), recording (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Fred Law – additional recording (2, 3, 6)
  • Keith Seppenen – additional recording (2, 3, 6)
  • Milton Chan – assistant engineer (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
  • Andy Harper – assistant engineer (1, 7, 10)
  • Elliott Peters – assistant engineer (1-3, 6, 7, 10)
  • Andrew Spiegelman – assistant engineer (2, 3, 6)
  • Gerard Smerek – assistant engineer (2, 3, 6)
  • Tom Kidd – recording (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Barry Leff – assistant engineer (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Steve McCormick – assistant engineer (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Lewis Padgett – assistant engineer (4, 5, 8, 9)
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering
  • Carol Bobolts – art direction, design
  • Gilles Larrain – photography

Studios

  • Recorded at Cheshire Sound Studios (Atlanta, Georgia); Ambience Recorders (Farmington Hills, Michigan); Yamaha R & D Studio (Glendale, California); Electric Lady Studios (New York City, New York).
  • Mixed at Yamaha R & D Studio.
  • Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California).

Charts

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Chart (1988) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[6] 157
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] 42

References

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  1. ^ Heim, Chris (4 Mar 1988). "Peabo Bryson, Positive". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 55.
  2. ^ Hiltbrand, David (Apr 18, 1988). "Song". People. 29 (15): 22.
  3. ^ a b c Wynn, Ron. "Positive". AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Brown, Joe (25 Mar 1988). "Ballads Make a Better Bryson". The Washington Post. p. N19.
  5. ^ Burliuk, Greg (12 Mar 1988). "Positive Peabo Bryson". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 1.
  6. ^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  7. ^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2021.