Stories Behind The Songs-

Produced by Keith Anderson and Bobby Sparks Keith Anderson-Tenor Sax/Flute Jason Thomas-Drums Bobby Sparks- Organ/Synth Marcus Miller- Bass Phil Lassiter-Trumpet Patches Stewart-Trumpet Solo Todd Parsnow-Guitar >>>>>>>This is a very special song for me. I wrote this song for Marcus Miller after jamming with him at the Nice Jazz Festival. Then a year later, to have him ask me to join his band, and have him play on the song that I wrote for him, I’m at a loss for words. He was hittin’ so hard, I had to start the record with his classic bass sound. Then Patches came along and put the icing on heavy.

Produced by Keith Anderson and Bernard Wright Keith Anderson-Tenor Sax Bobby Sparks- Organ Mark Simmons- Drums Al James- Guitar Jason Bell- Guitar Wes Stephens- Bass Bob Brockman- Percussion Bernard Wright- Fender Rhodes >>>>>>>When I wrote this song, I was just reminising on my teenage days, and the places I use to hang out. Kiest and Polk was just a popular intersection. I must say, everytime I pass that intersection now, it just takes me back to 1987. I was rolling through, and I saw James Clay walking down the street. I pulled over and asked him if he wanted a ride. He got in, and I must tell you, he broke down the art of playing saxophone in 15 minutes. I’ll never forget him saying, ”Moe, don’t forget, you’re supposed to play the saxophone, don’t let it play you.” Sad to say", it took me another 10 years to figure out what he was saying. So this song represents a new understanding for me.

Produced by Keith Anderson and Angela Blair Keith Anderson-Soprano/Tenor Sax Bobby Sparks-Fender Rhodes/Organ/Minimoog Todd Parsnow-Guitar Jason Thomas-Drums Angela Blair-Background Vocals Donessa Washington-Background Vocals >>>>>>>This is the first song I ever wrote. I was going through old cassettes, and when I saw this song, I freaked out. I couldn’t believe I forgot about this one. I really wanted to make this into a vocal song, but I just had play it the way I wrote it 20 years ago. So I asked my good friend to help me reach a happy medium. Unfortunately, right before we started to record, I got a call about a gig which I forgot about that started in 30 minutes, and was on the other side of town. So I left Angela and Donessa to hook up the vocal backgrounds. I really liked what they came up with. Later, me and Angela tweaked everything.

Produced by Keith Anderson and Les McCann Keith Anderson- Tenor Sax/Synth Bass Chuck Smith- Bass Les McCann- Synth Pads Bongo-Percussion Jason Thomas-Drums Patches Stewart- Trumpet David Butler- Trombone Todd Parsnow-Guitar >>>>>>>Before I get into this song, I must say to those of you who don’t already know, Les McCann is crazy as heck. Dave Chapelle don’t have nothin' on this cat. Les is my best friend in the world, and I attribute all of my success in this very hard business to the 12 years of schooling I got touring with him. I was trying to reach that European Trance crowd on this song. I saw Femi Kuti a couple of years ago, and I loved the whole rhythm aspect of what they were doing. They had these kids absolutely mesmerized, so I was trying to recreate what they were doing, and take it in a different direction with the outtest chord progressions possible. And there was no choice but to call on the outtest person I know, Les McCann. I didn’t even let him hear the song, I just told him like he did me 15 years ago on my very fist gig with him, just play.

Produced by Keith Anderson and Bobby Sparks Keith Anderson-Tenor Sax Bernard Wright-Mini Moog Bobby Sparks-Fender Rhodes Jason Thomas-Drums >>>>>>>This was to be a two minute interlude, but it seems to have taken a heck of a detour. We had no engineer this night, so I ran in the control room and pushed record, and ran back and started playing. This was a one take joint that lasted 15 minutes. Before we started, I played the demo track for the guys, which I did in GarageBand. After we finished, it sounded nothing like the demo. LOL. But it was freakin’ incredible. This is a true representation of chemistry.

Produced by Keith Anderson and Bernard Wright Keith Anderson-Tenor Sax David Sanborn-Alto Sax Bernard Wright-Keyboards Bobby Sparks-Mini Moog Dean Brown-Guitar Todd Parsnow-Guitar Jason Thomas-Drums >>>>>>>I went to go see David Sanborn at the Montreux Jazz Festival 2005. We hung out a while after the show and talked about the music business. He opened my eyes to a lot of thing I didn’t have a clue about. He gave me his number, and told me, “If I can help you in any way, feel free call me.” Well, needless to say, when I called him, he did exactly what he said he would, and he played my song like he wrote it. Dave is a class act, and I’m so thankful to have him on this song with me.

Produced by Keith Anderson Keith Anderson-Alto Sax Kirk Whalum-Tenor Sax Roy Hargrove-Trumpet Jason Thomas-Drums Bobby Sparks-Organ/Clavinet Bernard Wright-Synth/Rhodes Wes Stephens-Bass Al James-Guitar Todd Parsnow-Guitar >>>>>>>All I can say is that this was fun. The rhythm tracks and Bernard‘s solo were laid live. Kirk was in Dallas playing, and I went to his hotel with my M-box and recorded him in his room. We used a horn case as a mike stand, and it turned out great. Me and Roy ended up hanging out in Tokyo, and did the exact same thing. Except we almost got kicked out of the hotel for Roy playing this high energy solo for me at 3AM. Technology can be dangerous.

Produced by Keith Anderson Keith Anderson-Soprano/Tenor/Baritone Sax/Flute Pino Palladino-Bass Jason Thomas-Drums Bobby Sparks-Organ Phil Lasitter-Trumpet Wes Cross-Guitar >>>>>>>Treasure City was a department store in my neighborhood. Everytime I got some extra cash, I would go there, and head straight for the toy department. I wanted to write something that described that happy feeling I had everytime I left that store with a new toy. I asked my good friend Wes Cross to play some of that old country skank-a-lank guitar on top. It just turned from giddy and happy kinda funky. Then Pino came and relaid the bass part, and Treasure City became really happy, and a lot funkier.

Produced by Keith Anderson and Bernard Wright Keith Anderson-Tenor/Soprano Sax Bernard Wright-Piano Les McCann-Synth Pad Bobby Sparks-Synth Bass Jason Thomas-Drums >>>>>>>This song just simply says try to all ways look at the big picture. We find ourselves most of the time getting worked up and frustrated over things that have absolutely no merit. Some things are worth fighting over, but most of the things we get bent out of shape about, are really not. And more so than anyone else, I’m talking to myself.

Produced by Keith Anderson and Bobby Sparks Keith Anderson-Soprano/Baritone Sax Karl Denson-Tenor Sax Bernard Wright-Mini Moog Bobby Sparks-Fender Rhodes Jason Thomas-Drums >>>>>>>We are back with Part 2. I called Karl Denson and said I got this 30 sec spot I need you on. I emailed him a stereo track, He played on it and emailed it back to me within the hour. We started to go further out on this section. Bobby reached way back and landed in the Herbie zone. I had to come strong behind that crazy solo, so I ran my sax through a guitar amp and multiple effects, and pretended I was Scofield. I was talking to my little brother and he said he had written a few things to rap over that 2 minute original demo I had for this song. I was like OK, don’t come over here talking about shooting cops, hoes and blinging. He was like that ain’t my style. So he let me hear what he had written, and we recorded him. He turned out to be a great addition to the saga of this song.

Produced by Keith Anderson Keith Anderson-Tenor Sax/Rhodes Roy Hargrove-Fleugelhorn Bernard Wright-Keyboards Bobby Sparks-Mini Moog Jason Thomas-Drums >>>>>>>Don’t let this one getcha in trouble. It says exactly what it is. Ecstasy…

Produced by Keith Anderson and Bobby Sparks Keith Anderson-Soprano/Tenor Sax Bernard Wright-Mini Moog Bobby Sparks-Fender Rhodes/Synth Pads Jason Thomas-Drums >>>>>>>The finale, we made to the end of this 15 min saga, now I get a chance to battle my tenor sax with my new distortion guitar based soprano sax. This was really fun. I’m going to offer this song complete on my new live CD coming up. It’s really kool to hear this song in its entirety to see how we got from section to section.

Produced by Keith Anderson Keith Anderson-Tenor Sax Bernard Wright-Fender Rhodes/Synth/Strings Bobby Sparks-Mini Moog/Clavinet B3 Jason Thomas-Drums Dean Brown-Guitar >>>>>>>This is just down right funky. Everybody is in the pocket and grooving. Dean came in and blazed it at the end and that’s all she wrote.

Produced by Keith Anderson Keith Anderson-Tenor Sax >>>>>>>This is my way of saying no matter what you are going through, you can make it if you believe and trust in the Lord.