Love Breeze is the sixth studio album by the American musician Smokey Robinson, released in 1978. It was arranged by Sonny Burke. It peaked at No. 75 on the Billboard 200.
Critical reception
The Bay State Banner determined that "Smokey is content to master today's wah-wah-ing and orchestral perfumery, as his production stretches the music so thin it nearly breaks: soloists' one-notes stand as alone as Smokey's voice." In 2011, The New Yorker wrote: "The record has uncomfortable duds, like 'Shoe Soul', which takes a pedestrian pun to absurd lengths, but also songs like 'Daylight and Darkness', which poses a number of increasingly pointed questions about a lover's mood swings. The music is smooth, easy listening unless you're really listening."
Track listing
Side one "Why You Wanna See My Bad Side" (Smokey Robinson, Janie Bradford) - (3:45) "Love So Fine" (Smokey Robinson) - (4:34) "Feeling You, Feeling Me" (Homer Talbert, Jerry Butler) - (3:52) "Madam X" (words: Smokey Robinson; music: Marv Tarplin) - (6:28)
Side two "Shoe Soul" (words: Smokey Robinson; music: Mike Sutton, Brenda Sutton) - (4:41) "Trying It Again" (Smokey Robinson, Richard Williams) - (4:53) "Daylight and Darkness" (Smokey Robinson, Rose Ella Jones) - (4:00) "I'm Loving You Softly" (Kennis Jones) - (4:29)
Personnel Smokey Robinson – lead and backing vocals John Barnes, Sylvester Rivers – keyboards James Bradford – bass piano Reginald "Sonny" Burke – keyboards, arrangements (1, 2, 4–8) Ronnie McNeir – Fender Rhodes Fred Ross – organ Michael Sutton – keyboards, clavinet Marlo Henderson, Rick Littlefield, Marvin Tarplin, Wah-Wah Watson, David T. Walker – guitar Scott Edwards, James Jamerson, Chuck Rainey, David Shields, Wayne Tweed – bass guitar James Gadson, Ed Greene, Scotty Harris – drums Paulinho da Costa – percussion James Sledge – congas, backing vocals Bob Zimmitti – percussion, vibraphone Fred Smith – flutes, reeds, solos Michael Jacobsen – cello Bob "Boogie" Bowles – arrangements (3) Kim Richmond – horn arrangements (5) Arthur G. Wright – rhythm and string arrangements (5) Melba Bradford – backing vocals Cheryl Cooper – backing vocals Ivory Davis – backing vocals Patricia Henley – backing vocals Jesse Richardson – backing vocals Claudette Robinson – backing vocals Brenda Sutton – backing vocals
Production Producers – Smokey Robinson (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 & 8); Jerry Butler and Homer Talbert (Track 3); Mike and Brenda Sutton (Track 5) Engineers – Don Boehret, Michael Lizzio, Barney Perkins, Bob Robitaille, Michael Schuman, Art Stewart and Art White. Assistant Engineer – James Warmack Recorded at Motown Recording Studios (Hollywood, CA); ABC Recording Studios (Los Angeles, CA); Kendun Recorders (Burbank, CA). Mixed by Russ Terrana Mastered by Jack Andrews Mixed and Mastered at Motown Recording Studios (Hollywood, CA). Art Direction and Design – Wriston Jones Illustration – Brian Zick
References