The Spice of Life is a smooth jazz studio album by Earl Klugh released in April 2008. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009.
Critical reception Mark Keresman of AllMusic, in a 3.5/5 stars review, claimed, "Smooth jazz guitarist Earl Klugh’s SPICE OF LIFE shows that he hasn’t lost any of his mellow flair...Variety, in this case, is the SPICE OF LIFE--Klugh effortlessly mixes straight-up jazz (a Thelonious Monk classic getting a Brazilian makeover), romantic R&B, chilled-out balladry, pop, and a touch of funk."
Rick Nowlin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in a 4/4 stars review, praised the album saying, "I've listened to a lot of the Detroit-born-and-bred acoustic guitarist, over the past three decades, both live and on record, and I must admit I've never heard him sound this good...I can only saw WoW."
Track listing All songs written by Earl Klugh, except where noted. "Ocean Blue" - 5:10 "Sleepyhead" - 5:09 "Canadian Sunset" (Norman Gimbel, Eddie Heywood) - 5:34 "Venezuelan Nights" - 2:35 "Driftin'" - 3:48 "Snap!" (Earl Klugh, Al Turner) - 4:41 "Bye Ya" (Thelonious Monk) - 3:59 "Heart of My Life" - 4:14 "Morning in Rio" - 5:27 "C'est si bon" (Henri Betti, André Hornez, Jerry Seelen)- 4:53 "Lucy's World" - 3:49 "My Foolish Heart" (Catherine Hinen, Ned Washington, Victor Young) - 6:18 "The Toy Guitar" - 2:36
Personnel Earl Klugh – acoustic guitars, rhythm arrangements (8), keyboards (9, 11), synthesizers (9, 11), percussion (11) David Spradley – keyboards (2, 6, 9), synthesizers (2, 6, 9) John Corrozzu – keyboards (5, 9), synthesizers (5, 9) Jeff Cox – acoustic bass (1, 3, 7, 10–12) Al Turner – electric string bass (2), electric bass (6, 9) Joe Reda – electric bass (5) Yonrico Scott – drums (1, 3, 7, 10, 12), percussion (5, 9, 11) Ron Otis – drums (2, 6, 9) Gene Dunlap – drum programming (2, 6, 9) Scott Meeder – drums (5), percussion (5, 9, 11) Bert Elliott – percussion (11) Lenny Price – wind synthesizer (2, 11), saxophone (6)
Chamber group on "Heart of My Life" Eddie Horst – arrangements and conductor Carl Nitchie – bassoon Ann E. Lilya – oboe Brice Andrus – French horn Daniel Laufer – cello William Paul Murphy – viola
Orchestra (Tracks 1, 3, 7, 10 & 12) Don Sebesky – orchestra arrangements and conductor Earl Klugh – rhythm arrangements John Miller – music coordinator Flutes Bob Bush – alto flute, bass flute Hubert Laws – alto flute, bass flute, C flute Pamela Sklar – alto flute, bass flute, C flute Keith Underwood – alto flute, bass flute, contrabass flute Percussion Gordon Gottlieb – vibraphone, shakers, mark tree Strings Laura Bontrager, Richard Locker and Sarah Siever – cello Grace Paradise – harp Kenji Bunch, Maxine Roach and Deborah Shufelt – viola Martin Agee, Cenovia Cummins, Eric Degioia, Rick Dolan, Cecilia Hobbs Gardner, Karen Karlsrud, Helen Kim, Laura Oatts, Carol Pool, Rob Shaw, Dale Stuckenbruck and Una Tone – violin
Production Earl Klugh – producer Gene Dunlap – associate producer (2, 6, 9) Audrey Birnbaum – production coordinator Denise Waichunas – production coordinator Matchstic – design Sandee Oliver – cover photography Teresa DeLappe – inlay sleeve photography, photo of Lucy
Technical credits Alan Silverman – mastering at Arf! Mastering (New York, NY) Gary Chester – mixing Bert Elliott – guitar engineer, additional tracking (5, 6, 9) Jim Czak – orchestra engineer (1, 3, 7, 10, 12) Logan Patton – rhythm section engineer (1, 3, 7, 10, 12) Eric Morgeson – rhythm section engineer (2, 6, 9, 11) Tom Tapley – rhythm section engineer (5, 6, 9, 11) Nev Walker – rhythm section engineer (8) Al Perotta – mix assistant Kyle Ford – assistant engineer (1, 3, 7, 10, 12) Bill Moss – assistant engineer (1, 3, 7, 10, 12) Todd Fairall – assistant engineer (2, 6, 9, 11) Tony Rizzo – assistant engineer (2, 6, 9, 11) Darren Tablan – assistant engineer (5, 6, 9, 11)
Charts + Album – Billboard Year Chart Position 2008 Top Contemporary Jazz 4 2009 Jazz Albums 8
References