Bonafide (Maxi Priest album)
Bonafide is the fourth studio album by the English pop/reggae singer Maxi Priest. It was released in 1990 by Charisma Records. The album peaked at number 47 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, while its biggest hit, "Close to You", was a smash, peaking at number one that year.
Three other singles were issued: "Human Work of Art", "Just a Little Bit Longer" and "Space in My Heart". However, the success of "Close to You" drove the album to gold status, which it received on 30 January 1991 by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Critical reception
The AllMusic review by Ron Wynn stated: "Priest scored a #1 pop hit with 'Close to You' from this album, which is more pop/R&B with a reggae touch than it is real reggae." The Los Angeles Times wrote that the album "avoids the scattershot syndrome that often afflicts projects with multiple producers." The Milwaukee Sentinel called Bonafide a "tour de force" and "smooth, seductive, stylistic and very, very addictive."Personnel
- Maxi Priest – vocals, backing vocals
- Handel Tucker – keyboards, drum programming, arrangements, bass, keyboard bass
- Robbie Lyn – keyboard bass, synthesizers, keyboards
- Peter D. Rose – keyboards, keyboard bass, drums, drum programming
- Martyn Phillips – keyboards
- Carlton "Bubblers" Ogilvie – keyboards, drums, drum programming, arrangements
- Danny Browne – acoustic piano, keyboards, guitars
- Leo Grant – keyboards
- Stanley Andrew – guitars
- Leroy "Mafia" Heywood – bass
- Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson – bass
- Robbie Shakespeare – bass
- Sly Dunbar – drums, drum programming, arrangements
- Nellee Hooper – drums, drum programming, arrangements
- Cleveland "Clevie" Browne – drums
- Erskine Thompson – vibraphone
- Luís Jardim – percussion
- Rass Brass – horns
- Ray Carless – saxophones
- Dennis Rollins – trombone
- Barbara Snow – trumpet
- Howard Ball – violin
- Bill Benham – violin
- Dean Fraser – vocal arrangements, horns
- Geoffrey Chung – arrangements
- Jazzie B – arrangements, DJ
- The Music Works Crew – arrangements
- Brian and Tony Gold – backing vocals
- Nadine Sutherland – backing vocals
- Paul Robinson – backing vocals
- Janice Hoyle – backing vocals
- Beverley Skeete – backing vocals
- Claudia Fontaine – backing vocals
- Cleveland Watkiss – backing vocals
- Donald Campbell – backing vocals
- Toyin Adekale – backing vocals
- Derrick Cross – backing vocals
- Kimberley James – backing vocals
- Pam Hall – backing vocals
- J.C. Lodge – backing vocals
- Stanley "Stanrick" Ricketts – backing vocals
- Gavin "Fullness" Sant – backing vocals
- Junior Tucker – backing vocals
- Mykell Riley – string contractor
- Ellen Blair, Pamela Crawford, Ivan Hussey, Stephen Hussey, Sara Lorwenthal, Yolisa Phahle and John Taylor – string players
Production
- Maxi Priest – executive producer, additional production
- Erskine Thompson – executive producer
- Augustus "Gussie" Clarke – producer
- Geoffrey Chung – producer
- Sly Dunbar – producer
- Handel Tucker – producer
- Phil Bodger – additional production
- Peter D. Rose – additional production
- Nellee Hooper – producer
- Beresford "Jazzie B" Romero – producer
- Carlton Ogilvie – producer, additional production
- Paul Rabiger – additional production
- Donovan Germaine – producer
- Leroy "Mafia" Heywood – additional production
- Stylorouge – art direction, design
- Eamon J. McCabe – photography
- Level Vibes Ltd. – management
- Sylvester Gordon – recording
- Courtney Small – recording
- Paul Rabiger – mix engineer, mixing, remix engineer, remixing, recording
- Jeremy Allom – recording
- Phil Bodger – mixing, mix engineer
- Dominic Robson – recording
- Peter D. Rose – mixing
- Nellee Hooper – mixing
- Jazzie B – mixing
- Guy Fixsen – recording
- Marcus Lindsey – recording
- Carlton Ogilvie – mixing
- Ruddy Thomas – recording
- Steven Stanley – mixing
- William Stuart – recording
- Leo Grant – mix assistant, mix engineer