Pushing the Envelope (album)
Pushing the Envelope is the twelfth studio album by saxophonist Gerald Albright, released in 2010 on Heads Up Records. This album peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 2 on the US Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Critical reception
Alex Henderson of AllMusic stated "despite the presence of a few weak tracks, Pushing the Envelope on the whole isn't a bad album. Anyone who owns a copy of Live at Birdland West knows that Albright is capable of a lot more, but even so, this disc has more going for it than a lot of the smooth jazz-oriented releases of 2010."Accolades
Pushing the Envelope was Grammy nominated in the category of Best Pop Instrumental Album.Track listing
All songs written by Gerald Albright, except where noted.- "What Would James Do?" - 5:32
- "Get on the Floor" - 4:56
- "Bobo's Groove" - 5:02
- "Capetown Strut" - 4:52
- "Close to You" - 4:57
- "I Found the Klugh" - 5:36
- "Embrace the Spirit" - 6:01
- "The Road to Peace " - 5:10
- "Highway 70" - 4:53
- "From the Soul" - 5:40
Personnel
- Gerald Albright – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, keyboards, bass guitar, drum programming, synthesizer programming, EWI controller, backing vocals, synthesizers, soprano saxophone, percussion programming
- Tracy Carter – keyboards
- Luther Hanes – keyboards
- George Duke – acoustic piano
- Rick Watford – guitars
- Earl Klugh – acoustic guitar
- Ricky Lawson – drums
- Fred Wesley – trombone
- Mark Cargill – string section, string arrangements and conductor
- Selina Albright – backing vocals
Production
- Mark Wexler – executive producer
- Gerald Albright – producer, arrangements, recording
- Yuya Morishita – drum recording
- Greg Cook – string recording
- Erik Zobler – piano recording
- Don Murray – mixing
- Sangwook "Sunny" Nam – mastering
- Larissa Collins – art direction
- Albert J. Roman – cover design
- Lori Stoll – photography
- Steve Chapman and Chapman Management – management
- Recorded at Bright Music Studios.
- Drums recorded at Ahhsum Studios.
- Strings recorded at CCI Media.
- Piano recorded at LeGonks West.
- Mixed at G Studio Digital.
- Mastered at The Mastering Lab.