James Newton Howard & Friends (1984)

Subtitled "Rock Instrumentals for Synthesizers, Drums, and Percussion," it's below average music being performed by above average musicians using the newest audiophile technology available when this was recorded in December 1983:

Audiophilia isn't my bag, but if you consider yourself an audiophile, please click here for a more thorough analysis of things like surface noise, dynamic range, and the like. Produced by Bill Schnee (Pablo Cruise, Boz Scaggs, Huey Lewis, etc.) under the direction of Sheffield Lab founders Lincoln Mayorga and legendary mastering engineer Doug Sax. Sax's liner notes thoroughly explain the history of this recording so I won't go into it in this space. The latest in digital synth technology at the time from Yamaha was the DX7, DX9, and GS1 - all used on this album.

I first became aware of James Newton Howard by reading his name in the credits on the Toto IV album. While this music is a bit bland, Howard would go on to score over 100 motion pictures, receiving nominations for Oscars, Emmys, and Grammy awards in the process.

To be honest, this CD should have appeared during "Early CD Week," but I didn't own the disc back then so there ya go. For those interested, my copy appears to be a later reissue because of the ridged jewel case as well as the indication that the disc was made in the US. Also included in the jewel case was a Sheffield Lab catalog that included a lot of CDs with which I was previously unfamiliar. I'm not saying I need to collect them all, but never say never, right? In the catalog, this particular disc lists the following review:

Best sounding record (and CD!)? Probably Sheffield Lab's 'James Newton Howard & Friends.' Great playing - alive, daring, powerful - aided by a superbly clean and dynamic recording.

-Jimmy Hughes/Hi-Fi Answers

Likewise, I have no complaints about the sound or the playing. It's the writing. Also, I was previously unfamiliar with Hi-Fi Answers. It appears to have been an audiophile magazine from the UK published in the '80s, but now I'm down that rabbit hole, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: 9 tracks, 26½ minutes. To my ears, it sounds like Toto demos for a prog rock album.  All tracks seem to be written/arranged to show off what the new digital Yamaha synths should do, confirming what Sax writes in the liner notes. The better of these nine are Gone Buttlefishin' and the simple ballad She. Track 4, L'Daddy, has a promising groove that desperately needs a melody. The others are forgotten as soon as the next track begins.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.