Sign of the Times is the ninth album by jazz keyboardist Bob James. It is his most pop-influenced album. James was introduced to Rod Temperton, his close collaborator on the album, through his friend Quincy Jones.
The title track has been sampled by De La Soul ("Keepin' The Faith") and Warren G ("Regulate").
Track listing
Personnel Bob James – acoustic piano, Rhodes piano, all synthesizers, horn and string arrangements, rhythm track and synthesizer arrangements (3, 4, 6), calliope solo (5) Steve Khan – guitars (1–5) Bruce Dunlap – guitars (6) Eric Gale – guitars (6) Gary King – bass (1, 2, 5, 6) Marcus Miller – bass (3, 4) Major Holley – scat contrabass solo (5) John Robinson – drums (1, 2, 5) Rick Marotta – drums (3, 4) Buddy Williams – drums (6) Leonard "Doc" Gibbs – percussion (1–5) Ralph MacDonald – percussion (2) Airto Moreira – percussion (6) Tabby Andriello – special effects (5) Rod Temperton – rhythm track and synthesizer arrangements (1, 2, 5); horn, string and vocal arrangements
Brass and Woodwinds Jay Beckenstein – alto saxophone (3, 4) Grover Washington Jr. – tenor saxophone (6) Phil Bodner, Eddie Daniels, Wally Kane, George Marge and Whit Sidener – woodwinds Jim Pugh and Dave Taylor – trombone Jon Faddis, Mike Lawrence and Ron Tooley – trumpet
Strings Max Ellen, Barry Finclair, Charles Libove, Jan Mullen, David Nadien, Joseph Rabushka, Richard Sortomme and Gerald Tarack – violin
Vocals Patti Austin, Vivian Cherry, Kasey Cisyk, Babi Floyd, Milt Grayson, Hilary James, Yvonne Lewis and Luther Vandross
Production Bob James – producer Joe Jorgensen – associate producer, recording, mixing Nancy Byers – assistant engineer Marc Chusid – assistant engineer Chaz Clifton – assistant engineer Bruce Robbins – assistant engineer Don Wershba – assistant engineer Vlado Meller – mastering at CBS Mastering Studios (New York, NY) Paula Scher – art direction, design Bill King – photography
References