Betcha is a studio album by American saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, recorded in May and June 1979 and released later that year by Elektra Records, his first for the label. It features Turrentine backed by R&B vocalists and a string orchestra.
In 1980, Betcha was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental.
Reception
The AllMusic review by Steve Leggett stated, "things don't heat up too much and Turrentine's sax coasts over the embedded synthesized strings and orchestrated background vocals, [...] although the synthesizers and massed guitars provide enough fanfare to make it all sound bigger than it really is. In the end, Turrentine plays great, like he always does, but it all gets muted by the soaring arrangements, leaving Betcha sounding majestic but somehow strangely empty."
Alyn Shipton of Jazzwise wrote, "Compared to Turrentine's Blue Note work, this 1979 set with orchestra and singers is saccharine and cloying—definitely not his best work."
Track listing
Personnel Music
Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone; producer Lynn Davis, Jim Gilstrap, Marlena Jeter, John Lehman, Andrea Robinson, Zedric Turnbough – background vocals Charles Fearing, Lee Ritenour, Thom Rotella, David T. Walker, Wah Wah Watson – electric guitar Sonny Burke – keyboards Todd Cochran – synthesizer Earl Watkins – electric bass James Gadson, Jeff Porcaro – drums Eddie "Bongo" Brown – percussion, synthesizer Gary Coleman – bells, vibraphone Billy Page – conductor, contractor Gene Page – conductor, arranger Harry Bluestone – concertmaster, violin
Technical
Richard Carpenter – production coordinator Debbie Thompson – assistant recording engineer
References