Michael Jackson - Off The Wall (Hybrid SACD)
Vocals, Backing Vocals – Michael Jackson [click here to see more Vinyl/SACD featuring Michael Jackson]
Backing Vocals – Augie Johnson, Jim Gilstrap, Mortonette Jenkins, Paulette McWilliams, Zedric Williams
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Woodwind – Larry Williams
Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Horn – Kim Hutchcroft
Bass – Louis Johnson
Concertmaster – Gerald Vinci
Drums – John Robinson
Guitar – David Williams, Marlo Henderson, Melvin "Wah Wah" Watson
Keyboards – Michael Boddicker
Keyboards, Clavinet, Piano – Greg Phillinganes
Orchestra – The Seawind Horns
Percussion – Paulinho Da Costa
Strings – Gerald Vinci, Johnny Mandel
Trombone – Bill Reichenbach
Trumpet – Gary Grant
Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Jerry Hey
Written by Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster, Louis Johnson, Susaye Greene-Browne, Tom Bahler, Rod Temperton
1 Hybrid SACD, mini LP-style packaging
Original analog Master tape : YES
Stereo
Studio
Label : MOFI
Original label : EPIC
Recorded December 4, 1978 – June 3, 1979 at Allen Zentz Studio, Westlake, and Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles
Produced by Quincy Jones
Co-produced by Michael Jackson
Originaly released in 1979
Reissued in 2024
Tracks :
- Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
- Rock With You
- Workin' Day And Night
- Get On The Floor
- Off The Wall
- Girlfriend
- She's Out Of My Life
- I Can't Help It
- It's The Falling In Love
- Burn This Disco Out
Awards :
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Rated 36/500
Grammy Hall of Fame
Grammy award : Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
1000 Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die - Ranked 450
Reviews :
« Michael Jackson had recorded solo prior to the release of Off the Wall in 1979, but this was his breakthrough, the album that established him as an artist of astonishing talent and a bright star in his own right. This was a visionary album, a record that found a way to break disco wide open into a new world where the beat was undeniable, but not the primary focus -- it was part of a colorful tapestry of lush ballads and strings, smooth soul and pop, soft rock, and alluring funk. Its roots hearken back to the Jacksons' huge mid-'70s hit "Dancing Machine," but this is an enormously fresh record, one that remains vibrant and giddily exciting years after its release. This is certainly due to Jackson's emergence as a blindingly gifted vocalist, equally skilled with overwrought ballads as "She's Out of My Life" as driving dancefloor shakers as "Working Day and Night" and "Get on the Floor," where his asides are as gripping as his delivery on the verses. It's also due to the brilliant songwriting, an intoxicating blend of strong melodies, rhythmic hooks, and indelible construction. Most of all, its success is due to the sound constructed by Jackson and producer Quincy Jones, a dazzling array of disco beats, funk guitars, clean mainstream pop, and unashamed (and therefore affecting) schmaltz that is utterly thrilling in its utter joy. This is highly professional, highly crafted music, and its details are evident, but the overall effect is nothing but pure pleasure. Jackson and Jones expanded this approach on the blockbuster Thriller, often with equally stunning results, but they never bettered it. » AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Ratings :
AllMusic : 5 / 5 , Discogs : 4.33 / 5