It's Real
Studio album by
James Ingram
ReleasedMay 1989
Recorded1987–89
StudioSoundworks and Sigma Sound Studios
(New York, NY)
Ocean Way Recording
Midi Madness Studio
Studio Ultimo
(Los Angeles, CA)
Encore Studios
The Enterprise
(Burbank, CA)
GenreR&B, new jack swing, soul, pop
Length51:27
LabelQwest Records, Warner Bros. Records
ProducerJames Ingram, Thom Bell, Gene Griffin, Gerald Levert, Dennis Matkosky, Michael J. Powell, Bernard Taylor
James Ingram chronology
Never Felt So Good
(1986)		 It's Real
(1989)		 Always You
(1993)

It's Real is the third full-length recording by American R&B singer-songwriter James Ingram. It was released in May 1989 on Qwest/Warner Bros. Records, and features the smash hit single "I Don't Have the Heart", which peaked at number 1 for 1 week. It also features a remake of the classic song "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", re-written with different lyrics and entitled "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Man".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Boston Globe(favourable)[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]

Robin Katz, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week, left mainly favourable overlook on this album, saying that "Ingram presents his usual standard of contemporary sophisticated soul." He concluded: "Title track could be a smash and will appeal to Bobby Brown boppers while final cut is weepie in Whitney style."[4]

Track listing

Side one - It's Real Hard

  1. "It's Real" (Kemp Frank, Gene Griffin, Barry Hankerson, Ingram) - 5:13
  2. "I Wanna Come Back" (Marc Gordon, Gerald Levert) - 4:51
  3. "Call On Me" (Ingram, Bernard Taylor) - 4:03
  4. "So Fine" (Ingram, Bernard Taylor) - 4:04
  5. "Love Come Down" (Gene Griffin, Ingram) - 5:40
  6. "Baby Be Mine" (Bell, Ingram) - 5:00

Side two - It's Real Soft

  1. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Man" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jerry Wexler) - 5:04
  2. "Love One Day At a Time" (Ingram, Monty Seward) - 4:31
  3. "I Don't Have the Heart" (Jud Friedman, Allan Rich) - 4:14
  4. "Someday We'll All Be Free" (Donny Hathaway, Edward Howard) - 4:10
  5. "When Was the Last Time the Music Made You Cry" (Ingram, Dennis Matkosky, Kathy Wakefield) - 4:57

Production

  • Executive Producers – James Ingram and Thom Bell
  • Producers – Gene Griffin (Tracks 1 & 5); Gerald Levert and Marc Gordon (Track 2); James Ingram (Tracks 3, 4 & 7-10); Bernard Taylor (Track 3); Michael J. Powell (Track 6); Monty Seward (Track 7); Thom Bell (Tracks 8, 9 & 10); Dennis Matkosky (Track 10).
  • Associate Producers – Barry Hankerson and Benny Medina
  • Production Coordination – John Tominaga (Track 6); Yolandra Fletcher King (Tracks 7-10).
  • Engineers – Dave Way (Tracks 1 & 5); Mike Tarsia (Track 2); Barney Perkins (Tracks 2 & 6); Paul Ericksen (Tracks 3, 4 & 7-10); Winston Johnson (Tracks 3, 4 & 7-10); Steve Van Arden (Track 3); Robert Loftus (Track 4); Dennis Matkosky (Track 10).
  • Assistant Engineers – Tony Shimkin (Tracks 1 & 5); Tom Biener, Marty Hozenberg, Fred Kelly Jr., David Radin and Mitch Zelinsley (Tracks 2, 3, 4 & 6-10).
  • Additional Engineer on Track 6 – Milton Chan
  • Mixing – Barney Perkins (Track 2); Mike Tarsia (Track 2); Sidney Burton (Tracks 3 & 4); Winston Johnson (Tracks 3, 4, 7, 9 & 10); Paul Ericksen (Tracks 7-10).
  • Mastered By Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
  • Management – Barry Hankerson at The Midwest Group.

Personnel

  • James Ingram – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 7), arrangements (3, 4, 7, 9, 10), keyboards (3, 4, 9), drums (3, 4)
  • Winston Johnson – keyboard programming (all tracks), Synclavier programming (all tracks),
  • Dwayne Russell – keyboard programming (all tracks)
  • Brian Simpson – keyboard programming (all tracks)
  • Frank Stangerup – keyboard programming (all tracks)
  • Teddy Riley – all instruments (1, 5), backing vocals (1, 5), arrangements (1, 5),
  • Jim Salamone – keyboard sequencing (2)
  • Bernard Taylor – keyboards (3, 4), drums (3, 4), arrangements (3, 4)
  • Aaron Zigman – keyboards (3, 4)
  • Vernon Fails – keyboards (6), rhythm arrangements (6)
  • Robbie Buchanan – synthesizer programming (6)
  • Monty Seward – keyboards (7), synthesizers (7), backing vocals (7), arrangements (7)
  • Jud Friedman – keyboards (8), programming (8), arrangements (8)
  • Dennis Matkosky – keyboards (10), synthesizers (10), arrangements (10)
  • Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (3, 7, 8)
  • Abraham Laboriel – bass (6, 10)
  • Freddie Washington – bass (7)
  • Thom Bell – bass (8), arrangements (8, 9, 10), horn and string arrangements (8, 9, 10), conductor (8, 9, 10)
  • Nathan East – bass (9)
  • Ricky Lawson – drums (6, 8, 9)
  • Jeff Porcaro – drums (7)
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion (7)
  • Dan Higgins – saxophones (4)
  • Larry Williams – saxophones (4)
  • Gerald Albright – saxophone solo (6)
  • Ernie Watts – saxophone (7)
  • Gary Grant – trumpet (4)
  • Jerry Hey – trumpet (4), horn arrangements (4)
  • Toots Thielemans – harmonica solo (9)
  • Marc Gordon – arrangements (2)
  • Michael J. Powell – rhythm arrangements (6)
  • Sephra Winters – horn and string contractor (8, 9, 10)
  • Bernard Belle – backing vocals (1)
  • Regina Belle – backing vocals (1)
  • Marsha McClurkin – backing vocals (1)
  • William Aquart, Jr. – backing vocals (1)
  • Gerald Levert – backing vocals (2), arrangements (2)
  • Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (3)
  • Phil Perry – backing vocals (3, 4)
  • Bobbette Jamerson – backing vocals (6)
  • Tim Johnson – backing vocals (6)
  • Valerie Pinkston-Mayo – backing vocals (6), BGV arrangements (6)
  • Carl Calwell – backing vocals (7)
  • Josie James – backing vocals (7)
  • Marva King – backing vocals (7)
  • Kimaya Seward – backing vocals (7)
  • The Aquarian Singers – backing vocals (8, 9)

Additional Credits

  • Art Direction – Kim Champange and Jeri McManus
  • Design – Andy Engel
  • Photography – Aaron Rapoport
  • Personal Assistant – Yolandra Fletcher King
  • Stylist – Cecille Parker
  • Hair and Make-up – Elbert Oliver

Charts

Chart (1989) Peak
position
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[5] 34
US Billboard 200[6] 117
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] 44

References

  1. ↑ "James Ingram: It's Real". allmusic.com. AllMusic.
  2. ↑ Thorpe, Richard (March 22, 1989). James Ingram: It's Real. Boston Globe. p. 99.
  3. ↑ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 343.
  4. ↑ Katz, Robin (24 June 1989). "Review: James Ingram – It's Real" (PDF). Music Week. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 24. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2022 – via World Radio History.
  5. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – James Ingram – It's Real". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  6. ↑ "James Ingram Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  7. ↑ "James Ingram Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
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