1980 Charles Veal – Only The Best

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Only The Best is the debut solo album by  violinist, conductor and arranger Charles Veal (aka  Charles Veal Jr.).  It was released in 1980 on Capitol Records.

Tracks

1  Happy Is The Man (Charles Veal; David Palmer) 04:00
2  We Can (Charles Veal; Bunny Hull) 04:55
3  It’s Alright (Charles Veal; Paul Jackson Jr) 05:32
4  Prelude / What Good Is A Song (Charles Veal; Charles May) 06:08
5  How Does It Feel (Charles Veal; Scott Galbraith) 03:47
6  Live Your Life And Let Live (Charles Veal; Romeo Williams) 04:58
7  If You Ever Need Somebody (Johnny Bristol; David Williams) 04:42
8  I Believe In You (Charles Veal; Scott Galbraith; Mary Dean) 03:31
9  This Must Be Magic (Charles Veal; John Black) 03:41
10  Someday We’ll All Be Free (Donny Hathaway; Edward Howard) 05:42
11 Thankful (Charles Veal) 01:20

Musicians

1 Happy Is The Man

BassDavid Shields
DrumsRaymond Pounds
GuitarCharles Fearing
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
KeyboardsJerry Peters
KeyboardsCharles Veal
SynthesizerMichael Boddicker
Background VocalsBill Champlin
Background VocalsCharles May
Background VocalsGigi
Background VocalsPhilip Bailey
VocalsCharles Veal


2 We Can

BassReginald McBride
DrumsHarvey Mason Sr
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
GuitarCaleb Quaye
Acoustic GuitarCaleb Quaye
KeyboardsJerry Peters
SynthesizerKim Bullard
PercussionPaulinho Da Costa
Background VocalsBunny Hull
Background VocalsCharles Veal


3 It’s Alright

BassRomeo Williams
BassStanley Clarke
DrumsKenny Elliott
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
GuitarCharles Bynum
KeyboardsJerry Peters
TambourineRosemary McClean
PercussionPaulinho Da Costa


4 Prelude / What Good Is A Song

BassReginald McBride
DrumsRaymond Pounds
GuitarDavid T Walker
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
PianoCharles May
SynthesizerChick Corea
ProgrammingChick Corea
SaxWilliam Green
TromboneGeorge Bohanon
CelloDennis Karmazyn
Background VocalsCharles May
Background VocalsBobby Kimball
Background VocalsCheryl Lynn
Background VocalsDanniebelle
Background VocalsJoe Cocker
Background VocalsPatrice Rushen
Background VocalsCharles Veal


5 How Does It Feel

BassRomeo Williams
DrumsKenny Elliott
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
GuitarScott Galbraith
KeyboardsJohn Black
KeyboardsCharles Veal
SynthesizerKim Bullard
SaxDavid Woodford
TambourineRosemary McClean
PercussionNathaniel Alford
PercussionPaulinho Da Costa
Background VocalsGigi
Background VocalsJohn Black
Background VocalsCharles Veal


6 Live Your Life And Let Live

BassRomeo Williams
DrumsKenny Elliott
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
GuitarScott Galbraith
KeyboardsJohn Black
KeyboardsCharles Veal
SynthesizerMichael Boddicker
SaxErnie Watts
Background VocalsGigi
Background VocalsCharles Veal


7 If You Ever Need Somebody

BassRomeo Williams
DrumsKenny Elliott
GuitarCharles Bynum
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
KeyboardsJerry Peters
ViolinCharles Veal
Background VocalsCharles Veal
Background VocalsCheryl Lynn


8 I Believe In You

BassAbraham Laboriel Sr
DrumsRaymond Pounds
GuitarCharles Fearing
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
Acoustic GuitarScott Galbraith
Fender RhodesJerry Peters
SynthesizerMichael Boddicker
FlugelhornOscar Brashear
PercussionPaulinho Da Costa
Background VocalsCarolyn Dennis
Background VocalsDani McCormick
Background VocalsGigi
Background VocalsMarty McCall


9 This Must Be Magic

BassRomeo Williams
DrumsKenny Elliott
GuitarCaleb Quaye
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
GuitarScott Galbraith
PianoJohn Black
SynthesizerKim Bullard
SaxDavid Woodford
PercussionPaulinho Da Costa
Background VocalsGigi
Background VocalsScott Galbraith


10 Someday We’ll All Be Free

BassRomeo Williams
DrumsRaymond Pounds
GuitarDavid T Walker
Acoustic GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
Electric PianoJerry Peters
Fender RhodesChick Corea
HarpDorothy Ashby


11 Thankful

PianoCharles Veal

Horns

French HornAlan Robinson
French HornTodd Miller
TromboneDick Hyde
TromboneGeorge Bohanon
TromboneLew McCreary
TrumpetBobby Bryant
TrumpetEric Butler
TrumpetOscar Brashear
WoodwindsErnie Watts
WoodwindsFred Jackson
WoodwindsWilliam Green
VocalsCharles Veal

Strings

Cello – Dennis Karmazyn, Paula Hochhalter
Harp – Dorothy Ashby
Viola – Barbara Thomason, Denyse Buffum, Rollice Dale
Violin – Assa Drori, Bonnie Douglas, Carol Shive, Dorothy Wade, Endre Granat, Frank Foster, Israel Baker, Marcia Van Dyke, Sheldon Sanov

Liner Notes

Producer – Alan Abrahams
Producer (Executive)- Cecil Hale
Arranged By – Alan Abrahams, Charles Veal
Arranged By – Charles Veal, Jerry Peters (Track 7)
Arranged By (Horns) – Kenny Mason (Track 2)
Arranged By (Horns) – Jerry Peters (Track 5)
Arranged By (Horns, Strings) – Paul Riser (Track 3)
Arranged By (Horns, Strings) – David Blumberg (Track 6)
Arranged By (Horns, Strings) – Gene Page (Track 8)
Arranged By (Horns, Strings) – David Campbell (Track 10)
Arranged By (Strings) – Charles Veal (Tracks 2, 4, 5, 9)
Arranged By (Strings) – Alan Abrahams (Track 5)
Concertmaster – Charles Veal
Engineer – Richard Kaplan, Rick Hart, Mark Smith
Engineer (Second) – Ben Rogers
Mastered By – Ken Perry
Mixed By – Mark Smith
Orchestrated By – Charles Veal (Track 11)

Graphic Design – Michael Curtis
Photography – Laurie

Recorded At Producers Workshop
Recorded At Indigo Ranch Studios
Copyright Capitol Records