1984 Smokey Robinson – Essar
Essar is a 1984 album by American singer Smokey Robinson. It was produced and arranged by Robinson with Reginald “Sonny” Burke. The album was released on the Motown sub-label Tamla. The album’s title is a pun on the initials of Robinson’s name. The album only peaked at #141 on Billboard pop charts, and at #35 on R&B charts. “And I Don’t Love You” peaked at #106 Billboard and #33 R&B charts, and “I Can’t Find” at #109 Billboard and #41 R&B charts.
Tracks
1 And I Don’t Love You (Smokey Robinson) 05:19
2 Train Of Thought (Smokey Robinson) 04:52
3 I Can’t Find (Smokey Robinson) 06:16
4 Why Are You Running From My Love (Scott V Smith; Stephen Tavani) 04:25
5 Gone Forever (Mark Davis) 03:09
6 Close Encounters Of The First Kind (Smokey Robinson) 04:33
7 Little Girl Little Girl (Smokey Robinson) 05:09
8 Girl I’m Standing There (Smokey Robinson) 04:27
9 Driving Thru Life In The Fast Lane (Milton Brown; Snuff Garrett; Steve Dorff) 03:32
Biography
Musicians
1 And I Don’t Love You
| Drums | Sonny Burke |
| Guitar | Charles Fearing |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Programming | Clark Spangler |
| Vocals | Smokey Robinson |
2 Train Of Thought
| Drums | Sonny Burke |
| Guitar | Charles Fearing |
| Guitar | David T Walker |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Vocals | Smokey Robinson |
3 I Can’t Find
| Drums | Sonny Burke |
| Guitar | Charles Fearing |
| Guitar | David T Walker |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Cello | Michael Jacobson |
| Vocals | Smokey Robinson |
4 Why Are You Running From My Love
| Drums (Linn) | Lynn Coulter |
| Drums (Linn) | Scott V Smith |
| Guitar | James Harrah |
| Keyboards | Michael Ruff |
| Programming | Rhett Lawrence |
| Background Vocals | Howard McCrary |
| Background Vocals | Howard Smith |
| Background Vocals | Ivory Davis |
| Vocals | Smokey Robinson |
5 Gone Forever
| Bass | Lequeint Jobe |
| Keyboards | Mark Davis |
| Synthesizer | Mark Davis |
| Oboe | William Green |
| Background Vocals | Allan Rich |
| Background Vocals | Carmen Grillo |
| Background Vocals | Mindy Sterling |
| Vocals | Smokey Robinson |
6 Close Encounters Of The First Kind
| Drums | Sonny Burke |
| Guitar | Charles Fearing |
| Guitar | Wah Wah Watson |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Vocals | Smokey Robinson |
7 Little Girl Little Girl
| Drums | Sonny Burke |
| Guitar | David T Walker |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Vocals | Smokey Robinson |
8 Girl I’m Standing There
| Bass | Freddie Washington |
| Drums | Sonny Burke |
| Guitar | David T Walker |
| Keyboards | Sonny Burke |
| Cello | Michael Jacobson |
| Vocals | Smokey Robinson |
9 Driving Thru Life In The Fast Lane
| Bass | Joe Chemay |
| Drums | JR Robinson |
| Guitar | Dann Huff |
| Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
| Keyboards | John Hobbs |
| Trombone | Dick Hyde |
| Trombone | Dick Noel |
| Trumpet | Jerry Hey |
| Trumpet | Gary Grant |
| Trumpet | Warren Luening |
| Background Vocals | Julia Tillman Waters |
| Background Vocals | Maxine Willard Waters |
| Background Vocals | Oren Waters |
| Vocals | Smokey Robinson |
Other Musicians
| Background Vocals | Ivory Davis |
| Background Vocals | Patricia Henley Talbert |
Liner Notes
Producer – Smokey Robinson (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Producer – Sonny Burke (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8)
Producer – Scott V. Smith, Stephen Tavani (Track 4)
Producer – Mark Davis (Track 5)
Producer – Randy Dunlap, Steve Dorff (Track 9)
Arranged By – Sonny Burke
Arranged By (Horns) – Larry Herbstritt (Track 9)
Arranged By (Rhythm) – Steve Dorff (Track 9)
Concertmaster – Harry Bluestone (Track 3)
Contractor – George Annis
Engineer – Christopher Banninger, Frank Wolf, Win Kutz (Track 4)
Engineer – Ed Barton, Gary Singleman, Marv Clamme (Track 9)
Engineer (Second) – Steve Ford, Todd Van Etten (Track 4)
Engineer (Rhythm) – Karen Siegel (Track 5)
Engineer (Rhythm) – Mitchel Delevie, Paul Ring (Track 8)
Engineer (Vocal) – Mitchel Delevie (Track 5)
Engineer (Assistant) – Michael Dotson (Track 5)
Engineer (Editing Assistant) – Philip Walters
Engineer (Editing Assistant) – Bob Robitaille (Track 1)
Engineer (Editing, Mixing) – Barney Perkins
Engineer (Mixing Assistant) – Sonny Burke, Smokey Robinson
Engineer (Recording) – Mitchel Delevie
Engineer (Second) – Fred Law, Jeff DeMorris
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Art Direction – Johnny Lee
Photography – Aaron Rapoport
Recorded At Mama Jo’s, North Hollywood
Recorded At Golden Sound Studios, Hollywood
Phonographic Copyright Motown Record Corporation
Copyright Motown Record Corporation