1986 Howard Hewett – I Commit To Love
I Commit To Love is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Howard Hewett. It was released on June 25, 1986 via Elektra Records. The album serves his first release after he departed from the group Shalamar. Recording sessions for this ten-track album took place at nine various recording studios viz. Americayn Studios, Ground Control Studios, Larrabee Sound Studios, Le Gonks West, Mama Jo’s, Nick’s Place, Soundcastle, Studio 99 and Village Studios. Together with Hewett, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Glen J. Barbee, Ross Vannelli and Monty Seward worked on the production of the album.
The album spawned four hit singles: “I’m for Real”, “Stay”, “I Commit to Love” and “Say Amen”. Its lead single, “I’m for Real”, produced by Hewett and Clarke, reached number 90 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. “Stay”, the title track “I Commit to Love” and “Say Amen” also made it to the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 8, number 12 and number 54 respectively. The album peaked at number 159 on the US Billboard 200 album chart and at number 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Tracks
1 Stay (Howard Hewett; Ross Vannelli) 04:34
2 I’m For Real (Howard Hewett; Stanley Clarke) 04:48
3 Last Forever (Howard Hewett; Ross Vannelli) 04:12
4 I Commit To Love (Howard Hewett; Leon Sylvers) 04:11
5 In A Crazy Way (Tony Collins) 04:58
6 Love Don’t Wanna Wait (Glen Barbee; Kevin Grady; Leon Sylvers) 04:23
7 I Got 2 Go (George Duke; Howard Hewett) 04:38
8 Eye On You (David Ritz; George Terry; Howard Hewett; Kitty Terry) 03:59
9 Let’s Try It All Over Again (Howard Hewett; Monty Seward; Adele Hewett McDaniels) 04:22
10 Say Amen (Howard Hewett; Monty Seward) 04:34
11 Stay (Before Midnight Mix) (Howard Hewett; Ross Vannelli) 05:12
Biography
Musicians
1 Stay
Bass (synthesizer) | Ed Grenga |
Drums (programming) | Ed Grenga |
Keyboards | Ed Grenga |
Guitar (Synthesizer) | Ed Grenga |
Background Vocals | Josie James |
Background Vocals | Ross Vannelli |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
2 I’m For Real
Bass | Stanley Clarke |
Drums | Tris Imboden |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | George Duke |
Synclavier | George Duke |
Sax | Wilton Felder |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
3 Last Forever
Drums | Tris Imboden |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | Ed Grenga |
Background Vocals | Josie James |
Background Vocals | Ross Vannelli |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
4 I Commit To Love
Drums (programming) | Joey Gallo |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | Joey Gallo |
Keyboards | Monty Seward |
Background Vocals | Josie James |
Background Vocals | Nicole Krauss |
Background Vocals | Nadia Deleye |
Background Vocals | Alejandra Loiaza |
Background Vocals | Carolyn Vigiga |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
5 In A Crazy Way
Bass (synthesizer) | Robert Brookins |
Drums | Tris Imboden |
Guitar | Kevin Chokan |
Keyboards | Robert Brookins |
Keyboards | Todd Cochran |
Emulator | Howard Hewett |
Background Vocals | Josie James |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
6 Love Don’t Wanna Wait
Drums (programming) | Kevin Grady |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | Kevin Grady |
Keyboards | Monty Seward |
Keyboards | Raymond Crossley |
Background Vocals | Josie James |
Background Vocals | Gwen Evans |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
7 I Got 2 Go
Bass (synthesizer) | George Duke |
Drums (synthesizer) | George Duke |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | George Duke |
Synclavier | George Duke |
Background Vocals | Josie James |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
8 Eye On You
Bass (synthesizer) | George Duke |
Drums (synthesizer) | George Duke |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | George Duke |
Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
Background Vocals | Josie James |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
9 Let’s Try It All Over Again
Bass | Gerald Albright |
Drums | Tris Imboden |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | Monty Seward |
Keyboards | John Barnes |
Background Vocals | Josie James |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
10 Say Amen
Bass | Gerald Albright |
Drums (programming) | Monty Seward |
Tom Tom | Ron Brunner |
Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
Keyboards | Monty Seward |
Background Vocals | Josie James |
Background Vocals | Deniece Williams |
Vocals | Howard Hewett |
Liner Notes
Producer – Howard Hewett (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10)
Producer – Ross Vanelli (Tracks 1, 3)
Producer – Stanley Clarke (Tracks 2, 5)
Producer – Glen J. Barbee (Tracks 4, 6)
Producer – George Duke (Track 8)
Producer – Monty Seward (Tracks 9, 10)
Engineer – Ross Vannelli (Tracks 1, 3, 10)
Engineer – Darwin Foye, Paul Ratajczak (Tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, 10)
Engineer – Csaba Petocz, Steve Hodge (Tracks 2, 5)
Engineer – Ed Grenga (Track 3)
Engineer – Erik Zobler (Tracks 4, 6, 7)
Engineer – Nyya Lark, Steve Ford (Tracks 4, 6, 10)
Engineer – Jack Rouben (Track 4)
Engineer – Mitch Gibson (Track 6)
Engineer – Tom Perry (Track 7)
Engineer (Second) – Steve Powel (Track 1)
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Mixed By – F. Byron Clark (Tracks 1, 4, 5, 9, 10)
Mixed By – Tommy Vicari (Tracks 2, 3)
Mixed By – Paul Ratajczak (Track 5)
Mixed By – Erik Zobler (Tracks 6, 7)
Mixed By – Steve Ford (Track 10)
Mixed By (Second) – Steve Ford (Track 1)
Art Direction – Bob Defrin
Design – Carol Bobolts
Mastered At Bernie Grundman Mastering
Mixed At Mama Jo’s
Mixed At Lion Share Recording Studios
Mixed At Sound Castle Recorders, LA
Recorded At Studio 99
Recorded At Le Gonks West
Recorded At Village Studios
Recorded At Ground Control Studios
Recorded At Ameraycan Studios
Recorded At Nick’s Place
Recorded At Mama Jo’s
Recorded At Larrabee Sound Studios
Recorded At Sound Castle Recorders, LA
Phonographic Copyright Elektra/Asylum Records
Copyright Elektra/Asylum Records