1995 Diana Ross – Take Me Higher

Diana Ross, Freddie Washington, Harvey Mason Sr, Narada Michael Walden, Patti Austin

Take Me Higher is the twenty-first studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 5, 1995, by Motown Records. Ross’ first regular studio release in four years, following The Force Behind the Power (1991) and the holiday album A Very Special Season (1994), the album features work from urban producers such as G Syier Hawkins Brown, Narada Michael Walden, Mike Mani, Louis Biancaniello, Jon-John and the Babyface protégés, The Boom Brothers.

The album peaked at number 10 on the UK Albums Chart and entered the top forty in Austria and Scotland as well as on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Take Me Higher yielded several singles, including the UK hits “Take Me Higher”, “Gone” and Ross’ dance cover of Gloria Gaynor’s disco anthem “I Will Survive” (1978). Photographer Ruven Afanador shot the album cover and the fashion forward video shoot which Ross used for promotional purposes. He also shot the video compilation for the single, “Don’t Stop”.

Tracks

1 Take Me Higher (Narada Michael Walden; Nikita Germaine; Sally Jo Dakota) 04:20
2 If You’re Not Gonna Love Me Right (Monty Seward) 04:41
3 I Never Loved A Man Before (Gerry Goffin; Tom Snow) 04:55
4 Swing It (BabyFace; Jon-John; Rhonda Phillips) 04:14
5 Keep It Right There (BabyFace; Chris Liscomb; Jon-John) 04:33
6 Don’t Stop (A-Tone; Chuck Boom) 04:07
7 Gone (Jon-John) 05:16
8 I Thought That We Were Still In Love (Maria Vidal; Tom Snow) 04:52
9 Voice Of The Heart (Bruce Roberts; John Bettis; Julia Taylor Stanley) 04:54
10 Only Love Can Conquer All (Narada Michael Walden; Preston Glass; Sally Jo Dakota) 04:10
11 I Will Survive (Dino Fekaris; Freddie Perren) 04:48

Biography

Diana Ross

Musicians

1 Take Me Higher

Keyboards	Mike Mani
Programming	Mike Mani
Background Vocals	Angela Bofill
Background Vocals	Nikita Germaine
Background Vocals	Patti Austin
Background Vocals	Sandy Griffith
Background Vocals	Tony Lindsay
Vocals	Diana Ross

2 If You’re Not Gonna Love Me Right

Keyboards	Monty Seward
Programming	Monty Seward
Background Vocals	Kimaya Seward
Vocals	Diana Ross

3 I Never Loved A Man Before

Bass	Freddie Washington
Drums	Mark Portmann
Drums (programming)	Scott Alspach
Guitar (solo)	Ramon Stagnaro
Guitar	Ray Fuller
Keyboards	Scott Alspach
Piano	Mark Portmann
Synthesizer	Mark Portmann
Programming	Scott Alspach
Percussion	Scott Alspach
Percussion	Rafael Padilla
Background Vocals	Alex Brown
Background Vocals	Jackie Gouche
Background Vocals	Tony Warren
Vocals	Diana Ross

4 Swing It

All Instruments	Jon-John
Background Vocals	Heather Mason
Background Vocals	Shireen Crutchfield
Vocals	Diana Ross

5 Keep It Right There

All Instruments	The Boom Brothers
Background Vocals	Anthony Bailey
Background Vocals	Chuck Boom
Background Vocals	Natasha Pearce
Vocals	Diana Ross

6 Don’t Stop

All Instruments	The Boom Brothers
Background Vocals	Anthony Bailey
Background Vocals	Chuck Boom
Background Vocals	Natasha Pearce
Vocals	Diana Ross

7 Gone

Bass	Colin Sauers
Drums	Ron Bruner
Piano	Jon-John
Percussion	Kirk Bruner
Background Vocals	Alex Rowe
Background Vocals	Heather Mason
Vocals	Diana Ross

8 I Thought That We Were Still In Love

Drums	Harvey Mason Sr
Keyboards	Mark Portmann
Synthesizer	Mark Portmann
Oboe	Earl Dumler
Vocals	Diana Ross

9 Voice Of The Heart

Guitar	Ted Perlman
Programming	Mark Portmann
Background Vocals	Alex Brown
Background Vocals	Jackie Gouche
Background Vocals	Tony Warren
Vocals	Diana Ross

10 Only Love Can Conquer All

Keyboards	Louis Biancaniello
Programming	Louis Biancaniello
Vocals	Diana Ross

11 I Will Survive

Guitar	Vernon Black
Keyboards	Louis Biancaniello
Programming	Louis Biancaniello
Background Vocals	Claytoven Richardson
Background Vocals	Jeanie Tracy
Background Vocals	Nikita Germaine
Background Vocals	Sandy Griffith
Vocals	Diana Ross

Other Musicians

Bass – Chuck Berghofer, Chuck Domanico, John Clayton (Track 8)
Cello – Larry Corbett, Suzie Katayama (Track 7
Cello – Armen Ksajikian, Barbara Hunter, Christine Ermacoff, Earl Madison, Fred Sykora, John Walz (Track 8)
Harp – Amy Wilkins (Tracks 3, 8)
Viola – Carole Mukogawa, Harry Shirinian, Jody Rubin, Niriana Granat, Ray Tischer, Roland Kato (Track 8)
Violin – Evan Wilson, John Scanlon (Track 7)
Violin – Assa Drori, Bob Sanov, Chris Reutinger, Darius Campo, Dimitrie Leivici, Dixie Blackstone, Donald Palmer, Endre Granat, Gwenn Heller, Haim Shtrum, Karen Jones, Mari Tsumura, Natalie Leggett, Peter Kent, Rene Mandel, Ron Clark, Ronald Folsom, Spiro Stamos (Track 8)

Liner Notes

Producer – Narada Michael Walden (Tracks 1, 10, 11)
Producer – The Boom Brother (Tracks 2, 6)
Producer – Nick Martinelli (Tracks 3, 8, 9)
Producer – Jon-John (Tracks 4, 5, 7)
Producer (Associate) – Mike Mani (Track 1)
Producer (Associate) – Louis Biancaniello (Tracks 10, 11)
Producer (Executive) – Diana Ross
Arranged By – Mark Portmann (Tracks 8, 9)
Arranged By (Strings) – Frank Martin (Track 2)
Arranged By (Strings) – Mark Portmann (Track 3)
Arranged By (Strings) – Keith Andes, Bill Meyers (Track 7)
Arranged By (Strings Synthesizer) – Louis Biancaniello (Track 10)
Conductor – Frank Martin (Track 2)
Conductor – Mark Portmann (Track 3)
Conductor – Bill Meyers (Track 7)
Mastered By – Bob Ludwig
Mixed By – Dave Way (Tracks 4, 5, 6)

Art Direction – Rosanne Shelnutt
Design – Dennis Woloch
Photography By – Ruven Afanador

Mastered At Gateway Mastering
Mixed At The Tracken Place
Mixed At The Enterprise
Mixed At Tarpan Studios
Mixed At MNM Studios, Santa Monica, CA
Recorded At The Complex
Recorded At The Tracken Place
Recorded At Carriage House Studios
Recorded At Tarpan Studios
Recorded At Homesite 13
Recorded At Hideaway Studios, Phillips Ranch, CA
Recorded At Word Out Studios
Recorded At O’Henry Sound Studios
Recorded At MNM Studios, Santa Monica, CA
Phonographic Copyright EMI Records Ltd
Copyright EMI Records Ltd