1978 Soundtrack – The Wiz
The Wiz is the original motion picture soundtrack album for the 1978 film adaptation of the Broadway musical The Wiz. Although the film was produced for Universal Pictures by Motown Records’ film division, the soundtrack album was issued on MCA Records as a two-LP collection (Universal was owned by MCA Inc. at the time). Chiefly produced by Quincy Jones, The Wiz soundtrack features non-sync (does not lock to picture) cast performances by the stars of the film, including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, and Lena Horne.
Like many musicals of the period, the performances in the soundtrack album are not those used directly in the film, but pre/re-recorded by the same artists at an earlier and/or later date. Several differences are noted, including a missing line by Michael Jackson and a scat section by Nipsey Russell being dropped from the soundtrack version of “A Brand New Day”, among others. The song “Is This What Feeling Gets?” was not used in the film’s final cut, though the tune is used throughout the film.
Tracks
1 Main Title (Overture) (Quincy Jones; Charlie Smalls) 02:36
2 Overture (Part Two) (Charlie Smalls) 01:56
3 The Feeling That We Have (Charlie Smalls) 03:30
4 Can I Go On? (Quincy Jones; Nickolas Ashford; Valerie Simpson) 01:55
5 Glinda’s Theme (Charlie Smalls) 01:10
6 He’s The Wizard (Charlie Smalls) 04:08
7 Soon As I Get Home / Home (Charlie Smalls) 04:03
8 You Can’t Win (Charlie Smalls) 03:13
9 Ease On Down The Road #1 (Charlie Smalls) 03:54
10 What Could I Do If I Could Feel? (Charlie Smalls) 02:17
11 Slide Some Oil To Me (Charlie Smalls) 02:50
12 Ease On Down The Road #2 (Charlie Smalls) 01:30
13 (I’m A) Mean Ole Lion (Charlie Smalls) 02:24
14 Ease On Down The Road #3 (Charlie Smalls) 01:26
15 Poppy Girls (Anthony Jackson) 03:27
16 Be A Lion (Charlie Smalls) 04:03
17 End Of The Yellow Brick Road () 01:01
18 Emerald City Sequence (Quincy Jones; Charlie Smalls) 06:43
19 So You Wanted To See The Wizard (Charlie Smalls) 02:46
20 Is This What Feeling Gets? (Dorothy’s Theme) (Quincy Jones; Nickolas Ashford; Valerie Simpson) 03:20
21 Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News (Charlie Smalls) 03:03
22 A Brand New Day (Luther Vandross) 07:48
23 Believe In Yourself (Dorothy) (Charlie Smalls) 02:54
24 The Good Witch Glinda (Charlie Smalls) 01:09
25 Believe In Yourself (Reprise) (Charlie Smalls) 02:15
26 Home (Charlie Smalls) 04:02
Musicians
| Bass | Anthony Jackson |
| Bass | Ron Carter |
| Drums | Chris Parker |
| Drums | Grady Tate |
| Drums | Harvey Mason Sr |
| Drums | Steve Gadd |
| Guitar | Eric Gale |
| Guitar | Hugh McCracken |
| Guitar | Steve Khan |
| Banjo | Carmen Mastren |
| Keyboards | Bob James |
| Keyboards | Dave Grusin |
| Keyboards | David Foster |
| Keyboards | Derek Smith |
| Keyboards | Dick Hyman |
| Keyboards | Ernie Hayes |
| Keyboards | Frank Owens |
| Keyboards | Jerry Peters |
| Keyboards | Ken Ascher |
| Keyboards | Leon Pendarvis |
| Keyboards | Pat Rebillot |
| Keyboards | Paul Griffin |
| Keyboards | Quincy Jones |
| Keyboards | Richard Tee |
| Keyboards | Rob Mounsey |
| Keyboards | Thom Bridwell |
| Keyboards | Warren Bernhardt |
| Synthesizer | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Michael Boddicker |
| Harmonica | Toots Thielemans |
| Bassoon | John Campo |
| Bassoon | Loren Glickman |
| Bassoon | Ray Shanfield |
| Bassoon | Wally Kane |
| French Horn | Bob Carlisle |
| French Horn | Brooks Tillotson |
| French Horn | Donald Corrado |
| French Horn | Jim Buffington |
| French Horn | Joe De Angelis |
| French Horn | John Clark |
| French Horn | Larry Wechsler |
| French Horn | Maggie Reill |
| French Horn | Peter Gordon |
| French Horn | Ray Alonge |
| French Horn | Sharon Moe |
| French Horn | Tony Miranda |
| Horn | Joe Marangella |
| Trombone | Alan Raph |
| Trombone | Bill Reichenbach |
| Trombone | Charlie Smalls |
| Trombone | David Taylor |
| Trombone | Eddie Bert |
| Trombone | George Flynn |
| Trombone | Paul Faulise |
| Trombone | Sonny Russo |
| Trombone | Tony Studd |
| Trombone | Urbie Green |
| Trombone | Wayne Andre |
| Trumpet | Alan Rubin |
| Trumpet | Allan Dean |
| Trumpet | Bernie Glow |
| Trumpet | Burt Collins |
| Trumpet | Chuck Findley |
| Trumpet | Clark Terry |
| Trumpet | Danny Cahn |
| Trumpet | Ernie Royal |
| Trumpet | Gary Grant |
| Trumpet | Jerry Hey |
| Trumpet | Joe Shepley |
| Trumpet | Joe Wilder |
| Trumpet | Jon Faddis |
| Trumpet | Lew Soloff |
| Trumpet | Marvin Stamm |
| Trumpet | Mel Davis |
| Trumpet | Mike Lawrence |
| Trumpet | Randy Brecker |
| Trumpet | Ray Crisara |
| Trumpet | Tom Bahler |
| Tuba | Alan Raph |
| Tuba | Dave Bargeron |
| Tuba | Don Butterfield |
| Tuba | Howard Johnson |
| Tuba | Tony Price |
| Woodwinds | Artie Kaplan |
| Woodwinds | Charles Russo |
| Woodwinds | Danny Bank |
| Woodwinds | Dave Tofani |
| Woodwinds | Don Hammond |
| Woodwinds | Eddie Daniels |
| Woodwinds | Frank Wess |
| Woodwinds | George Marge |
| Woodwinds | George Young |
| Woodwinds | Hank Freeman |
| Woodwinds | Harvey Estrin |
| Woodwinds | Hubert Laws |
| Woodwinds | Jerome Richardson |
| Woodwinds | Jerry Dodgion |
| Woodwinds | John Campo |
| Woodwinds | John Lissauer |
| Woodwinds | Johnny Mince |
| Woodwinds | Kim Hutchcroft |
| Woodwinds | Larry Williams |
| Woodwinds | Leon Cohen |
| Woodwinds | Lew Del Gatto |
| Woodwinds | Loren Glickman |
| Woodwinds | Lou Marini |
| Woodwinds | Michael Brecker |
| Woodwinds | Pepper Adams |
| Woodwinds | Phil Bodner |
| Woodwinds | Ray Beckenstein |
| Woodwinds | Ray Shanfield |
| Woodwinds | Romeo Penque |
| Woodwinds | Ronnie Roseman |
| Woodwinds | Seldon Powell |
| Woodwinds | Wally Kane |
| Woodwinds | Walt Levinsky |
| Woodwinds | William Slapin |
| Percussion | Arthur Jenkins |
| Percussion | Bill Lavorgna |
| Percussion | Bill Summers |
| Percussion | David Carey |
| Percussion | David Charles |
| Percussion | David Friedman |
| Percussion | George Devens |
| Percussion | Grady Tate |
| Percussion | Harvey Mason Sr |
| Percussion | Mel Lewis |
| Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
| Percussion | Phil Kraus |
| Percussion | Ralph MacDonald |
| Percussion | Steve Gadd |
| Percussion | Steve Little |
| Percussion | Sue Evans |
| Percussion | Victoria Berdy |
Other Musicians
Choir (Adult) – Adrienne Albert, Alfa Anderson, Annette Sanders, Babi Floyd, Barbara Massey, Beurice Whitehead, Bill Marine, Billy Davis, Brenda White, Charlie Collins, Christopher Dean, Chuck McGruder, Cissy Houston, Clare Bathe, Claudia Ricks, Dannis Perren, David Lasley, Debbie McDuffie, Diva Gray, Eric Butler, Fonzi Thornton, Frank Floyd, Fred Stark, Gordon Grody, Grady Tate, Gwen Guthrie, Helen Miles, Jake Holmes, Janet Wright, Janice Papolos, Janice Pendarvis, Jean Thomas, Jane McGruder, Jerry Keller, Joshie Armstead, Joey Ward, Kasey Cisyk, Kay Coleman, Kenny Williams, Kenny Karen, Lani Groves, Leon Pendarvis, Leslie Miller, Luther Vandross, Mabel Robinson, Martha Stewart, Mariama Thomas, Melanie Moore, Melvin Edmondson, Mike Gray, Milt Grayson, Neil Raber, Patti Austin, Randy Peyton, Ray Simpson, Renel Stafford, Rhetta Hughes, Roberta Flack, Ronnie Dante, Ron Marshall, Steve Clayton, Steve Feldman, Susan Hamilton, Susan Stephenson, Tamy Smith, Ted Ross, Tom Bahler, Tony Wells, Ullanda McCullough, Vivian Cherry, William Eaton, Yvonne Lewis, Zachary Sanders
Choir (The Wiz Singers Children’s Choir) – Antonia French, Arthur French, Bobby Floyd, Bryon Gray, Camille Farrell, Christine Langner, Claude Brooke, Craig Davis, David Reed, Dawn Walker, Debbie McDuffie, Duke Thorbs, Ermundo Russell, Frank Floyd, Gerrard Randall, Gwen Guthrie, Jenny Cooke, Jules S. Davis, Julio Herrara, Kim Magloire, Lani Groves, Martina Jones, Mary Lombardi, Mia Thomas, Mike Farrell, Molina Williams, Patti Austin, Petra Johnson, Sharon Davis, Susan Stephenson, T.J. Cooke, Tommy Malcolm, Ullanda McCullough, Vivian Cherry, William Walker
Bass – Dave Moore, Homer Mensch, Jesse Teiko, John Beal, Milt Hinton, Russ Savakus
Cello – Alan Shulman, Alla Goldberg, Anthony Sophos, Eugene Moye, Fred Zlotkin, Janet Hamilton, Jesse Levy, Jonathan Abramowitz, Kermit Moore, Mary Green Jaccoma, Maurice Bialkin, Richard Boch, Seymour Barab
Harp – Gloria Agostini, Margaret Ross, Ruth Armato, Sally Foster
Viola – Alfred Brown, Barbara Baird, David Sackson, Emanuel Vardi, Harold Coletta, Harry Zaratzian, Julien Barber, Lamar Alsop, Linda Lawrence, Maxine Roach, Midhat Serbagi, Richard Maximoff, Seymour Berman, Susan Pray, Theodore Israel
Violin – Alphonse Schipani, Ann Barak, Arianne Bronne, Arnold Black, Arthur Bogin, Avram Weiss, Carmel Malin, David Sackson, Diana Halprin, Frederick Buldrini, Guy Lumia, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Glickman, Harry Lookofsky, Harry Urbont, Irving Spice, Jean Ely, Joe Malin, John Pintavalle, Joseph Rabushka, Kathryn Kienke, Leo Kahn, Lou Eley, Louann Montesi, Lou Gabowitz, Marvin Morgenstern, Matt Raimondi, Max Cahn, Max Ellen, Max Hollander, Mike Comins, Michael Spivakowsky, Michał Urbaniak, Noel DeCosta, Ora Shiran, Paul Winter, Peter Dimitriades, Raoul Poliakin, Regis Iandiorio, Rick Henrickson, Richard Sortomme, Robert Rosek, Tony Posk
Liner Notes
Producer – Quincy Jones
Conductor (Orchestra) – Bobby Tucker, Quincy Jones, Bob Freedman, Tom Bahler
Coordinator (Choral) – Patti Austin
Orchestrated By – Bob Freedman
Arranged By (Adult & Childen Choir) – Tom Bahler
Engineer (Assistant) – Ollie Cotton
Engineer (Recording) – Bruce Swedien
Engineer (Technical) – Larry Dahlstrom
Engineer (Technician) – George Walker, Mitchell Plotkin, Peter Maiorino
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Orchestrated By – Bob Florence, Chris Boardman, Greig McRitchie, Jerry Hey, Mendel Baylitz, Pete Meyers, Ralph Ferraro, Richard Hazard, Wayne Robinson
Artwork – George Osaki
Photography – Berry Berenson, Bob Fletcher, Bob Greene, Karen Epstein, Lou Barrett, Muky, Tom Zimberoff / Contact
Mastered At A&M Records, LA
Recorded At A&R Recording Studios, NYC
Phonographic Copyright MCA Records Inc
Copyright Universal City Studios Inc