Color of Success
Encyclopedia
Color of Success is the 1985 debut album by the funk
/R&B singer, Morris Day
. Released a year after departing previous band, The Time
, the album is similar in style to The Time's material, even going so far as to copy The Time's formula of 6 songs per album. The album's highlight is "The Oak Tree", a funky-pop number about a dance, akin to "The Bird
" by The Time. The album was produced, arranged and composed by Day, who also played drums and keyboards throughout the album. Also on keyboards was Rickey "Freeze" Smith, who would later join Day in the revamped version of The Time in the mid 1990s.
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
/R&B singer, Morris Day
Morris Day
Morris E. Day is an American musician and composer. He is best known as the lead singer of The Time.-1970s and 1980s:...
. Released a year after departing previous band, The Time
The Time (band)
The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...
, the album is similar in style to The Time's material, even going so far as to copy The Time's formula of 6 songs per album. The album's highlight is "The Oak Tree", a funky-pop number about a dance, akin to "The Bird
The Bird
"The Bird" is a song from The Time's third album, Ice Cream Castle. The song was initially recorded in the studio in 1983 with all instruments by Prince, except guitar, which was performed by Jesse Johnson. This version was replaced by a live recording with the full band at the First Avenue on...
" by The Time. The album was produced, arranged and composed by Day, who also played drums and keyboards throughout the album. Also on keyboards was Rickey "Freeze" Smith, who would later join Day in the revamped version of The Time in the mid 1990s.
Track listing
- "Color of Success" – 5:20
- "The Character" – 4:07
- "The Oak Tree" – 7:22
- "Love Sign" – 6:22
- "Don't Wait For Me" – 7:12
- "Love / Addiction" – 5:10
Personnel
- DrumsDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and Percussion - Morris Day - Drum ProgrammingDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
- Steve Mitchell - EngineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Richard Kaplan - GuitarGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
- Horace Bokie Coleman Jr., Howie Rice, Roland BautistaRoland BautistaRoland Bautista is a guitar player who has played in the band Earth, Wind & Fire, and also with Tom Waits.-Career:Bautista played on the EWF album Last Days and Time and left the band soon after the album's release....
, Tony Berg - MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Michael Brauer, Morris Day - PianoPianistA pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
- Greg PhillinganesGreg PhillinganesGreg Phillinganes is an active session keyboardist in Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of Cass Technical High School, Detroit Michigan.... - Producer - Morris Day
- SynthesizerKeyboardistA keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
- Howie Rice, Larry Dunn, Morris Day, Ricky "Freeze" Smith, Steve Mitchell - Vocals - Morris Day (lead), Angie Johnson, Bunny Hull, Clydene Jackson, Kit Hain, Mary Bridges, Maxayne Lewis, Mimi Brodsky, Sharon Robinson