They weren't kidding when they put "All-Star" in the subtitle, but the most satisfying thing about this big-name tribute to the late Luther Vandross is how many of these "All-Stars" let their guard down, expressing both genuine grief over the loss of R&B's most likeable fellows and jubilation over his music, which spoke to so many people, offered a rich blend of influences, and had a warm, soulful grace both in its writing and delivery. Mary J. Blige captures everyone's first encounter with the great "Never Too Much" with a bit of dialog before launching into one of her warmest, most elegant performances. The grief of Aretha Franklin on "A House Is Not a Home" is monolithic, while fellow diva Patti LaBelle hits every "I need you now" in "Here & Now" with touching despair, inferring loss over lyrics that deal with comfort and "always being there." His smoky performance on "Love Won't Let Me Wait" just proves how great a "John Legend: With Strings" album would be, while Angie Stone and "Since I Lost My Baby" is the perfect marriage of singer and song. Well-dressed, finger-snappin' numbers from Jamie Foxx, Fantasia, and Beyoncé with Stevie Wonder capture Luther's big smile while Donna Summer recalls his disco roots with a dancefloor "Power of Love." Add Alicia Keys and Jermaine Paul sounding epic on "If This World Were Mine" and you've got enough highlights to ignore Celine Dion's maudlin "Dance with My Father" and Elton John's misguided Joe Cocker impersonation on "Anyone Who Had a Heart," another "duet" with the deceased made possible through Pro-Tools. Besides these minor annoyances, So Amazing is meatier than most tributes, with deeply grateful performances that not only capture the spirit of Luther but do an excellent job of bringing his widespread influence to the surface. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
Aretha Franklin (Vocals), Danny Duncan (Engineer), Tony Black (String Engineer), Bruce Dukov (Violin), Bobby Ross Avila (Bass), Bobby Ross Avila (Guitar), Bobby Ross Avila (Keyboards), Javier Solís (Percussion), Jill Dell'Abate (Contractor), Sanford Allen (Violin), Sanford Allen (Concert Master), Robert Bacon (Guitar), Diane Barere (Cello), Jerry Barnes (Bass), Mary J. Blige (Vocals (Background)), Denyse Buffum (Viola), Robert Carlisle (Horn), Robert Chausow (Violin), Jeff Chestek (Engineer), Ray Chew (Conductor), Ray Chew (String Arrangements), Luis Conte (Percussion), Larry Corbett (Cello), Ian Cross (Engineer), Clive Davis (Producer), Reginald Dozier (Engineer), Nathan East (Bass), Joe Ferrante (Trombone), Barry Finclair (Violin), Armen Garabedian (Violin), Berj Garabedian (Violin), Crystal Garner (Viola), Chris Gehringer (Mastering), Julie Gigante (Violin), Larry Gold (Horn Arrangements), Larry Gold (String Arrangements), Gordon Gottlieb (Percussion), Hae Young Ham (Violin), Jerry Hey (Conductor), Jerry Hey (String Arrangements), Stanley Hunte (Violin), James Hynes (Flugelhorn), Jean Ingraham (Violin), Paul Jackson, Jr. (Guitar), Jimmy Jam (Keyboards), Jimmy Jam (Producer), Jimmy Jam (String Arrangements), Peter Kent (Violin), Jeanne LeBlanc (Cello), Terry Lewis (Producer), Richard Locker (Cello), Arif Mardin (Arranger), Arif Mardin (Producer), Manny Marroquin (Engineer), Manny Marroquin (Mixing), Ricky Minor (Bass), Phillip Myers (Horn), Lori Perry (Vocals (Background)), Michael O'Reilly (Engineer), Michael O'Reilly (Mixing), Mark Pastoria (Vocal Engineer), Leon Pendarvis (Piano), Leon Pendarvis (String Arrangements), Carolyn Perry (Vocals (Background)), Darlene Perry (Vocals (Background)), Sharon Perry (Vocals (Background)), Earl Phillips (Trombone (Bass)), Katia Popov (Violin), Paul Riser (String Arrangements), Tim Roberts (Assistant), Ralph Rolle (Drums), Josephina Vergara (Violin), John Wittenberg (Violin), Stevie Wonder (Harmonica), Stevie Wonder (Vocals), Jimmy Wright (Piano), Jimmy Wright (Keyboards), Jimmy Wright (Organ (Hammond)), Jimmy Wright (Producer), Aaron Zigman (Programming), Serban Ghenea (Mixing), Benjamin Wright (Conductor), Benjamin Wright (String Arrangements), Richard Brice (Viola), Susan Chatman (Violin), Karen Elaine Bakunin (Viola), Craig Mumm (Viola), David Nathan (Liner Notes), Artie Reynolds (Bass), Maxine Roach (Viola), Raphael Saadiq (Bass), Raphael Saadiq (Producer), Suzie Katayama (Conductor), Suzie Katayama (String Arrangements), David Blinn (Viola), Mario de Leon (Violin), Lou Pagani (Producer), Prof. T. (Vocals (Background)), The Underdogs (Arranger), The Underdogs (Producer), The Underdogs (Mixing), The Underdogs (Vocal Producer), The Underdogs (Instrumentation), Kevin Westenberg (Photography), Wyclef Jean (Producer), Yuri Vodovoz (Violin), Andrew Dawson (Engineer), Paul Boutin (Engineer), Katherine LiVolsi Stern (Violin), Elizabeth Mann (Flute), Valdez Brantley (Arranger), Valdez Brantley (Keyboards), Tim Carmon (Piano), Jim Caruana (Vocal Engineer), Chris Theis (Mixing), Natalie Leggett (Violin), Belinda Whitney (Violin), Jerry Duplessis (Producer), Astrid Schween (Cello), Nico Carmine Abondolo (Bass), Onree Gill (Organ), Onree Gill (Fender Rhodes), Hani (Programming), Hani (Producer), Hani (Engineer), Hani (Mixing), David Swope (Assistant Engineer), Sara Parkins (Violin), Anne Lehmann (Violin), Ann Mincieli (Engineer), Gwen Laster (Violin), Beyoncé Knowles (Vocal Producer), Lenesha Randolph (Vocals (Background)), Jason Stasium (Assistant Engineer), South Central Chamber Orchestra (Strings), Kerry Brothers (Producer), Kerry Brothers (Digital Programming), Alexis Yraola (Design), Tavia Ivey (Vocals (Background)), David Chan (Violin), Tara Watkins (Vocals (Background)), Tim Riley (Piano), Tim Riley (Drums), Bill Moriarty (Assistant), Ernest Hamilton (Bass), Ernest Hamilton (Percussion), Sarah Thornblade (Violin), Vince Lionti (Viola), Alicia Keys (Vocals (Background)), Alicia Keys (Producer), John Hanes (Digital Editing), Jake & the Phatman (Producer), Matt Marrin (Engineer), Dabling Harward (Engineer), Dabling Harward (Editing), Dabling Harward (Vocal Engineer), Dabling Harward (Vocal Editing), Enrico DiCecco (Violin), Teddy Campbell (Drums), Geoffrey Rice (Assistant), Tom Craskey (Bass), Mike Peters (Assistant), Dave Tozer (Guitar), Dave Tozer (Producer), Dave Tozer (Drum Programming), Dave Tozer (Mixing), Trudy Kane (Flute), John Pirretti (Assistant), Chris LeBeau (Artwork), Jeff Fenster (A&R), Yohei Goto (Assistant Engineer), Steve Tirpak (Flugelhorn), Steve Tirpak (Horn Arrangements), Steve Tirpak (String Arrangements), Jerimiah "Jermaine" Paul (Vocals (Background)), Desiree Elsevier (Viola), John Legend (Piano), John Legend (Vocals), John Legend (Vocals (Background)), Andre Bowman (Bass), Glenn Standridge (Engineer), Glenn Standridge (Mixing), Robert Ozuna (Percussion), Jason Agel (Assistant Engineer), James Tanksley (Digital Editing), Shelea Melody Frazier (Vocals (Background)), Doug Rotwitt (Assistant), Aaron Spears (Drums), Arthur "Buddy" Strong (Keyboards), Aaron Renner (Assistant Engineer), Jon Botbyl (Trombone), Aaron Marisi (Sax (Alto)), Taylor Dow (Assistant), Dan Tobin Smith (Cello), Catherine Ro (Violin), Mike Ciro (Guitar), Antonio Serna (Design), Charles "Biscuits" Brungardt (Assistant Engineer), Mariana Green Hill (Violin), Stefan Hoskuldssen (Flute), J Lack (Producer), Tony Miceli (Vibraphone), Ralph D. Morris (Violin), NY Strings (Strings), Anna Reinersman (Harp), Scott Seviour (Artist Development), Johnny "Clean Pants" Tanksley (Engineer), Charles Vail (Strings), Tahirah Whittington (Cello), Yulia Ziskel Deninzon (Violin)
