The Essence of Melissa Manchester is a comprehensive overview of her decade's worth of recordings for Arista. During her stint at the label, she was at the peak of her popularity, racking up a string of adult contemporary hits including "Midnight Blue," "Just Too Many People," "Just You and I," "Don't Cry Out Loud," "Pretty Girls," the Peabo Bryson duet "Lovers After All," and "You Should Hear How She Talks About You." All of those hits, plus several lesser-known gems like "Whenever I Call You Friend," are included on this terrific compilation, which is a definitive retrospective of her finest recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Greg Philinganes (Piano (Electric)), Steve Waldman (Engineer), Trevor Lawrence (Sax (Tenor)), Stanley Schwartz (Piano (Electric)), Steve Buckingham (Producer), Kevin Hodge (Mastering), Kirk Bruner (Drums), Hank Medress (Mixing), Larold Rebhun (Assistant Engineer), Gray Russell (Assistant Engineer), Billy Radice (Engineer), Thom Wilson (Assistant Engineer), David Nadien (Choir Master), Christopher Dedrick (Trumpet), David T. Walker (Guitar (Electric)), Leon Ware (Producer), Christopher Dedrick (Horn), Barry Fasman (Conductor), Hank Medress (Percussion), Lenny Roberts (Engineer), Glenn Meadows (Mastering), Tom Saviano (Conductor), Jim Keltner (Drums), Nick VanMaarth (Assistant Engineer), Christopher Dedrick (Conductor), Michael O'Reilly (Assistant Engineer), George Devenes (Vibraphone), Allan Schwartzberg (Drums), James Newton Howard (Piano (Electric)), Melissa Manchester (Vocals), Hank Medress (Producer), Lewis Hahn (Assistant Engineer), Jean Hugo (Choir Master), Randy McCormick (Keyboards), Steve Tischer (Fender Rhodes), Joe Bellamy (Assistant Engineer), Milt Calise (Engineer), Jay Scott (Sax (Alto)), Christopher Dedrick (Woodwind Arrangement), Lewis Hahn (Remix Assistant), Dave Appell (Producer), Stanley Schwartz (Sax (Tenor)), Melissa Manchester (Piano), Lenny Castro (Percussion), Stanley Schwartz (Saxophone), Melissa Manchester (Clavinet), David Wolfert (Guitar), David Wolfert (Guitar (Electric)), James Gadson (Drums), Bob Mann (Guitar (Acoustic)), Barry Fasman (Arranger), Christopher Dedrick (Organ), Rick Ash (Assistant Engineer), Didier C. Deutsch (Compilation Producer), Melissa Manchester (Vocals (Background)), Harry Maslin (Engineer), Bob Schaper (Remixing), Jeremy Smith (Engineer), Larry Byrom (Guitar), David Manchester (Bassoon), David Hungate (Bass), Tom Robb (Bass), Larry Williams (Sax (Alto)), Will Lee (Vocals (Background)), Hank Medress (Arranger), Alex Kashevaroff (Engineer), Ed Seay (Mixing), Leon Ware (Vocals (Background)), Gary Starr (Engineer), Steve Dorff (String Arrangements), Ed Seay (Engineer), Randy McCormick (Rhythm Track Arrangement), Steve Conger (Assistant Engineer), Robbie Buchanan (Rhythm Arrangements), Richard Wells (Assistant Engineer), Lenny Castro (Vocals (Background)), Peabo Bryson (Vocals), Alan Feingold (Keyboards), New York Strings (Ensemble), James Newton Howard (Synthesizer), Melissa Manchester (Piano (Electric)), Barry Fasman (Woodwind Arrangement), Harry Bluestone (Choir Master), Steve Buckingham (Guitar), Harry Maslin (Producer), Bill Payne (Piano), David Wolfert (Clavinet), Abraham Laboriel, Sr. (Bass), George Devenes (Percussion), Christopher Dedrick (Piano (Electric)), Steve Buckingham (Rhythm Track Arrangement), John Cooker Lopresti (Bass), Christopher Dedrick (Strings), Barry Fasman (String Arrangements), Kirk Bruner (Vocals (Background)), Arnold McCuller (Vocals (Background)), Sid Sharp (Choir Master), Harry Bluestone (Violin), David Wolfert (Guitar (Acoustic)), Phil (Boogie) Schier (Mixing), Steve Tischer (Chalmers), Randy McCormick (Bassoon), Ron Alvaro (Mixing Assistant), Michael O'Reilly (Remixing), Christopher Dedrick (String Arrangements), Christopher Dedrick (Horn Arrangements), Steve Tischer (Bass), Vini Poncia (Vocals (Background)), Mickey Buckins (Percussion), John Cooker Lopresti (Vocals (Background)), Bill Schnee (Remixing), Tom Saviano (Saxophone), Tommy Cooper (Assistant Engineer), Stanley Schwartz (Clavinet), The Dixie Hummingbirds (Vocals (Background)), Tim Boyle (Engineer), Stanley Schwartz (Piano), Dennis Budimir (Guitar), Richard Perry (Executive Producer), Arif Mardin (Remixing), Andy Muson (Bass), Carla Fredricks (Assistant Engineer), Melissa Manchester (Arranger), Leslie Miller (Vocals (Background)), Alan Chinowsky (Engineer), James Gadson (Drums (Electric)), Gene Orloff (Choir Master), James Stroud (Percussion), Billy Radice (Mixing), Millie Whiteside (Vocals (Background)), Reed Stanley (Assistant Engineer), Linda Feldman (Assistant Engineer), Robbie Buchanan (Synthesizer), James Stroud (Drums), Kirk Bruner (Percussion), Carole Bayer Sager (Liner Notes), Lee Ritenour (Guitar), Tom Saviano (Arranger), Chuck Rainey (Bass), Bob Mann (Guitar), Steve Lukather (Guitar), Paul Davis (Vocals (Background)), Barry Fasman (Horn Arrangements), Don Grolnick (Organ), Vini Poncia (Producer), Jackson Schwartz (Mixing Assistant), George Devenes (Conga), Julian Stoll (Assistant Engineer), Bob Schaper (Engineer), Stanley Schwartz (Clarinet), Linda Tyler (Assistant Engineer), Russ Bracher (Assistant Engineer), Jay Messina (Engineer), Ula Hedwig (Vocals (Background)), Dave Appell (Guitar (Acoustic)), Arif Mardin (Producer)
