The Essential Toni Braxton amounts to an expanded update of 2003's Ultimate Toni Braxton, nearly doubling the content and digging deeper into the discography of one of the biggest R&B artists of the '90s. With the exception of favoring the R. Kelly remix of "How Many Ways" over the original, this set retains Ultimate's core 15 tracks while wisely choosing to use the studio version of "Seven Whole Days" instead of a live take. Almost every song that touched a U.S. chart is included, such as the Top Ten R&B hits "Love Shoulda Brought You Home," "Another Sad Love Song," "You're Makin' Me High," "Un-Break My Heart," "Breathe Again," and "He Wasn't Man Enough." And while she has often been pigeonholed as an adult contemporary staple, the second disc adds the remixes of "He Wasn't Man Enough" and "Un-Break My Heart" (from Junior Vasquez and Frankie Knuckles, respectively) that solidified her club presence. (Un-Break My Heart: The Remix Collection compiles and mixes these and eight other club mixes.) Another pleasant surprise, tucked at the very end, is the inclusion of "Good Life," a 1990 single released by Toni and her four sisters as the Braxtons. If you want only the big hits, Ultimate will still do fine, but this set offers a more rounded and representative look back. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
Babyface (Producer), Frankie Knuckles (Remix Producer), David Foster (Arranger), David Foster (Producer), Dr. Dre (Vocals), Toni Braxton (Producer), R. Kelly (Arranger), R. Kelly (Producer), R. Kelly (Remixing), Vassal Benford (Producer), Ted Bishop (Producer), Mannie Fresh (Producer), Vincent Herbert (Producer), Keri Lewis (Producer), Keri Lewis (Vocal Producer), Ernesto Phillips (Producer), L.A. Reid (Producer), Tony Rich (Arranger), Tony Rich (Producer), Soulshock (Arranger), Soulshock (Producer), Daryl Simmons (Producer), Satoshi Tomiie (Producer), Mark Wilder (Mastering), Karlin (Arranger), Karlin (Producer), Rodney Jerkins (Producer), Leo Sacks (Producer), Leo Sacks (Compilation), Junior Vasquez (Remix Producer), Bryce Wilson (Producer), Randee Saint Nicholas (Photography), Howard Fritzson (Art Direction), Daniela Federici (Photography), Jazze Pha (Producer), Rob Santos (A&R), Irv Gotti (Producer), Steve Mac (Producer), Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (Rap), Traci Braxton (Performer), The Neptunes (Producer), Tamar Braxton (Performer), Jeremy Holiday (Packaging Manager), Bob Jones (Design), Trina Braxton (Performer), Towanda Braxton (Performer), Royal Garden (Producer), Royal Garden (Remixing), Bryan-Michael Cox (Producer), Chink Santana (Producer), Rashod D. Ollison (Liner Notes), Jim Parham (Project Director), Zak Profera (A&R), Keri (Arranger), Keri (Producer)
The Essential: Toni Braxton/The Best So Far
(2007)
Pulse
(2010)
The Essential Toni Braxton is a Toni Braxtoncompilation album in Sony BMG's The Essential series. Released in February 2007, it follows the earlier compilations Ultimate Toni Braxton, released in 2003, and Braxton's Platinum & Gold Collection, released in 2004. The Essential is a 2 disc album with thirty-six of Braxton's best songs. It also includes a previously unreleased song, "The Time of Our Lives", and a song done with her sister group The Braxtons, "The Good Life". In Brazil, the album was released under the name The Best So Far with an alternate cover, but the track listing remained the same. Recently in Now magazine it was stated that Braxton did a commercial to advertise for the album so she could get money to pay for her sons college funds.
