Rhino's 2001 release The Very Best of Patti Austin: The Singles (1969-1986) lives up to the first part of its title, offering 17 songs, including all her big hits on both the pop and R&B charts. This means there's a heavy dose of her duets -- most notably two cuts with James Ingram ("Baby, Come to Me," "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?"), but also a pair of cuts with Quincy Jones and one with Narada Michael Walden, along with all of her solo signatures. This, combined with fine remastering and song-by-song annotation from Austin herself, makes this the definitive Austin collection. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Suzanne Ciani (Synthesizer Programming), Patti Austin (Concert Master), Patti Austin (Vocal Arrangement), Angela Bofill (Vocals (Background)), Gwen Guthrie (Vocals), Gwen Guthrie (Vocals (Background)), James Ingram (Vocals), James Ingram (Vocals (Background)), James Ingram (Guest Appearance), Luther Vandross (Vocals), Michael Brecker (Sax (Tenor)), Michael Brecker (Soloist), Michael Brecker (Electric Saxophone), Ronnie Cuber (Sax (Baritone)), Herbie Hancock (Piano (Electric)), Quincy Jones (Producer), Quincy Jones (Vocal Arrangement), Quincy Jones (Rhythm Arrangements), Quincy Jones (Synthesizer Arrangements), Quincy Jones (Guest Appearance), Bill Reichenbach Jr. (Trombone), Marvin Stamm (Trumpet), Jeremy Wall (Arranger), Jeremy Wall (Conductor), Jeremy Wall (Keyboards), Chuck Israels (Strings), Barry Miles (Synthesizer), David Sancious (Synthesizer), David Sancious (Keyboards), Ralph MacDonald (Percussion), Jeanie Tracy (Vocals (Background)), Charles May (Vocals), Charles May (Guest Appearance), David Nadien (Strings), Henry Jerome (Producer), Gordon Grody (Vocals (Background)), Josh Abbey (Engineer), Ava Aldridge (Vocals (Background)), Wayne Andre (Trombone), Tom Bahler (Director), Glen Ballard (Arranger), Glen Ballard (Producer), Glen Ballard (Rhythm Arrangements), Seymour Barab (Strings), Michael Boddicker (Synthesizer), Jim Boyer (Engineer), Randy Brecker (Trumpet), Robbie Buchanan (Synthesizer), Robbie Buchanan (Arranger), Robbie Buchanan (Keyboards), Mickey Buckins (Percussion), Duncan Cameron (Guitar), Duncan Cameron (Guitar (Rhythm)), Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (Drums), Ed Cherney (Assistant), Vivian Cherry (Vocals), Lincoln Clapp (Assistant), Paulinho Da Costa (Percussion), Dave Grusin (Arranger), Dave Grusin (Piano (Electric)), Dave Grusin (Producer), Harry Cykman (Strings), Peter Dimitriades (Strings), George Doering (Guitar), Maureen Droney (Assistant Engineer), Ian Eales (Engineer), Ian Eales (Mixing), Nathan East (Bass), Max Ellen (Strings), Steve Ferrone (Drums), Barry Finclair (Strings), Chuck Findley (Trumpet), Matt Forger (Assistant), Steve Forman (Percussion), Michael Frondelli (Assistant), Steve Gadd (Drums), Eric Gale (Guitar), Dan Garcia (Assistant Engineer), Rudy Van Gelder (Engineer), Rudy Van Gelder (Mixing), Paul Gershman (Strings), Mitch Gibson (Assistant), Jim Gilstrap (Vocals (Background)), Preston Glass (Piano), Preston Glass (Vocals (Background)), Preston Glass (DX-7), Harry Glickman (Strings), Gary Grant (Trumpet), Frank Gravis (Bass), Emanuel Green (Strings), Lani Groves (Vocals), Lani Groves (Vocals (Background)), Harry Lookofsky (Strings), Roger Hawkins (Drums), Jerry Hey (Trumpet), Jerry Hey (Horn Arrangements), Jerry Hey (String Arrangements), Jerry Hey (Synthesizer Arrangements), Andy Hoffman (Engineer), David Hood (Bass), Kim Hutchcroft (Flute), Kim Hutchcroft (Saxophone), Kim Hutchcroft (Sax (Tenor)), Regis Iandiorio (Strings), Theodore Israel (Strings), Paul Jackson, Jr. (Guitar), Anthony Jackson (Bass), Anthony Jackson (Soloist), Jimmy Jam (Percussion), Jimmy Jam (Producer), Jimmy Jam (Vocal Arrangement), Jimmy Jam (Rhythm Arrangements), Joe Jorgensen (Engineer), Robbie Kilgore (Keyboards), Robbie Kilgore (Drum Programming), Gordon Knudtson (Drums), Harold Kohon (Strings), Will Lee (Bass), John Lehman (Vocals (Background)), Brad Leigh (Engineer), Jesse Levy (Strings), Terry Lewis (Percussion), Terry Lewis (Keyboards), Terry Lewis (Producer), Terry Lewis (Vocal Arrangement), Terry Lewis (Drum Programming), Terry Lewis (Rhythm Arrangements), Yvonne Lewis (Vocals (Background)), Tommy LiPuma (Producer), Charles Libove (Strings), Steve Lukather (Guitar), Steve Lukather (Soloist), Guy Lumia (Strings), Steve MacMillan (Assistant Engineer), Clif Magness (Guitar), Clif Magness (Percussion), Clif Magness (Arranger), Clif Magness (Producer), Clif Magness (Rhythm Arrangements), John Mahoney (Synclavier), Joseph Malin (Strings), Johnny Mandel (Producer), Johnny Mandel (String Arrangements), Johnny Mandel (Synthesizer Arrangements), Johnny Mandel (Woodwind Arrangement), Lou Marini (Sax (Tenor)), Dave Marquette (Assistant), Myrna Matthews (Vocals (Background)), Richard Maximoff (Strings), Charles McCracken (Strings), Yolanda McCullough (Vocals), Yolanda McCullough (Vocals (Background)), Mary Beth McLemore (Assistant Engineer), Steve Melton (Engineer), Narada Michael Walden (Arranger), Narada Michael Walden (Drums), Narada Michael Walden (Vocals), Narada Michael Walden (Producer), Narada Michael Walden (Guest Appearance), Monte Moir (Synthesizer), Monte Moir (Piano), Monte Moir (Keyboards), Monte Moir (Vocal Arrangement), Monte Moir (Rhythm Arrangements), Joel Moss (Engineer), Lucia Newell (Vocals (Background)), David Paich (Synthesizer), Chris Parker (Drums), Greg Phillinganes (Synthesizer), Greg Phillinganes (Keyboards), Greg Phillinganes (Piano (Electric)), Steve Porcaro (Synthesizer Programming), Malcolm Pollack (Mixing), Max Pollikoff (Strings), Jim Pugh (Trombone), Jack Joseph Puig (Engineer), Jack Joseph Puig (Mixing), Ray Pyle (Assistant Engineer), Matthew Raimondi (Strings), Vicki Randle (Vocals (Background)), Brian Reeves (Assistant), Raul Rekow (Conga), Cindy Richardson (Vocals (Background)), Bob Riley (Drums), Bob Riley (Drum Programming), Garry Rindfuss (Assistant Engineer), Richard Rome (Arranger), Larry Rosen (Producer), Larry Rosen (Engineer), Larry Rosen (Mixing), Alan Rubin (Trumpet), Corrado Rustici (Guitar), Zachary Sanders (Vocals), Alan Shulman (Strings), Ira Siegel (Guitar), Richard Sortomme (Strings), Bruce Swedien (Engineer), Bruce Swedien (Mixing), Creed Taylor (Producer), Richard Tee (Piano), Richard Tee (Keyboards), Richard Tee (Clavinet), Rod Temperton (Synthesizer), Rod Temperton (Vocal Arrangement), Rod Temperton (Rhythm Arrangements), Rod Temperton (Synthesizer Arrangements), Russ Titelman (Producer), Ian Underwood (Synthesizer), Ian Underwood (Programming), John Van Tongeren (Synthesizer), John Van Tongeren (Bass), John Van Tongeren (Keyboards), John Van Tongeren (Sequencers), The Manny Vardi Strings (Strings), Alan Varner (Arranger), Tommy Vicari (Engineer), Tommy Vicari (Mixing), Orestes Vilató (Timbales), Orestes Vilató (Cowbell), Gerald Vinci (Concert Master), Ernie Watts (Flute), Ernie Watts (Saxophone), Ernie Watts (Sax (Tenor)), Ernie Watts (Soloist), David Wolinski "Hawk" (Synthesizer Bass), Eugene Bianco (Strings), Bruce Buchalter (Assistant Engineer), Clark Spangler (Synthesizer), Clark Spangler (Keyboards), Clark Spangler (Programming), Walter Afanasieff (Synthesizer), Walter Afanasieff (Keyboards), Paul Winter Consort (Strings), Carol Friedman (Photography), Carol Friedman (Cover Photo), Randy Jackson (Bass), Randy Jackson (Synthesizer Bass), Randy Jackson (Simmons Drums), Maria Villar (Art Direction), Maria Villar (Design), Reggie Collins (Discographical Annotation), Barbara Rooney (Assistant), Jamie Chaleff (Assistant Engineer), Randy McCormack (Keyboards), Sheryl Farber (Editorial Supervision), Steve Jordan (Drums), Shawn Amos (Compilation Producer), Daniel Goldmark (Editorial Research), Bill Eaton (Vocals), Armando Perazo (Quica), Al Brown & His Tunetoppers (Strings), John "4 Daddman" Robinson (Drums), Abe Laboriel, Jr. (Bass), Amy Utstein (Project Assistant), Lee Blasky (String Arrangements), Jo Motta (Project Coordinator), Ken Williams (Vocals (Background)), Elliot Magaziner (Strings), Jerry Dodgion (Sax (Alto)), David Bruce Davis (Strings), Bob James & Creations (Synthesizer), Mark Russo (Saxophone), Michael Barry (Engineer), Elliot Rosoff (Strings), Larry Andrew Williams (Sax (Alto)), Joe Malin (Strings), Michael Rosen (Assistant Engineer)
