Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol. 142 - Featuring Great Works by Master Producers Part 5 - Tommy LiPuma and Everything But The Girl

Memories of Tracey Thorn’s Solo Album

In the early 1980s, I used to listen to albums by British singer-songwriter Tracey Thorn. The music was simple—just her voice accompanied by an acoustic guitar. The album seemed to have been produced on a tight budget, with a modest cover illustration of Tracey resting her chin on her hand while sitting on a deck chair.

The songs evoked imagery of British landscapes, and the melodies were straightforward yet had a distinctive charm. However, since Tracey Thorn’s music was somewhat different from my usual preferences, I gradually distanced myself from it, and over time, it faded from my memory.

A Distant Shore / Tracey Thorn (1982)

One day, while browsing through a music magazine, I came across an album by a unit called Everything But The Girl. The stylish cover caught my eye. Up until 1990, I had never heard of Everything But The Girl, but when I checked the recording personnel, I noticed the name of one of my favorite bassists, John Patitucci.

John Patitucci is renowned as the bassist for Chick Corea’s Elektric Band and Acoustic Band, known for his exceptional skills on both electric and acoustic bass.

I had previously heard him perform with Masahiko Sato’s band at Roppongi Pit Inn, where the drummer was Steve Gadd. At that time, I had perceived him strictly as a jazz musician. Seeing his name on a pop album piqued my curiosity, and I decided to buy the record to hear how he played in that context.

And, of course, the producer was Tommy LiPuma!

When I dropped the stylus on the album, I was immediately struck by its sophisticated sound. Checking the credits on the back, I was not surprised to see that the producer was Tommy LiPuma. As I continued reading the liner notes, I was shocked to find that the duo behind Everything But The Girl included Tracey Thorn. “Wait... is this the same Tracey Thorn who once sang with just an acoustic guitar!?” The sound was completely different. It was a moment where the passage of time, which had been frozen for about eight years, suddenly reconnected.

Everything But The Girl was a British duo consisting of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt.

The sound on this album was so different from the Tracey I remembered that it was almost unrecognizable. While it was clear that Tommy LiPuma’s production played a key role in shaping the sound, checking the list of recording musicians further clarified everything.

A Lineup of Elite Musicians

The album featured an incredible roster of musicians, including Michael Brecker (Sax), Omar Hakim (Drums), Vinnie Colaiuta (Drums), Larry Williams (Keyboards), Joe Sample (Keyboards), and Stan Getz (Sax)—all top-tier jazz and fusion session players.

Tommy LiPuma’s production, combined with the participation of these high-caliber jazz musicians, followed a formula that had proven successful in the record industry at the time. This album exemplified the pinnacle of sophistication in pop music.

At the same time, Everything But The Girl had shown an inclination toward jazz from the beginning, as evidenced by their debut single—a bossa nova-style cover of Cole Porter’s “Night and Day”. Given Ben Watt’s presence in the duo, it is possible that he also had a hand in shaping this sound. While the album itself does not prominently feature a jazz approach, it may have been designed to subtly incorporate jazz idioms through the musicians’ performances.

■ Recommended Album: The Language of Life (1990)

This was the fifth album released by Everything But The Girl in 1990.

With Tommy LiPuma as the producer, the album’s production had a refined quality reminiscent of Michael Franks’ works. As a pop album, it stood at the highest level of sophistication. This was largely due to the musicians that LiPuma assembled. Their extraordinary skills elevated the duo’s compositions to an entirely new level. The result was an album that was elegant, meticulously arranged, and brimming with a luxurious feel. The musicians’ techniques and sensibilities were on full display.

Tommy LiPuma had the vision to not only gather the right musicians but also to conceptualize the album’s direction and execute it flawlessly.

Among Everything But The Girl’s albums, this is the most stylish in my opinion. It truly demonstrates how much a producer can transform music.

Recommended Track: Driving

The song begins with a tricky sound featuring a vocoder-treated voice layered with delay effects. As Tracey’s vocals enter, delicate bell arpeggios and subtle pad sounds emerge, soon accompanied by the rhythm section. The keyboards, played by Larry Williams, are restrained yet tasteful, ensuring that every sound has its place. This careful arrangement allows John Patitucci’s slap bass and Omar Hakim’s tight snare drum work to shine, creating a strikingly clean and groovy combination. Omar Hakim, a legendary drummer from Weather Report, adds incredible depth to the track. As if that weren’t enough, the instrumental break features a soaring tenor sax solo by Michael Brecker—at that point, nothing more needs to be said.

Tommy LiPuma’s signature approach of incorporating jazz musicians into pop arrangements to create a luxurious atmosphere works brilliantly here.

Additionally, Ben Watt’s songwriting is excellent. The way a simple composition is transformed through sophisticated arrangements is truly astonishing.

Musicians, Albums, and Recommended Tracks Featured in This Article

• Artists: Everything But The Girl, John Patitucci, Omar Hakim, Michael Brecker, and others
• Album: The Language of Life (1990)
• Recommended Track: “Driving”

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