This post is an off shoot of the debate Maxx and I had over who was a better producer, R Kelly or Saadiq. But what I want here is not who is the best technically or has turned out the most hits. Rather who's production work have you enjoyed the most over the years? So for me people like Burt Bacharach and Quincy Jones would not make my list even though they are great and legendary producers without a doubt. My favs are as follow.

Jamie Starr:
Not Prince but Jamie Starr. Loved just about everything he produced under this alias. The first two Time albums, Sheila E, Vanity 6, Shenna Easton. Dug this whole Prince era.

Kashif:
Just loved his "sound" in the mid 80's. Howard Johnson, George Benson, Evelyn King, Whitney Houston all had some really classic shit produced by Kashif. His first two self-produced albums are among my all time favorites.

Allen A. Jones:
Yea I know he "jacked" other groups sound but damn he did the shit so funky! Besides all the classic Bar-Kays tracks he did, he produced some other "Bar-Kay sounding" acts like Kwick and Chocolate Milk.

Maurice White:
Earth, Wind & Fire. Nuff said.

Jam & Lewis:
Janet, Alexander O'Neal, Cherrelle, SOS Band, Sounds Of Blackness, this list is too long to go through. Hell they even made the Human League sound good. Now that's great production.

Solar Production Team:
Lead by Leon Sylvers, these cats were in a real groove from 81-84. The Whispers, Shalamar and Lakeside all were major benefactors of Mr Sylvers production genius.

While not making my all time list, Saadiq, Quick, Maxwell\Stewart (Muse), Remy Shand, and Touch of Jazz are all cats I am keeping an eye on in today's scene. Hopefully they will continue down the road to production greatness and join those I mentioned above.
[This message was edited Wed Apr 9 9:21:28 PDT 2003 by intha916]

Quincy Jones,R.Kelly,DJ Quik,Goerge Martin,George duke,George Clinton,Maurice White,Gary Katz,Berry Gordy Jr,Stevie Wonder,Marvin Gaye,Teddy Riley,Rick James,Teo Macero,Nareada Michael Walden,Leon Sylvers,Curtis Mayfield,Issac Hayes,Barry White,Burt Bacharach,Babyface,El Debarge,Angela Winbush,Bomb Squaid,Marley Marl,Pete Rock&Cl Smooth,Gil Scott Heron&Brian Jackson,Randy Mulligan,Kasif,Jam&Lewis,Prince,Michael Jackson,Willie Mitchell&Al Green,Carol King,Joe Sample,Dr.Dre,Ralphael Saadiq,Asford&Simpson,Leon Haywood,Allen Jones,

mistermaxxx said:

Damn can't believe I forgot George Duke! Thanks for brigning his name into this maxxx.

-Kashif: Don't 4get the lovely Mel'isa Morgan

-Jimmy & Terry: well,,there's nothing mo' 2 say really lol

-Reggie Lucas & James Mtume: Roberta Flack, Donny Hothaway, Stephanie Mills & Phyllis Hyman are the BEST ones who worked with them.

-Angela Winbush(The Female 80's R.Kelly): I'm talking about Isley Bros, Lala Hothaway, Stephanie Mills, Chaka Khan & The Rufus, Klymaxx(sp), BODY who worked with her.

-Arif Mardin: I got 2 words 4 yo mind "CHAKA KHAN" nuff said!

-Tim & Missy: "One In A Million" is the one that brought them the atenttion.

-David Foster: his best songs are the ones with Diane Warren

-Lauryn Hill: you should do alot mo' girl!

-P.Diddy: I love his OLD stuff like "My Life" & "Whats the 411" now he turned plastic.

-Norman Whitefeild: Remember Rose Royce?? LOL thats what I'm talking about yo

-Gerald Isaac: He's a newcomer discovered by Mary J, I love his lyrics,,,very deep!

-Andre Harris & The Touch of jazz crew: I like them!

-Walter A.: His best stuff are the ones with Mariah but after she got divorced, he turned his back on her thinking that ol' man Tommy will back him up lol he shoulda known,,,he's outta biz now, such a shame cuz he's good. He used to work with Nareada Michael Walden's band.

-George Duke: I love that babyface lol his best work are the ones with Deniece Williams.

-Maurice White: His best work are the ones with Deniece Williams too!

-Thom Bell: too many to name!

-Michael Massar: He worked with alot of folks but the 1st thang comes 2 mind is Whitney Houston's amazing debut LP,,,"I'm Saving All My Love For You" is the best.

-Malik Pendliton: He should produce mo' stuff! he's the one behind Mary J/George Benson's "Seven Days" a cool musician with an obevious jazzy touch.

-Bryce Wilson: from the group "Groove Theory" I love his work alot.

-Dallas Austun: TLC's hitmaker,,I love the Prince inlfunced style

-Orginized Noise: The ones behind "Waterfalls" those mofos are bad too!

-Keith Courch: Who produced Brandy's debute LP,,,I love his work with Chaka Khan too.

-Prince: LOL what do you expect me 2 say?

-Quincy Jones: Again! what do you expect me 2 say?

Oh hell,,too many 2 mention! I need a break!

Trevor Horn for Grace Jones's Slave to the Rhythm LP

And the great work he did on the W&L Friendly Fire tracks

Much love Pochacco

"Reggie Lucas & James Mtume: Roberta Flack, Donny Hothaway, Stephanie Mills & Phyllis Hyman are the BEST ones who worked with them. "

Reggie is a good one. Props for that one. He even did some work on the first Madonna album. Did you ever hear his group Sunfire's album? Love that shit.

Harlepolis said:

tight List.I heard this Story about Malik Pendliton having this Song that Michael Jackson was trying to get but He didn't let MJ have it.a while back.David Foster the Heavy Strings&Synths are His trademark Sound.Keith Crouch was tight 10 Years back.He worked for MJ's ATV Company as a On-Staff Writer&Producer&Badd Keyboard Player.Orgainized Noise:Don't get enough due.Thom Bell:Knew what to do with Solo Vocalists.Arif&Whitfield two of the baddest along with James Anthony Carmichael.Great Call on Mtume&Reggie Lucas.I also forgot Nile Rodgers&Bernard Edwards.Walter A was in Keyboard magazine a month back talking about Sound&when he knows He has a Hit&His Science for Hits.

Brian Eno

Tim & Missy

The P-man, circa...say...1986

Nigel Godrich (Godich? I'm mangling his name, I'm sure...he produced OK Computer and Beck's Sea Change album...)

George Martin, of course

Tony Visconti

Nile Rogers, back in the day

Pochacco said:

Trevor Horn produced a song 4 Truth Hurts called "For Your Precious Love" which can be found in the ALI-OST very cool!

I 4got 2 mention R.Kelly,,,"Age Ain't Nothing But A #" I heard back in the day that he recorded couple of DUET tracks with Aaliyah but remained non-released 2 this day becoz of the whole saga. I'm looking 4ward to hear his Angela Winbush collaporation.

Mr.Maxxx said:[qoute]I heard this Story about Malik Pendliton having this Song that Michael Jackson was trying to get but He didn't let MJ have it[/qoute]

Why???

Speaking of MJ who really pissed me off with his lastest effort. The brutha worked with the baddest producers in the biz(D'Angelo-Lauryn Hill-Keith,,,you name it) but the only tracks that ended up in the LP are the ones done by darkchild and Teddy Riley,,ain't that a bitch? Matta o' fact why the hell work with producers?? You're too damn good by yo own self! I like MJ but I don't understand him sometimes.

Harlepolis said:

Malik held on to it.as for MJ: MJ was just rolling out of Sony with TOmmy Mottola's BS&was just going through the Motions IMHO really.Mike Cut so many tracks&whatnot but Re-Mastered&did this Album 3 or 4 times before Green Lightening it.

Brian Eno, Prince, Quincy Jones, Jam & Lewis, Daniel Lanois, Tori Amos, George Martin, Lyndsey Buckingham, and i know there are others but i can't think of them right now. oh yeah, jimmy iovine too.

Gamble&Huff&that entire Philly Staff&Sound back in the day.just like Holland,Dozier&Holland&the Entire Motown Family&Staxx.

Brian Wilson

I listen to rock mainly, so my favorite producer is Steve Albini. He can capture a stunning sound for rock, especially drum sounds. Examples would be, Nirvana's In Utero, PJ Harvey's Rid of me, the Breeders Pod and the Pixies Surfer Rosa.



.
[This message was edited Wed Apr 9 15:19:00 PDT 2003 by theSpark]

Sir George Martin- What would've become of the Beatles without him
Phil Spector- He was just as crazy when he was in the studio.
Lee "Scratch" Perry- The mad scientist of Reggae/Dub.
Quincy Jones- Needs no introduction.
Brian Eno- He mad stars of all he's produced, from Roxy Music, to Talking Heads, to U2
Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley- purveyors of that good old english pop sound that did wonders for Madness, Elvis Costelo, Bush, Dexy's Midnight Runners, and Morrissey.
Trevor Horn- He made ABC's first album one of the greatest ever
Nile Rogers- Need I say more?
Rick Rubin- He's served the Beasties, RUN DMC, Audioslave, the Chili Peppers, L.L. and System of a Down well.
Chris Blackwell- Founder of Island Records as well as producer of many great artists such as Bob Marley & The Wailers, Toots & the Maytals, and the B-52's.
Chris Thomas- One of my favorite New Wave producers. Besides that, he's worked with everyone from Badfinger to INXS to Pulp to Paul McCartney.
Steve Lillywhite- Another one of my favorite New Wave producers who's worked with Simple Minds, XTC, Talking Heads, U2, Big Country, The Smiths, etc.
Bob Sargeant- Yet another great New Wave producer who's worked with one of my all time faves, The English Beat.

...oh yeah, and I can't forget my all-time fave, Prince.

I gotta say my buddy Youth - or He'll box me

Jam & Lewis
Nile Rodgers
Andre Cymone
Babyface
Marley Marl
Michael Jackson
Teena Marie
Narada Michael Walden
Terence Trent Darby

Pochacco said:

Ditto on that one!

Brian Eno for all his work on Bowie's berlin trilogy and for saving U2.

Gamble and Huff
Quincy Jones
Maurice White (EW&F)
David Foster
William Orbit
Kashif
Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte
Prince (of course!)
Jellybean Benitez
George Duke
Narada Michael Walden
The Bee Gees

Babyface
El DeBarge
DeVante Swing
Timbaland
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
R.Kelly
DJ Quik
Dre Dre
Missy Elliot
Puff Daddy
Dallas Austin
Jermaine Dupri
Prince

OOF Georgio Moroder...I knew I was leaving out someone...what would the world be like if there'd never been "I Feel Love"? I don't wanna speculate...

Bob Ezrin...:
The Wall - Pink Floyd
Berlin - Lou Reed

Biscuit said:

(snicker,snicker)

Anxiety said:

In 1977,that song practically started the whole techno craze.

Oh yeah, and I totally forgot to mention Jimmy Page. Producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, & guitar god. He's all these things and then some. Zeppelin just would'nt be Zeppelin without him.

gamble & huff

giorgio moroder

quincy jones

jam & lewis