Blue Light, Red Light
Encyclopedia
Blue Light, Red Light, a big band album
by American
artist Harry Connick Jr., released in 1991. The multi-platinum album features Connick's vocals
and piano
, accompanied by his 14-piece big band
.
Connick has written the music
, with Ramsey McLean writing most of the lyrics
, (except for track #4 "Jill", #5 "He Is They Are", #10 "She Belongs To Me", and #12 "Just Kiss Me", with both music and lyrics by Harry Connick Jr.).
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist Harry Connick Jr., released in 1991. The multi-platinum album features Connick's vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, accompanied by his 14-piece big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
.
Connick has written the music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, with Ramsey McLean writing most of the lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
, (except for track #4 "Jill", #5 "He Is They Are", #10 "She Belongs To Me", and #12 "Just Kiss Me", with both music and lyrics by Harry Connick Jr.).
Track listing
- "Blue Light, Red Light (Someone's There)" (Harry Connick Jr, Ramsey McLean) – 3:31
- "A Blessing And A Curse" (Connick, McLean) – 3:06
- "You Didn't Know Me When" (Connick, McLean) – 3:13
- "Jill" (Connick) – 6:13
- "He Is They Are" (Connick) – 4:15
- "With Imagination, I'll Get There" (Connick, McLean) – 5:01
- "If I Could Give You More" (Connick, McLean) – 4:49
- "The Last Payday" (Connick, McLean) – 7:16
- "It's Time" (Connick, McLean) – 6:38
- "She Belongs To Me" (Connick) – 3:57
- "Sonny Cried" (Connick, McLean) – 5:46
- "Just Kiss Me" (Connick) – 4:53
Musicians
- Harry Connick Jr. - PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Brad Leali - Alto SaxAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
- Will Campbell - Alto Sax
- Jerry WeldonJerry WeldonJerry Weldon is a tenor saxophonist, noted for his involvement in various groups such as Lionel Hampton Orchestra and Harry Connick, Jr.s big band...
- Tenor SaxTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Ned Goold - Tenor Sax
- David Schumacher - Bari SaxBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, Bass ClarinetBass clarinetThe bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
, FluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening... - Louis Ford - ClarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
- Mark Mullins - TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Craig Klein - Trombone
- Lucien BarbarinLucien BarbarinLucien Barbarin is an American trombone player, born July 17, 1956, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Barbarin tours internationally with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and with Harry Connick, Jr....
- Trombone, SousaphoneSousaphoneThe sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried... - Joe Barati - Bass Trombone
- Roger IngramRoger IngramRoger Ingram is a lead trumpet player, educator, and author. He is best known for being the lead trumpet player on the Jazz at Lincoln Center, Harry Connick, Jr., Maynard Ferguson, Ray Charles, and Woody Herman big bands, and his 2008 trumpet textbook, Clinical Notes on Trumpet Playing, and the...
- TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... - Dan Miller - Trumpet
- Leroy JonesLeroy JonesLeroy Jones is a jazz trumpeter from New Orleans, Louisiana. Born February 20, 1958, Jones began playing trumpet at the age of ten, and by the time he was 13 was leading the Fairview Baptist Church Marching Band, a group of young musicians organized by guitar- and banjo-player Danny Barker...
- Trumpet - Jeremy DavenportJeremy DavenportJeremy Davenport is a jazz trumpetist and singer from St. Louis, Missouri. His parents were both musicians, his father a trombonist in the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Davenport was already playing the trumpet when he met jazz great Wynton Marsalis, and then studied under his father, Ellis...
- Trumpet - Russell MaloneRussell MaloneRussell Malone is an essentially self-taught swing and bebop jazz guitarist. He began working with Jimmy Smith in 1988, and went on to work with Harry Connick, Jr. and Diana Krall throughout the 1990s...
- GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Benjamin Jonah WolfeBen WolfeBen Wolfe is an American jazz double bassist and academic.-Early life:Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Wolfe was raised in Portland, Oregon.-Career:...
- BassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Shannon Powell - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Tracey Freeman - Producer
- Gregg Rubin - Engineer/ Mixer
Billboard Album Chart
- 1991 Blue Light, Red Light debuted at No. 1 on the jazz chart
- 1992 Blue Light, Red Light had its peak position at The Billboard 200 as No. 17 on February 29.
Awards and nominations
- 1992 Grammy Award nominationNominationNomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to an office, or the bestowing of an honor or award.In the context of elections for public office, a candidate who has been selected by a political party is normally said to be the nominee of that party...
: Best Traditional Pop PerformanceGrammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal AlbumThe Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album is an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
-- Blue Light, Red Light - 1992 Grammy Award nominationNominationNomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to an office, or the bestowing of an honor or award.In the context of elections for public office, a candidate who has been selected by a political party is normally said to be the nominee of that party...
: Best Instrumental Arrangement w/ VocalsGrammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist has been awarded since 1963. The award is presented to the arranger of the music.There have been several minor changes to the name of the award:...
-- "Blue Light, Red Light (Someone's There)" - 1992 Soul Train Music Award nominationNominationNomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to an office, or the bestowing of an honor or award.In the context of elections for public office, a candidate who has been selected by a political party is normally said to be the nominee of that party...
: Best Jazz Album