Clarence Clemons & the Red Bank Rockers - Hero

Narada Michael Walden produces most of this album by Mokshagun Clarence Clemons, known to the world as the "Big Man." His unmistakable saxophone that lifted many a Bruce Springsteen tune sounds like it was lifted right out of a Phil Spector session on Hero. "You're a Friend of Mine" by Jeffrey Cohen and Narada has Jackson Browne dueting on the lead vocal with Clemens and his then-girlfriend, Daryl Hannah, on backing vocals. The same songwriting duo comes up with "Temptation," a hooky, smart, mid-'80s thick-pop sound with Booker T. Jones again on keyboards. For "It's Alright With Me Girl" it's the very hip Jonzun Crew backing up Clemons: Michael Jonzun, Gordon Worthy, guitarist Tony "Rocks" Cowan, Maurice Starr on bass, and Princess Loria on vocals, with stunning dynamic switches from Narada Michael Walden to Michael Jonzun in a flash. Clemons and Jonzun put "It's Alright With Me Girl" together, and it's a shame there aren't four or five more of these collaborations. One oddity on the album is the closing to side one, the Arthur Baker-produced remake of The Walker Brothers' hit "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore," with Stu Kimball from Face to Face and Phil Spector singer Darlene Love. The title track, which kicks off side two, is a tremendous song about being a lover and a friend. "Crossin' the Line" works, as does "Kissin' on You," where Clemons' nickname, the Big Man, is one of the hooks. The leadoff track with Jackson Browne went Top 20 in 1985, four years before his first go-round with the E-Street Band was concluding. It's great to see a musician step from the shadows of a legend and make a mark on his own, and Clarence Clemons does that remarkably well here. This is a record where dropping names means something, because the names are allowed to do what is expected of them. It's a beautiful work that will appeal to those who never found the Boss all that exciting. Of course, it might appeal to Springsteen fans as well. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alvin Meyerson Engineer Andy Wallace Engineer Anton Fig Drums Arthur Baker Producer B.J. Nelson Vocals, Vocals (Background) Bashiri Johnson Percussion Bill Sebastian Glockenspiel, Percussion Billy Loosigian Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic) Bob Messano Guitar Booker T. Jones Keyboards, Organ Carlos Pepper Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm) Charles Robin Choir, Chorus, Vocals, Vocals (Background) Clarence Clemons Vocals (Background), Saxophone, Vocals, Percussion Corrado Rustici Guitar (Electric), Guitar Craig Thomas Vocals (Background), Saxophone, Vocals Dana Jon Chappelle Assistant Engineer Darlene Love Vocals Daryl Hannah Vocals (Background), Vocals David Frazer Engineer, Sound Effects David Sancious Keyboards Doug Wimbish Bass, Drums Ed Stasium Mixing Frank Heller Engineer Frank Martin Keyboards Geoff Keehn Assistant Engineer George Marino Mastering Gordon Lyon Assistant Engineer Gordon Worthy Organ, Organ (Hammond), Associate Producer Greg "Gigi" Gonaway Percussion, Glockenspiel Hangsa Vocals (Background), Vocals, Choir, Chorus Jackson Browne Vocals, Producer Jennifer Hall Vocals (Background), Vocals John Siegler Bass Kitty Beethoven Vocals (Background), Vocals Lewis West Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar Liz Jackson Vocals, Vocals (Background) Lloyd Landesman Producer, Vocals (Background), Keyboards, Synthesizer, Arranger Lotti Golden Vocals Maurice Starr Bass Michael Brauer Engineer Michael Jonzun Producer, Vocals, Programming, Marimba, Drums, Vocals (Background), Engineer, Arranger, Keyboards Michael Rado Harp Morris Brown Arranger, Producer Narada Michael Walden Keyboards, Bells, Arranger, Percussion, Producer, Drums Norman Mershon Vocals Premik McFly Saxophone, Sax (Baritone) Preston Glass Guitar (Acoustic), Keyboards, Vibraphone Princess Loria Vocals, Vocals (Background) Randy Jackson Drums, Bass, Sequencing, Percussion, Bass (Electric) Richard Scher Keyboards Richard Walsh Vocals, Vocals (Background) Scott Yetka Assistant Engineer Sidney Burton Engineer Sir Arthur Payson Assistant Engineer Steve Goldman Engineer Stuart Hirotsu Assistant Engineer, Sound Effects Stuart Kimball Guitar Sundari Vocals, Vocals (Background) Tim Hatfield Assistant Engineer Tina B. Vocals, Vocals (Background) Tom Lord-Alge Mixing Tom Moore Engineer Tony "Rock" Cownas Guitar (Rhythm) Tony Cowans Guitar Venu Choir, Chorus Vernon "Ice" Black Guitar Walter Afanasieff Sound Effects, Keyboards William Beard Drums Yogaloy Choir, Chorus