Joss Stone - Mind, Body & Soul

On the cover of her debut, The Soul Sessions, Joss Stone's face is obscured by a vintage microphone, a deliberate move that emphasized the retro-soul vibe of the LP while hiding the youthful face that would have given away that Stone was a mere 16 years old at the time of the album's release. The point was to put the music before the image and it worked, selling the album to an older audience that might have stayed away, thinking that the teenager sang teen pop. If the debut was designed to give Stone credibility, her second album, Mind, Body & Soul, delivered almost exactly a year after its predecessor, is designed to make her a superstar, broadening her appeal without losing sight of the smooth, funky, stylish soul at the core of her sound. There's no radical revision here -- she still works with many of the same musicians she did on The Soul Sessions, including Betty Wright and Little Beaver -- but there are some subtle shifts in tone scattered throughout the record. Certain songs are a little brighter and a little more radio-ready than before, there's a more pronounced hip-hop vibe to some beats, and she sounds a little more like a diva this time around -- not enough to alienate older fans, but enough to win some new ones. The album has a seductive, sultry feel; there's some genuine grit to the rhythms, yet it's all wrapped up in a production that's smooth as silk. By and large, the songs are good, too, sturdily written and hooky, growing in stature with each play. While Stone has developed a tendency to over-sing ever so slightly -- she doesn't grandstand like the post-Mariah divas, but she'll fit more notes than necessary into the simplest phrases -- she nevertheless possesses a rich, resonant voice that's a joy to hear. She may not yet have the set of skills, or the experience, to give a nuanced, textured performance -- one that feels truly lived-in, not just sung -- but she's a compelling singer and Mind, Body & Soul lives up to her promise. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits A.J. Nilo Guitar Alan Weekes Guitar (Electric) Aleeta Mayo Art Direction, Design Amy Touma Photography Angelo Morris Guitar, Bass, Fender Rhodes Angie Stone Fender Rhodes Astor "Crusty" Campbell Drums Benny Latimore Wurlitzer, Piano Betty Lattimore Piano Betty Wright Producer, Vocals (Background), Vocal Producer Boilerhouse Boys Producer Bombshell Vocals (Background) Brian Chen Viola Bruce Purse Trumpet, Flugelhorn Bryan Lasley Design, Art Direction Carl Vandenbosche Percussion Carole Cook Viola Charlie Green Make-Up Chris Gehringer Mastering Cindy Blackman Drums Clovette Danzy Vocals (Background) Commissioner Gordon Engineer, Producer, Programming, Percussion Conner Reeves Vocals (Background), Vocal Arrangement, Producer Daniel Panner Viola Dave Smith French Horn David "Jody" Hill Drums David Gorman Design, Art Direction Dawn Hannay Viola Delroy "Chris" Cooper Bass Earl "Chinna" Smith Guitar Eileen Moon Cello Elizabeth Dyson Cello Ellison Kendrick Vocals (Background) Fiona Simon Violin Gary Noble Engineer Ignacio Nunez Percussion Jack Daley Bass Jamie Siegel Engineer Jeanette Wright Vocals (Background) Jeanne LeBlan Cello Jenni Fujita Vocals (Background) Jessica Lee Violin John R. Angier Arranger, String Arrangements Johnathan Shorten String Arrangements, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Fender Rhodes, Producer, Programming Jonathan Joseph Drums Joss Stone Vocals (Background), Liner Notes, Vocals Jung Sun Yoo Violin Kenneth Mirkin Viola Krzysztof Kuznik Violin Laura Seaton Violin Lisa Kim Violin Liza Lim Violin Margaret Reynolds Vocals (Background) Matt Milewsky Violin Matthew Lehmann Violin Mercedes Martinez Vocals (Background) Mike Mangini Bass, Producer, Programming, Keyboards, Mixing Nile Rodgers Guitar Nir Zidkiyahu Percussion Pat Milando French Horn Pete Iannacone Bass Phil Myers French Horn Raymond Angry Organ, Clavinet, Moog Synthesizer, Piano, Organ (Hammond) Roger Moenks Photography Ruby Baker Vocals (Background) Salaam Remi Wurlitzer, Organ, Bass, Strings Sandra Park Violin Sarah Kim Violin Sarah Seiver Cello Sharon Yamada Violin Shomoni "Sho" Dylan Assistant Engineer Soo Hyun Kwon Violin Stafford Hunter Trombone Steve Greenberg Producer, Executive Producer Steve Greenwell Engineer, Bass, Mixing, Programming Steven Greenberg Producer, Executive Producer Tanya Darby Trumpet Teodross Avery Saxophone Thom Bell String Arrangements, Horn Arrangements Timmy Thomas Organ (Hammond), Organ Tom "Bones" Malone Sax (Tenor), Sax (Baritone), Trumpet, Trombone, Flugelhorn Tom Carney Myung Hi Kim Violin Tracey Moore Vocals (Background) Van Gibbs Guitar Veronica Sanchez Vocals (Background) Vincent Henry Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano) Vivek Kamath Viola Willburn "Squidley" Cole Drums William Scott Vocals (Background) Willlie "Little Beaver" Hale Guitar