Rickie Lee Jones - Duchess of Coolsville: An Anthology

Duchess of Coolsville is Rhino's three-CD career retrospective of the work of singer and songwriter Rickie Lee Jones, an artist who changed the face of pop in the 1970s in her own way beginning with her surprise hit "Chuck E's in Love." Since that time she has continued on a highly personal, often idiosyncratic path; one that does not always give the marketplace its due. Critics have celebrated and vilified her. Her hardcore legion of fans has scratched their collective head more than once in the last 26 years, over her changes in direction, her sporadic activity, and even at some of her live performances. But Jones has always been stubbornly true to the restless, sometimes tempestuous heart of the artist she is. Thank goodness. This collection, co-produced by Jones and Karen Ahmed, is an example of what every career retrospective should be. The three discs contained here feature generous helpings from all of her studio recordings, as well as live material. Discs one and two present her catalog from Rickie Lee Jones to The Evening of My Best Day. In addition, there are some real rarities, such as "Easter Parade," performed with the Blue Nile, and the live version of "Something Cool," released only on the cassette version of Girl at Her Volcano. Jones' cover of Donovan's "Sunshine Superman" is here from the Party of Five soundtrack, as is "Atlas' Marker (Aviator's Song)," her contribution to Century of Song with Bill Frisell. But there's much more. For starters, the set includes a whopping total of eight unissued demos, including one of "Young Blood" and another of "Satellites." The sequencing is another plus. While it may be irritating for those who like the "same old same old" of chronological style, or those who wish all album's tracks were kept together, this method, as free-ranging as the artist herself, makes for a much more engaging , poetic, and surprising listen. It's a complete yet utterly wonderful jolt to hear "Vessels of Light" from Ghostyhead followed by "We Belong Together" from Pirates, or "Bitchenostrophy" from The Evening of My Best Day preceding her read of "Bye Bye Blackbird" from Pop Pop. The package itself is elegant. It's not only full of photographs, but has essays by Hilton Als and Lee Cantelon, and Walter Becker; there's a long introductory poem by Jones, and testimonies from peers such as Randy Newman, Emmylou Harris, Chuck E. Weiss, Quincy Jones, and others, as well as people Jones has influenced such as Stina Nordenstam and Tori Amos. It's everything a career retrospective should be and then some, and it places the artist in her proper context: as an adventurer with a fiery yet tender heart that expresses itself in song without reservation, artifice, or guile. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alex Acuña Conga, Drums Allen Sides Engineer Andy Brohard Engineer Andy Newmark Drums Arno Lucas Vocals (Background) Art Rodriquez Drums Barry Goldberg Mixing, Engineer Ben Sidran Producer Bill DeYoung Project Assistant Bill Frisell Guitar (Electric) Bill Reichenbach Jr. Trombone Bill Schnee Mixing Blair Aaronson Orchestration Bobby Bruce Violin Brad Dutz Udu, Bowls, Tarkas, Bodhran, Percussion, Marimba Bruce Brody Producer Carol Es Drums Charles Stewart Parker Photography Chuck Findley Horn Chuck Rainey Bass Cindy Wasserman Vocals Clarence McDonald Keyboards Cougar Estrada Drums Craig Eastman Mandolin, Violin Dan Hersch Remastering Dan Higgins Flute, Transcription, Sax (Tenor) David Hidalgo Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (8 String), Vocals David Hungate Bass David Kalish Guitar (Electric), Engineer, Producer, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic) David Sanborn Sax (Alto) David Was Producer, Audio Production Dean Parks Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar Donald Fagen Synthesizer Dorothy Stefanski Project Assistant Doug Lyons French Horn Dr. John Keyboards, Vocals Efrain Toro Percussion Eric Benet Vocals Ernie Watts Horn Fred Tackett Guitar, Mandolin Gary Grant Trumpet Ginger Dettman Project Assistant Grant Lee Phillips Vocals Greg Penny Engineer, Mixing Greg Phillinganes Keyboards Howard "Buzz" Feiten Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic) Ian Cross Engineer James Farber Engineer James Newton Howard Producer, Synthesizer Jason Wormer Engineer Jay Lane Cymbals Jeff Dellisanti Clarinet (Bass) Jeff Porcaro Drums Jeffrey Parcaro Drums Jeffrey Pavar Guitar Jerry Hey Transcription, Flugelhorn, Trumpet Jim Keltner Drums, Drum Effects Joe Chiccarelli Mixing Joe Henderson Saxophone Joe Turano Vocals (Background) Joel Moss Mixing John "4 Daddman" Robinson Drums John Doan Harp Guitar John Leftwich Guitar (Acoustic), Bass, Cello John Nelson Engineer John Pizzarelli Guitar (Acoustic) Johnny Mandel Orchestral Arrangements Jon Ingoldsby Engineer Julie Last Mixing, Engineer Karen Ahmed Compilation Producer Karen LeBlanc Project Assistant Kenny Wollesen Drums, Percussion Kevin Dorsey Vocals (Background) Larry Alexander Engineer Larry E. Williams Synthesizer Lee Cantelon Design, Art Direction Lee Herschberg Mixing, Engineer Lenny Castro Percussion Lenny Waronker Audio Production, Producer Leo Kottke Slide Guitar, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic) Leslie Smith Vocals (Background) Lisa Glines Project Assistant Lisa Liese Product Manager Loyd Clifft Engineer Mac Rebennack Keyboards Mark Howard Mixing Mark Johnson Engineer, Mixing Mark Linett Mixing, Engineer Mark Stevens Drums Martin Tillman Cello Marty Krystall Horn (English), Clarinet Matthew Weiner Vocals (Background) Michael Bernard Programming Michael Boddicker Synthesizer Michael Hasband Photography Michael McDonald Vocals (Background) Michael O'Neill Guitar (Acoustic) Michael Omartian Piano Michael Ruff Piano, Vocals (Background) Neil Larsen Piano, Piano (Electric), Keyboards Neil Stubenhaus Bass Nick DeCaro Accordion, Orchestral Arrangements Pascal Nabet-Meyer Synthesizer Paul Jackson, Jr. Guitar (Acoustic) Paul Nowinski Bass (Acoustic) Peter Erskine Drums Phil Feather Horn (English) Ralph Burns Orchestral Arrangements, Horn Arrangements Ralph Grierson Keyboards Randy Brecker Flugelhorn, Trumpet Randy Kerber Keyboards Randy Newman Synthesizer Red Callender Bass Rene Camacho Bass Rick Boston Sleigh Bells, Bowed Dulcimer, Piano, Wurlitzer, Guitar, Kalimba, Drums, Recorder, Bass, Various, Programming, Loop, Producer Rickie Lee Jones Horn Arrangements, Mandolin, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals (Background), Horn, Compilation Producer, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Kalimba, Wurlitzer, Guitar (Rhythm), Recorder, Audio Production, Bowed Dulcimer, Guitar, Arranger, Vocals, Dulcimer, Producer, Drums, Sleigh Bells Rob Mounsey Synthesizer Rob Wasserman Guitar (Acoustic), Double Bass, Producer Robben Ford Guitar (Acoustic) Robert Devery Programming, Rhythm Robert Zimmitti Percussion Roger Nichols Mixing, Engineer Russ Titelman Producer, Audio Production Russell Ferrante Keyboards Sal Bernardi Harmonica, Vocals (Background), Vocals, Guitar (Electric) Sheryl Farber Editorial Supervision Steve Berlin Producer Steve Gadd Drums, Guitar Steve Lukather Guitar Steve Woolard Annotation Syd Straw Vocals Tom Scott Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor), Horn Tommy LiPuma Producer Tony Scherr Bass Vanessa Atkins Project Assistant Victor Feldman Keyboards, Percussion Vince Mendoza Trumpet Walfredo Reyes Percussion Walter Becker Producer, Synthesizer, Bass, Audio Production Waring Abbott Photography William McLeish Smith Organ Willie Weeks Bass, Guitar (Bass)