Luther Vandross - The Ultimate Luther Vandross [2006]

The replacement for an identically titled disc released just five years prior, the 2006 version of The Ultimate Luther Vandross swaps out some of the earlier cuts contained on the 2001 version in favor of later material, such as "Dance with My Father" and he and Beyoncé's version of "The Closer I Get to You." What's baffling is that it leaves out some major hits in favor of a pair of previously unreleased tracks (including the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-produced, Chic-sampling "Shine"), both of which are front-loaded in the sequence. So, bizarrely enough, the disc has a funny way of catering toward completists as well as slightly less serious fans who stopped buying Vandross albums after 1998's I Know. Though this is the best single-disc compilation available in the U.S. (as of 2006, at least), you really need something more extensive, such as Epic/Legacy's The Essential Luther Vandross, All Music Guide

Name Credits Bryan-Michael Cox Instrumentation, Programming, Engineer, Producer Clive Davis Executive Producer David Rideau Engineer David Ritz Liner Notes Howard Fritzson Art Direction Ian Cross Engineer James Porte Arranger Jason Rome Producer, Drum Programming, Engineer Jeremy Lubbock Orchestral Arrangements, Conductor Jim Parham Project Director Jimmy Jam Producer, Keyboards John Nettlesby Assistant Joseph M. Palmaccio Mastering Kwaku Alston Cover Photo, Tray Card Leo Sacks Compilation Leon Pendarvis String Arrangements, Horn Arrangements Luther Vandross Arranger, Producer, Vocals (Background) Manny Marroquin Mixing Marcus Miller Rhythm Arrangements, Producer, Arranger Matt Marrin Engineer Michael Brauer Mixing Nat Adderley, Jr. Producer, String Arrangements, Synthesizer Arrangements, Arranger, Horn Arrangements, Rhythm Arrangements Paul Riser String Arrangements, Horn Arrangements Peter Mokran Mixing Ray Bardani Mixing Reed Vertelney Arranger Scott Seviour Project Director Shep Crawford Producer, Arranger Skip Anderson Arranger Steven Berkowitz Compilation Terry Lewis Producer Walter Afanasieff Producer, Arranger Warryn Campbell Producer, Vocal Engineer