Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5/ABC - Jackson Five

Advantages: These are three of Diana Ross' best albums
Disadvantages: NONE!

...a guest vocalist on her own album. She proceeded to take the album and then remixed it herself with the aid of Russ Terrana. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were furious that their work had been tampered with and wanted to completley disassociate themeselves with the project but before they knew it the diana (1980) album was out on the streets and was selling rapidly! Basically the diana album to Diana Ross is what Thriller is to Michael Jackson. The premier single was the fantastically funky Upside Down. The song sounded rather like a nursery rhyme set to hot, compelling disco music with its catchy chrous - "upside down/boy you turn me inside out and round and round". These ingredients obviously worked as Upside Down catpulted into pole position on the Billboard charts and was narrowly beaten to the top spot in the U.K where it peaked... Read review

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Advantages: Every track is a WINNER!
Disadvantages: None!

...provided the enhancing gospel-like vocals along with Ulland McCullough and Raymond Simpson. The multi-talented Valerie Simpson is also credited for playing those gentle piano backdrops on each track. Jamming away on that pounding percussion are Sammy Figueros and Errol Bennet whilst working hard away on those pulsating basslines are Anthony Jackson and Francisco Centeno. John Sussewell provides those pattering drum beats where as Michael Bealer plays the gorgeous saxophone interludes through each track which reaches full effect on the ballad, Sparkle. Berry Gordy deliberately did little to promote this album in retaliation to Ross' refusal to let him have anything to do with the project but The Boss went onto become a big hit regardless. Diana Ross was back bigger and better never having looked or sounded so great. One of the jewels in her... Read review

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Advantages: All eight tracks are masterpieces
Disadvantages: None

...in 1979. It seemed a logical step and indeed proved a very fruitful collaboration even though the diana album did not go by without its fair share of problems! Having heard the finished result of the album, Diana immediatley felt as though her vocals were pushed too far into the background and said that she felt as though she sounded like a guest vocalist on her own album. She proceeded to take the album and then remixed it herself with the aid of Russ Terrana. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were furious that their work had been tampered with and wanted to completley disassociate themeselves with the project but before they knew it the diana (1980) album was out on the streets and was selling rapidly! Basically the diana album to Diana Ross is what Thriller is to Michael Jackson. The premier single was the fantastically funky Upside... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful