Personnel: Wayne Brady (vocals, background vocals); David Ryan (trombone); Alex Al (bass instrument); Jamie, Carol, And James Jones (programming, drum programming, background vocals); Martin Kember (background vocals); Paul Jackson, Jr. , Darrell Crooks, Tim Stewart (guitar); Philip Vaiman, Searmi Park, Audrey Solomon, Ken Yerke, Mario de Le¢n, Razdan Kuyumjian, Gerardo Hilera, Mark Robertson , Kevin Connolly , Shalini Vijayan, Armen Garabedian, Josefina Vergara (violin); Victoria Miskolczy, Matthew Funes, Robert Brophy, Thomas Dienner (viola); George Kim Scholes, Larry Corbett, Steve Richards , Stefanie Fife (cello); Dan Higgins (bass clarinet, saxophone); Andrew Radford (bassoon); Ernie Watts, Joel Peskin, Keith Fiddmont, Bill Liston (saxophone); Gary Grant, Larry Hall , Warren Luening, Wayne Bergeron (trumpet); Yvonne S. Moriarity, Stephanie O'Keefe, Brad Warnaar (French horn); David Ryan , James Sawyer, Alexander Iles, Andrew Martin , Bob McChesney, Craig Gosnell, Bruce Fowler (trombone); Robert Sanders (bass trombone); George Duke (piano, electric piano); Jason Pennock (piano, programming, drum programming); Randy Waldman (piano); Cat Gray (synthesizer, talk box); Dave Carpenter, Oskar Cartaya, Nico Abondolo, Michael Valerio (bass instrument); Gregg Bissonette, Teddy Campbell (drums); Bob Zimmitti (cymbals, timpani); Jamie Jones (programming, bass programming, background vocals); Reo (programming, drum programming); Jamey Jaz (programming, background vocals); Jack Kugell, Heavy Weights, Monty Neuble (programming); Cheaza Figueroa, Billy Walton, David Ryan Harris , Diane Gordon (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Jaycen Joshua; Jason Pennock; Dave Pensado; David Rideau.
Recording information: Audio Resource Studios, Honolulu, HI; Capitol Studio B, Hollywood, CA; Digital Insight, Las Vegas, NV; Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; The Ice Box, Burbank, CA.
Arrangers: Jamie Jones; Suzie Katayama; Heavy Weights; Jack Kugell; Jamey Jaz; Jason Pennock; Jamie, Carol, And James Jones; Jeremy Lubbock; Jerry Hey.
On his assured 2008 debut, A LONG TIME COMING, actor Wayne Brady offers up an engaging set of pop-leaning R&B tunes. While certain tracks are steeped in of-the-moment slick production (see the hip-hop-tinged "All Naturally"), much of the album features Brady nodding to the expansive R&B sounds of past decades, particularly on the smooth, quiet storm-like "Ordinary" and the Motown-influenced "I Ain't Movin'." In an inspired move, Brady reinvents the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love" as a gentle slow jam, and presents a reverent take on Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," not only showcasing his full, dynamic voice, but highlighting his considerable interpretive skills as well.