Name: Hidden Gems by Luther Vandross
Brand: Luther Vandross
SKU: 886443393035
Price: 9.9 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 3 (105 reviews)

LIVE

Three of the 15 songs on this Luther Vandross compilation qualify as hidden. Out of those three, one was released on the soundtrack to Hero (1992), another was pulled from the soundtrack to Money Train (1995), and the third track was a bonus cut on the Japanese edition of Luther Vandross (2001). They are not quite gems, but dedicated fans should be happy to have them in one spot. Out of the remaining dozen tracks, two come from gold-selling releases and ten were issued on albums that went platinum and double platinum. So, those are not exactly hidden or "seldom heard," as a press release was crazy enough to claim. Hidden Gems is more like the missing fifth disc from the Love, Luther box set released in 2007. Between the releases, only two songs overlap, and this adds depth with not much filler, though it could have been more generous with '80s cuts and not so reliant upon relatively tepid '90s material. The liner notes, written by Vandross' longtime associate Fonzi Thornton, are a great touch.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo

1. When You Call On Me (Baby That's When I Come Runnin')

by Luther Vandross

Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Background Vocals: R. Kelly; Performer
Performer: R. Kelly
Luther Vandross; Performer
Arranger: R. Kelly; Composer
Composer: R. Kelly; Composer
Lyricist: R. Kelly; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Trey Fratt
Rail Rogut
Jen Monnar
Chris Carrol; Production
Mixing Engineer: Stephen George
R. Kelly
Jeff Vereb; Production
Producer: R. Kelly; Production
Programmer: Stephen George
Mr. Lee; Production
Recording: Stephen George; Production

2. Once You Know How

by Luther Vandross

Bass: Marcus Miller; Performer
Arranger: L. Leon Pendarvis
Marcus Miller
Luther Vandross; Composer
Background Vocals: Marcus Miller
Fonzi Thornton
Michelle Cobbs
Brenda White
Luther Vandross
Norma Jean Wright
Tawatha Agee
Phillip Ballou; Performer
Composer: L. Vandross
Luther Vandross; Composer
Lyricist: L. Vandross
Luther Vandross; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Andy Hoffman
Scott Mabuchi
Karat Faye
Robin Laine
Harry Spiridakis; Production
Drums: Buddy Williams; Performer
Performer: Luther Vandross; Performer
Executive Producer: Larkin Arnold; Production
Guitar: Doc Powell; Performer
Piano: Nat Adderley Jr.
Luther Vandross; Performer
Vocals: Luther Vandross; Performer
Vocal Arrangement: Luther Vandross; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Joseph M. Palmaccio
Greg Calbi; Production
Recording: Michael Brauer; Production
Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Producer: Luther Vandross; Production

3. I Know You Want To

by Luther Vandross

Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Cissy Houston
Lisa Fisher
Brenda White
Tawatha Agee
Paulette Mcwilliams
Ray Bardani; Performer
Drums: Buddy Williams
Ray Bardani; Performer
Guitar: Paul Jackson, Jr.
Ray Bardani; Performer
Percussion: Paulinho Dacosta
Ray Bardani; Performer
Performer: Luther Vandross; Performer
Synthesizer: David Gamson
Ray Bardani; Performer
Arranger: Marcus Miller
David Gamson; Composer
Composer: L. Vandross
D. Gamson
P. Carroll
Luther Vandross; Composer
Vocal Arrangement: Luther Vandross
Ray Bardani; Composer
Engineer: Ray Bardani; Production
Mixing Engineer: Ray Bardani; Production
Producer: Luther Vandross
Marcus Miller; Production

4. Once Were Lovers

by Luther Vandross

Background Vocals: Tawatha Agee
Brenda White-king
Sharon Bryant; Performer
Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Drum Programming: Rex Rideout; Performer
Harmonica: Stevie Wonder; Performer
Performer: Luther Vandross; Performer
Arranger: Rex Rideout
Luther Vandross; Composer
Composer: Fonzi Thornton
Rex Rideout
Luther Vandross; Composer
Lyricist: Rex Rideout
Luther Vandross
Fonzi Thornton; Composer
Engineer: Jeff Bova; Production
Mixing Engineer: Ray Bardani; Production
Producer: Luther Vandross; Production
Recording: Ray Bardani
Paul J. Falcone; Production

5. You Stopped Loving Me

by Luther Vandross

Background Vocals: Tawatha Agee
Luther Vandross
Phillip Ballou; Performer
Lyricist: Luther Vandross; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Andy Hoffman
Lincoln Clapp
Don Wershba
Gregg Mann
Nicky Kalliongos; Production
Bass: Marcus Miller; Performer
Congas: Billy King
Bashiri Johnson; Performer
Coordinator: Sephra Herman; Production
Drums: Buddy Williams; Performer
Guitar: Steve Love
Georg Wadenius; Performer
Keyboard: Jr. Nathaniel Adderley; Performer
Composer: Luther Vandross; Composer
Performer: Luther Vandross; Performer
Vocal Arrangement: Luther Vandross; Composer
Engineer: Carl Beatty
Michael H. Brauer; Production
Executive Producer: Larkin Arnold; Production
Mixing Engineer: Michael H. Brauer; Production
Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Producer: Luther Vandross; Production

6. The Impossible Dream

by Luther Vandross

Acoustic Guitar: Walter Afanasieff; Performer
Background Vocals: Tawatha Agee
Cissy Houston
Paulette Mcwilliams
Robin Clark
Fonzi Thornton
Kevin Owens
Phillip Ballou; Performer
Baritone Guitar: Walter Afanasieff; Performer
Bass: Walter Afanasieff; Performer
Arranger: Walter Afanasieff
Emile Charlap; Composer
Lyricist: Mitch Leigh
Joe Darion
J. Darion
M. Leigh; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Jay Militscher
Kent Matcke
Kyle Bess
Mike Reiter
David Gleeson
Mike Scott
Andy Smith
Neil Perry
Bill Leonard
Chris Ludwinski
Craig Brock
Gus Garces; Production
Conductor: Jeremy Lubbock; Conductor
Coordinator: Marsha Burns
Barbara Stout; Production
Drum Programming: Walter Afanasieff; Performer
Guitar: Dann Huff; Performer
Keyboard: Walter Afanasieff; Performer
Composer: Joe Darion
Mitch Leigh
J. Darion
M. Leigh; Composer
Performer: Luther Vandross
London Synphony Orchestra; Performer
Vocals: Luther Vandross; Performer
Orchestration: Dan Jon Chappelle
Isobel Griffiths
Jeremy Lubbock
Walter Afanasieff
Dana Jon Chappelle; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Bob Ludwig; Production
Mixing Engineer: Mick Gazauski
Mick Guzauski
Dana Jon Chappelle; Production
Recording: Dana Jon Chappelle; Production
Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Producer: Walter Afanasieff
Luther Vandross; Production

7. Are You Using Me?

by Luther Vandross

Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Brenda White-king
Cindy Mizelle
Fonzi Thornton
Tawatha Agee; Performer
Bass: Gene Perez; Performer
Guitar: Michael Circo; Performer
Keyboard: Albert Sterling Menendez; Performer
Performer: Luther Vandross; Performer
Tenor Saxophone: John Scarpulla; Performer
Trombone: John Wheeler; Performer
Trumpet: Tony Jadleck; Performer
Vocals: Luther Vandross; Performer
Composer: Luis Vega
Fonzi Thornton
Kenneth Gonzalez
Luther Vandross; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Oscar Monsalve
Oscar Ramirez; Production
Producer: "little" Louie Vega
Kenny "dope" Gonzalez
Louie Vega
Kenny Dope; Production
Recording: Steve Barkan
Dave Darlington; Production

8. Goin' Out Of My Head

by Luther Vandross

Background Vocals: Fonzi Thornton
Paulette Mcwilliams
Brenda White-king
Tawatha Agee
Cindy Mizelle
Cissy Houston; Performer
Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Bass: Marcus Miller; Performer
Drums: Ivan Hampden; Performer
Guitar: Paul Jackson Jr.; Performer
Keyboard: John Anderson; Performer
Performer: Al Schmidt
Luther Vandross; Performer
Piano: Nat Adderly, Jr.
Nat Adderly; Performer
Vocals: Luther Vandross; Performer
Composer: T. Randazzo
B. Weinstein; Composer
Lyricist: B. Weinstein
T. Randazzo; Composer
Producer: Luther Vandross
Nat Adderley Jr.; Production
Jr.: Nat Adderly; Other

9. The Thrill I'm In

by Luther Vandross

Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Performer: Luther Vandross; Performer
Composer: Terry Lewis
James Harris, Iii
James Harris; Composer
Lyricist: Terry Lewis
James Harris, Iii
James Harris; Composer
Producer: Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis
Jimmy Jam; Production
I I I: James Harris; Other

10. Heart of a Hero

by Luther Vandross

Performer: Luther Vandross; Performer
Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Arranger: Nat Adderly, Jr.
Luther Vandross
Nat Adderly; Composer
Composer: Luther Vandross; Composer
Lyricist: Luther Vandross; Composer
Producer: Luther Vandross; Production
Jr.: Nat Adderly; Other

11. Buy Me a Rose

by Luther Vandross

Background Vocals: Ulisa Ivey; Performer
Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Guitar: Jay Williams; Performer
Performer: Shep Crawford
Luther Vandross; Performer
Arranger: Luther Vandross; Composer
Composer: Jim Funk
Erik W. Hickenlooper
Erik Hickenlooper; Composer
Lyricist: Jim Funk
Erik W. Hickenlooper
Erik Hickenlooper; Composer
Mixing Engineer: Ray Bardani; Production
Producer: Shep Crawford; Production
Recording: Gabriel Varde
Paul J. Falcone; Production

12. I (Who Have Nothing)

by Luther Vandross, Martha Wash

Featured Artist: Martha Wash; Main Performer
Primary Artist: Luther Vandross; Main Performer
Acoustic Bass: Marcus Miller; Performer
Bass Guitar: Marcus Miller; Performer
Keyboard: Nat Adderley Jr.; Performer
Percussion: Paulinho Dacosta; Performer
Performer: Luther Vandross
Martha Wash
Luther Vandross Duet With Martha Wash; Performer
Vocals: Fonzi Thornton
Luther Vandross; Performer
Composer: Mogol
Mike Stoller
Jerry Leiber
C. Donida
J. Leiber
M. Stoller; Composer
Lyricist: Mogol
C. Donida
Mike Stoller
Jerry Leiber
J. Leiber
M. Stoller; Composer
Producer: Luther Vandross
Marcus Miller; Production