Soulbook
| Soulbook | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 October 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 2009 | |||
| Studios |
| |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 47:13 | |||
| Label | J | |||
| Producers |
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| Rod Stewart chronology | ||||
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| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 52/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
| BBC Music | average |
| The Boston Globe | average |
| The Daily Telegraph | |
| Digital Spy | |
| Entertainment Weekly | C+ |
| The Guardian | |
| The New York Times | mixed |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| The Seattle Times | average |
Soulbook is the 25th studio album by Rod Stewart. Like his previous five albums, Soulbook features Stewart singing old material; for this album he sings classic material from Motown and the soul genre. It was released on 17 October 2009 and was produced by Steve Tyrell, Steven Jordan and Chuck Kentis.
The album became Stewart's sixth consecutive album to debut in the top 5 on the US Billboard 200, peaking at number 4. It also found success in Canada and the UK, making it to number 3 on the Canadian Albums Chart and number 9 on the UK Albums Chart. Furthermore, the album featured at number 41 on the Canadian Albums year-end chart of 2010.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Never Give You Up" | Jerry Butler, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff | Tyrell | 3:24 |
| 15. | "Only the Strong Survive" | Jerry Butler, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff | Tyrell | 3:19 |
| Total length: | 53:56 | |||
Notes
- ^a signifies Jennifer Hudson vocal producer
Personnel
Musicians
- Rod Stewart – vocals, backing vocals (9)
- Michael Bearden – keyboards (1), Rhodes electric piano (2), Wurlitzer electric piano (4, 11)
- Greg Phillinganes – acoustic piano (2, 4, 14), keyboards (5, 12, 13), backing vocals (5), arrangements (5, 12–14), synthesizers (14)
- Bob Mann – keyboards (3, 15), guitars (3, 7, 15), arrangements (3, 7, 15), mandolin (5)
- David Paich – keyboards (6, 8, 10)
- Henry Hey – acoustic piano (7, 15)
- Chuck Kentis – keyboards (9)
- Charles Hodges – organ (11)
- Ray Parker Jr. – guitars (1, 2, 4, 6, 8–11)
- Dean Parks – guitars (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (3, 5, 12–15)
- Michael Landau – guitars (5, 13, 15)
- Don Kirkpatrick – guitars (9)
- Paul Warren – guitars (9)
- Bob Babbitt – bass (1, 2, 4, 8, 10)
- Reggie McBride – bass (3, 5, 13, 14)
- Darryl Jones – bass (6, 11)
- Leland Sklar – bass (7)
- Conrad Korsch – bass (9)
- Nathan East – bass (12, 15)
- Steve Jordan – drums (1, 2, 4, 6, 8–11), percussion (1, 2, 4, 6, 8–11), backing vocals (9)
- Ricky Lawson – drums (3, 5, 12–15)
- Russ Kunkel – drums (7)
- David Palmer – drums (9)
- Milt Chocolate – vibraphone (2)
- Clayton Cameron – vibraphone (4)
- Lenny Castro – congas (5)
- Tom Scott – baritone saxophone (1), saxophones (8–10), alto sax solo (9)
- Lou Marini – saxophones (9)
- Jim Spake – tenor saxophone (11)
- Jeff Driskill – flute (13)
- John Yoakum – oboe (13)
- George Bohanon – trombone (8, 10)
- Larry Farrell – trombones (9)
- Jack Hale – trombone (11)
- Nick Lane – trombone (15)
- Chuck Findley – trumpet (8, 10)
- Wayne Jackson – trumpet (11)
- Matt Fronke – trumpet (15)
- Brian O'Connor – French horn (14)
- Gayle Levant – harp (6)
- Willie Mitchell – horn arrangements (11)
- Bridget Anne Cady – backing vocals (1–4, 7–11, 14, 15)
- Di Reed – backing vocals (1–4, 7–11, 14, 15)
- Dorian Holley – harmony vocals (2), backing vocals (5)
- Stevie Wonder – vocals (2)
- Mary J. Blige – vocals (3)
- Judith Hill – backing vocals (3, 12)
- Natasha Pearce – backing vocals (3, 7–10, 14, 15)
- Darryl Tookes – backing vocals (3, 5, 7, 12–15)
- Will Wheaton – backing vocals (3, 5, 12, 13)
- Smokey Robinson – vocals (5)
- Lynn Fiddmont – backing vocals (5)
- Pam Trotter – backing vocals (5)
- Lisa Vaughn – backing vocals (5, 13)
- Jennifer Hudson – vocals (6)
- Steve Tyrell – backing vocals (9)
String sections
The Los Angeles Strings (Tracks 1, 2, 6 & 8)
- Howard Drossin – string arrangements (1, 6, 8)
- Michael Bearden – string arrangements (2)
- David Low – contractor
- Steve Juliani – music copyist
- Bruce Dukov – concertmaster
- David Low and Andrew Shulman – cello
- Robert Brophy, Karen Elaine, Marlow Fisher and David Walther – viola
- Bruce Dukov, Julie Gigante, Phillip Levy, Neli Nikolaeva, Searmi Park, Mark Robertson, Anatoly Rosinsky and Roger Wilkie – violin
Tyrell String Orchestra (Tracks 3, 5, 7 & 12)
- JoAnn Tominaga – contractor
- Charlie Bisharat – concertmaster
- Matt Cooker, Tim Loo, Miguel Martinez and Giovanna Moraga-Clayton – cello
- Brian Benning, Charlie Bisharat, Mark Cargill, Susan Chatman, Nicole Garcia, Neel Hammond, Gina Kronstadt, Joel Pargman, Kathleen Robertson, John Wittenburg and Shari Zippert – violin
The New Memphis Strings (Track 4)
- Willie Mitchell – string arrangements
- Lester Snell – orchestration, music copyist
- Jonathan Kirkscey – string session leader
- Jonathan Kirkscey and Mark Wallace – cello
- Beth Luscombe and Jennifer Puckett – viola
- Roy Brewer, Barrie Cooper, Jessie Munson and Marisa Polesky – violin
Production
- Keith Naftaly – A&R
- JoAnn Tominaga – production coordinator
- Josh Cheuse – art direction, design
- Mark Seliger – photography
- Rod Stewart – sleeve notes
- Loftus Donovan – project manager
- Arnold Stiefel for Stiefel Entertainment – management
Technical credits
- Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
- Niko Bolas – recording (1, 2, 4, 9, 11), mixing (1, 4, 8–10), horn recording (1, 8–10)
- Al Schmitt – string recording (1, 2, 6, 8), recording (6, 8, 10), mixing (6, 11)
- Steve Genewick – BGV recording (1, 11)
- Bill Schnee – mixing (2, 3, 5, 7, 12–15), string recording (3, 5, 7, 12), recording (14, 15)
- Jon Allen – recording (3, 5, 7, 12, 13), vocal recording (14, 15), horn recording (15)
- Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell – horn recording (4, 11), string recording (4)
- Andrew Hey – vocal recording for Jennifer Hudson (6)
- Paul Smith – BGV recording (8, 10)
- Chuck Kentis – recording (9)
- Darwin Best – additional engineer (1–13, 15)
- Kenny Moran – additional engineer (1–13, 14)
- Ryan Petrie – additional engineer (1–13)
- John Kilgore – additional engineer (15)
- Charlie Bybee – string recording assistant (3, 5, 7, 12)
- Martin Pradler – additional Pro Tools editing
- Ross Garfield – drum technician for Steve Jordan
- Chris Gott – drum technician for Steve Jordan
- Paul Jamieson – drum technician for Steve Jordan
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Platinum | 80,000^ |
| Hungary (MAHASZ) | Platinum | 6,000^ |
| Ireland (IRMA) | Gold | 7,500^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Platinum | 15,000^ |
| Poland (ZPAV) | Gold | 10,000* |
| Sweden (GLF) | Gold | 20,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | 2× Platinum | 600,000* |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
