Partners (Scherrie & Susaye album)

Partners is a 1979 album by Scherrie & Susaye released on Motown Records. Following the disbanding of The Supremes in 1977, former group members Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene recorded the album, sharing songwriting, arranging and production duties.[3] Legendary performer Ray Charles features on "Love Bug" whilst Joyce Vincent Wilson (formerly of Tony Orlando and Dawn) is featured on background vocals.[4]

Partners
Studio album by
Scherrie & Susaye
Released9 October 1979
Recorded1978-1979
StudioJennifudy Studios
(Los Angeles, CA)
Soundcastle
(Los Angeles, CA)
GenreR&B, soul, quiet storm, disco
LabelMotown
M 920[1]
ProducerEugene McDaniels[2]

"Leaving Me Was the Best Thing You've Ever Done" was released as the album's only single.[5] In 2014, the album was re-released on CD and to digital music stores and online streaming services.[6]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [2]
Audio Diva(Favorable) [7]
Billboard(Favorable)[1]
Dusty Groove(Favorable)[8]

In an Allmusic review, Ed Hogan noted 'the overall smooth, intelligent tone of the album', describing Partners as 'a quiet storm precursor'. Hogan expressed "Luvbug" featuring Ray Charles is 'thick and funky' and 'sophisticated slow jams like "You've Been Good to Me," "Another Life From Now," and mellow treats like "In the Night" and "Your Sweet Love" were ahead of their time'. Meanwhile, "Leaving Me Was the Best Thing You've Ever Done" and "I Found Another Love" 'satisfy their dance fans'.[2]

A contemporary Billboard review praised Scherrie & Susaye's 'strong, soulful' vocals and described the album as an 'interesting, if occasionally uneven, package of mostly upbeat songs', citing "Storybook Romance", "Your Sweet Love" and "Luvbug" as the 'best cuts'.[1]

Dusty Groove favorably reviewed Partners as a 'surprisingly great album' that is 'not the usual 70s bag from Motown', with Eugene McDaniels' production providing 'a hipper spin than some of the girls' more famous work from before!' Dusty Groove also noted 'a slight Minnie Riperton touch to the vocals a times – a really great sense of range – and the best tracks have a warm modern soul vibe that really lets the girls move forward strongly, especially at the few points when there's an undercurrent of funk.'[8]

In an interview with Blues & Soul, Payne recounted " I remember first meeting Luther Vandross. We were at a session. Quincy Jones called Susaye and me into a session with Luther, James Ingram, and I can't remember who else [...] Luther was so excited to meet Susaye and me, and when he said he loved Partners and just when on and on about it, it really made me feel good.[9]

Track listing

Adapted from Discogs and Apple Music.[10][11]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Arranger(s)Length
1."Storybook Romance"Scherrie PayneAlan Silvestri5:09
2."Your Sweet Love"Susaye Greene-BrownLeon Pendarvis, William Reichenbach (Horns)4:15
3."Luvbug" (featuring Ray Charles)Susaye Greene-BrownOdell Brown3:36
4."Leaving Me Was The Best Thing You've Ever Done"Scherrie PayneAlan Silvestri5:35
5."When The Day Comes Every Night"Susaye Greene-BrownJeremy Lubbock2:25
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Arranger(s)Length
1."In The Night"Ed Brown, Susaye Greene-BrownOdell Brown, Larry Williams (Horns)6:12
2."I Found Another Love"Scherrie Payne, Susaye Greene-BrownLeon Pendarvis, Larry Williams (Horns)3:07
3."You've Been Good To Me"Scherrie PayneAlan Silvestri3:36
4."Another Life From Now"Scherrie PayneJeremy Lubbock5:35

Out-takes

Several tracks recorded during the sessions for 'Partners' did not make the final cut. These include "We'll Get By", "The Fantasy", "Slow Dance".

Personnel

Adapted from Discogs.[10]

Musicians
  • Backing Vocals – Scherrie Payne, Susaye Greene-Brown, Allen L. Greene III, Bill Champlin, Carmen Twillie (Arranger), Ed Brown, Gene McDaniels, Jim Gilstrap, Joyce Vincent-Wilson, Kathy Collier, Roy Galloway, Venette Gloud
  • Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Kim Hutchcroft
  • Bass – Abraham Laboriel, Ed Brown (tracks: "Your Sweet Love", "Luvbug", "In The Night")
  • Drums – Steve Schaeffer
  • Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Piano [Acoustic] – Leon Pendarvis, Randy Waldman
  • Guitar – Alan Silvestri, Jeff Mironov
  • Percussion – Paulinho Da Costa
  • Piano [Acoustic], Synthesizer, Clavinet, Keyboards [Arp] – Odell Brown, Susaye Greene-Brown ("When The Day Comes Every Night")
  • Synthesizer – Craig Hundley
  • Tenor Saxophone – Gary Herbig
  • Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute – Larry Williams
  • Trombone [Alto], Bass Trombone, Tenor Saxophone – William Reichenbach
  • Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Gary Grant, Jerry Hey

Technical
  • Arranger, Co-Producer – Scherrie Payne, Susaye Greene-Brown
  • Co-producer – Ed Brown
  • Concertmaster – Gerald Vinci, Bill Nuttycombe
  • Coordinator [Production, Assistant] – Lori Nadlman
  • Coordinator [Production] – Cyndi James-Reese
  • Engineer [Assistant] – Bill Battrell, Bill Stern, Bino Espinoza, James Warmack
  • Executive-Producer – Suzanne de Passe Le Mat
  • Mastered By – John Matousek, Russ Terrana
  • Mixed By – Milt Calice, Russ Terrana
  • Producer – Eugene McDaniels
  • Product Manager – Suzanne Coston
  • Recorded By – Milt Calice

Artwork
  • Art Direction – John Cabalka
  • Calligraphy [Lettering] – Vigon Nahas Vigon
  • Design – Ginny Livingston
  • Photography By – Claude Mougin

Singles
  • "Leaving Me Was the Best Thing You've Ever Done" b/w "When the Day Comes Every Night" (US, CAN - Motown 1473), (UK - TMG 1167), (PRT - IM-26010)[5]

References
  1. "Billboard's Top Album Picks". Billboard. Google Books. 27 October 1979. p. 86. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  2. Hogan, Ed. Partners - Scherrie & Susaye, Scherrie Payne, Susaye Greene at AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  3. "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. Google Books. 12 January 2002. p. 21. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  4. Marchese, Joe (3 December 2013). "Release Round-Up: Week of December 4". The Second Disc. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  5. "Scherrie & Susaye – Leaving Me Was The Best Thing You've Ever Done". Discogs. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  6. "- Scherrie & Susaye / Partners - Amazon.com Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  7. Floyd, Jennifer (October 18, 2016). "REWIND: SCHERRIE & SUSAYE ARE 'PARTNERS' IN GLAM DISCO CRIME". Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  8. "Scherrie & Susaye : Partners (CD)". Dusty Groove. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  9. Davis, Sharon. "SCHERRIE PAYNE: SUPREME REFLECTIONS". Blues & Soul. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  10. "Scherrie & Susaye – Partners (1979, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  11. "Partners by Scherrie & Susaye on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
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