Sidney Barnes – Outsanding CD
There are not many artists around who can boast of releasing a brand-new album at the age of 84. Sidney Barnes, however, is one of them, and OUTSTANDING is the apt title of his latest collaboration with legendary UK producer and Northern Soul pioneer, Ian Levine. A whopping collection of 18 brand new recordings, plus three previously released bonus tracks for good measure. A testimony to a career spanning an incredible 65 years in the ever-tumultuous world of show business. The album includes Sidney’s monster single Standing on Solid Ground and for the sake of completion Sidney Barnes Man in a Million and Dancing on the Weekend.
Heart Trouble is one of the cover versions included here, originally a song Sidney wrote with George Clinton for The Parliaments in 1966, recorded by the man himself for the first time. The second cover version is a new interpretation of the wonderful song, Anthony Newley’s Pure Imagination, from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, with Sidney capturing every bit of the tenderness of the original.
Four of the tracks included here are duets with London-based Tahira Jumah, who sings backing vocals on all but two recordings, but steps to the forefront to share the mic with Sidney on the up-tempo track Back to Back and the infectious Diversion. The two other duets are with The Flirtations.
Sidney Barnes has been actively involved in the music business since the early 1960s as a writer with Motown and credits on albums with George Clinton, The Jackson 5, The Supremes and B.B.King. Barnes has appeared on more than 150 albums and CD compilations.
This album, released to coincide with Sidney’s UK Tour, will keep you dancing and smiling every time you listen to it. We surely think it is – like the man himself, Mr.Sidney Barnes – … Outstanding!
TRACK LISTING
1. OUTSTANDING (Ian Levine – Fiachra Trench) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine, Fiachra Trench & Glenn Keiles
2. LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER
(Ian Levine – Fiachra Trench) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine, Fiachra Trench & Glenn Keiles
3. CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF A RAINBOW
(Ian Levine – Fiachra Trench) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine, Fiachra Trench & Glenn Keiles
4. MAKE ME HAPPY AGAIN
(Ian Levine – Lee Jeffries – Matt Early) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
5. BACK TO BACK (duet with Tahira Jumah)
(Ian Levine – Glenn Keiles) Kalina Music/OMP/Kobalt Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
6. HEADING UPTOWN
(Ian Levine – Fiachra Trench) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine, Fiachra Trench & Glenn Keiles
7. HEART TROUBLE
(George Clinton – Sidney Barnes)
Myto Music (BMI) Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
8. WAS THERE EVER A DOUBT
(Ian Levine – Fiachra Trench) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine, Fiachra Trench & Glenn Keiles
9. STRONG AND STURDY (duet with The Flirtations)
Lead Vocals: Earnestine Pearce & Sidney Barnes Backing Vocals: Earnestine & Shirley Pearce, Viola Billups (Ian Levine – Glenn Keiles) Kalina Music/OMP/Kobalt Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
10. DESTINATION AHEAD
(Ian Levine – Sidney Barnes – Glenn Keiles) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control/Belle Plaine Music/Kobalt Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
11. I ALWAYS WILL
(Ian Levine – Fiachra Trench) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine, Fiachra Trench & Glenn Keiles
12. LOVE ON THE MAP
(Ian Levine – Gina Foster – Glenn Keiles) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control/Kobalt Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
Mixed by Sidney Barnes
13. THANK GOD I’M ALIVE
(Ian Levine – Fiachra Trench) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine, Fiachra Trench & Glenn Keiles
14. CASTLES IN THE SKY
(Ian Levine – Sidney Barnes – Glenn Keiles) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control/Belle Plaine Music/Kobalt Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
15. WRITTEN IN THE STARS
(Ian Levine – Nat Augustin) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
16. DIVERSION (duet with Tahira Jumah)
(Ian Levine – Glenn Keiles) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control/Kobalt Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
17. PURE IMAGINATION
(Anthony Newman – Leslie Bricusse) Taradam Music (BMI) Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
18. STEPPING ON A TIME BOMB (duet with The Flirtations)
(Ian Levine – Glenn Keiles) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control/Kobalt Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles
Bonus Tracks:
19. STANDING ON SOLID GROUND
(Sidney Barnes – Ian Levine – Clive Scott)
Kastlekat Music/Warner Chappell/Belsize Music/Belle Plaine Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Clive Scott, 2001
20. MAN IN A MILLION
(Ian Levine – Sidney Barnes – Glenn Keiles) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control/Belle Plaine Music/Kobalt Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Glenn Keiles, 2010
21. DANCING ON THE WEEKEND
(Ian Levine – Sidney Barnes – Nigel Lowis) Kalina Music/OMP/Copyright Control/Dig Music Produced & Arranged by Ian Levine & Nigel Lowis, 2021
Sidney Barnes’ vocals recorded at Summerhouse Studios, Chorleywood, June 24-27, 2024 Backing Vocals (Trk. 1-8, 10-17): Tahira Jumah All tracks mastered by Glenn Keiles