Touchdown is the sixth album by Bob James, released in 1978 on his Tappan Zee label thru Columbia.
The album's title is a reference to this being James' sixth solo album (a touchdown being worth six points in American football), a pattern also followed by his previous album Heads (featuring a five cent coin on its cover) and next album Lucky Seven.
Taxi
Touchdown was a commercial breakout album for him due to its containing the song "Angela", the popular theme song to the 1970s television sitcom Taxi. The song was named after a guest character in the third episode of the first season ("Blind Date"), but after hearing the song, the producers made this the show's main theme, replacing their previous choice, which became this album's title track.
Track listing
All songs written by Bob James
"Angela (Theme from Taxi)" – 5:48
"Touchdown" – 5:44
"I Want to Thank You (Very Much)" – 7:07
"Sun Runner" – 6:17
"Caribbean Nights" – 8:46
Personnel
Bob James – acoustic piano, Yamaha electric grand piano, Fender Rhodes, Oberheim Polyphonic synthesizer, arrangements and conductor Eric Gale – guitar solo (1), electric guitar (2, 5) Hiram Bullock – electric guitar (2-5), guitar solo (5), vocal solo (5) Earl Klugh – acoustic guitar (3, 4, 5) Richard Resnicoff – rhythm acoustic guitar (3) Gary King – electric bass (1, 2) Ron Carter – acoustic bass (3, 4, 5), piccolo bass solo (5) Idris Muhammad – drums (1) Steve Gadd – drums (2-5) Ralph MacDonald – percussion (1-4) Mongo Santamaria – percussion (5)
Brass and Woodwinds
Phil Bodner – alto saxophone, flute, oboe
Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone, flute
David Sanborn – alto saxophone solo (3) Howard Johnson – baritone saxophone, contrabass clarinet Harvey Estrin – tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute George Marge – tenor saxophone, English horn, flute, oboe, recorder Hubert Laws – flute solo (3, 4, 5) Wayne Andre – trombone Dave Bargeron – trombone Alan Raph – trombone Randy Brecker – trumpet Jon Faddis – trumpet Mike Lawrence – trumpet Ron Tooley – trumpet
Strings
David Nadien – concertmaster
Jonathan Abramowitz, Seymour Barab, Richard Locker and Charles McCracken – cello
Jean Dane, Theodore Israel, Sue Pray and Emanuel Vardi – viola
Harry Cykman, Lewis Eley, Max Ellen, Louis Gabowitz, Diana Halprin, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, John Pintavalle, Matthew Raimondi, Herbert Sorkin and Richard Sortomme – violin
Production
Bob James – producer
Jay Chattaway – associate producer
Joe Jorgensen – associate producer, engineer
Tim Bomba – assistant engineer
Ted Bronson – assistant engineer
Lou Jannone – assistant engineer
Harold Tarowsky – assistant engineer
Vlado Meller – mastering
Marion Orr – production coordinator
Paula Scher – art direction, design
Buddy Endress – photography
Studios
Recorded at CBS Studios, Sound Mixers and A&R Recording (New York, NY). Remixed at Sound Mixers Mastered at Columbia Mastering (New York, NY).
Charts
References
External links
Bob James-Touchdown at Discogs
1978 albums
Bob James (musician) albums
Albums produced by Bob James (musician)