''Painted Desert Serenade'' is the debut studio album by American pianist/singer-songwriter

Joshua Kadison Joshua Kadison (born February 8, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, and writer, who was born in Los Angeles, California. He is perhaps best known for the top 40 hits " Jessie" and " Beautiful in My Eyes" from his debut album '' Pai ...

, released in 1993 on SBK (a subsidiary of

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

). It features two

singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...

, both of which reached the top 30 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100: " Jessie" peaked at number 26, while "

Beautiful in My Eyes "Beautiful in My Eyes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Joshua Kadison. It was released in February 1994 as the second single from his 1993 debut album, '' Painted Desert Serenade'', surpassing the performance of his debut single and brea ...

" reached number 19 in 1994. The album was certified Gold in the United States in August 1994, and Platinum the following April.

Critical reception

Reviewing the album for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, Bryan Buss called it "chock full of odes to finding romance, longing for romance and losing romance". ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' wrote, "Whereas most singer/songwriters operate in the cult hero circle, Kadison has an unmistakable ACE potential. The single Jessie could tear down walls like Walking In Memphis did for Marc Cohn. Those who even think that that's too left of centre should recognise that his voice comes close to Billy Joel and most of all to Elton John. The track Beau's All Night Radio Love Line is the finest about this delicate subject since Ben Vaughn's The Apology Line."

Track listing

All songs written by Joshua Kadison. #" Jessie" – 5:19 #"Painted Desert Serenade" – 2:56 #"Beau's All Night Radio Love Line" – 4:26 #"Invisible Man" – 4:57 #"Mama's Arms" – 3:00 #"

" – 4:07 #"Picture Postcards from LA" – 4:33 #"When a Woman Cries" – 3:31 #"Georgia Rain" – 4:03

Personnel

* Joshua Kadison – vocals, acoustic piano *

Rod Argent Rodney Terence Argent (born 14 June 1945) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and record producer. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Argent came to prominence in the mid 1960s as the keyboardist, founder and leader of the ...

– keyboards (1, 3, 4, 6, 7),

Hammond B3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...

(8) * Phil Parlapiano –

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...

(2) *

CJ Vanston Cj (Jeffrey) Vanston is an American film composer, record producer, songwriter, and keyboardist, based in Hollywood, California. He was born in Denver, Colorado, the son of Bonnie L. Smith and Paul L. Vanston. Film credits * 1996 ''Waiting for Gu ...

– Hammond B3 organ (9) * Mark Cresswell – guitars (1), acoustic guitar (6, 7) *

Tim Pierce Tim Pierce (born 1959 in Albuquerque) is an American session guitarist. He has worked for artists such as Joe Cocker, Crowded House, Goo Goo Dolls, Michael Jackson, Beth Hart, Roger Waters, Alice Cooper, Johnny Hallyday, Phil Collins, and the C ...

– guitars (2, 9) *

Clem Clempson David "Clem" Clempson (born 5 September 1949) is an English rock guitarist who has played as a member in a number of bands including Colosseum and Humble Pie. Career Clempson began his career in the late 1960s with the power trio, Bakerloo (o ...

– acoustic guitar (3, 4, 8), 12-string guitar (3),

mandolin A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...

(3), electric guitar (7) *

Tim Renwick Timothy John Pearson Renwick (born 7 August 1949) is an English guitarist. He is best known for his association with Al Stewart in his early career and for his long-standing role as lead guitarist for the Sutherland Brothers & Quiver. His single ...

– electric guitar (8) * John Pierce – bass guitar (2, 3, 9) *

John Giblin John Giblin, is an active session musician, contributing mainly as an acoustic and electric bass player, and spanning genres of jazz, classical, rock, folk and avant-garde music. Best known as a studio musician, recording film scores and contem ...

– acoustic bass (4), bass guitar (8) *

Peter Van Hooke Peter Van Hooke (born 6 April 1950) is an English rock drummer and producer with over 350 credits to his name. He was the drummer for the English band Mike + The Mechanics (from 1984 to 1995) and also drummed for Van Morrison's band, Headstone, ...

– drums (1, 3, 6, 7), percussion (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8) * Denny Fongheiser – drums (2, 9) * Ian Thomas – drums (4) * Neal Wilkinson – drums (8) *

Martin Ditcham Martin Ditcham is an English drummer, percussionist and songwriter. Ditcham is a prolific session musician, working with artists such as Henry Cow, Status Quo, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Roger Daltrey, Sade, Mary Black, Nik Kershaw, Chris ...

– additional percussion (1), percussion (4, 7, 8) *

Frank Ricotti Frank Ricotti (born 31 January 1949) is an English jazz vibraphonist and percussionist. Early life and education Ricotti was born in London, England. His father was a drummer. Bill Ashton, founder of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NY ...

–

conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest). ...

s (1, 7), additional percussion (1), percussion (4, 7) * Susie Hanson – viola (2) * Paul Jones –

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica inclu ...

(3) * Richard Morgan –

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. A ...

(4) *

Lance Ellington Lance Ellington (born 22 June 1957) is an English singer, songwriter and actor. Ellington, the only son of the band leader Ray Ellington, specialises in swing and big ballads. He has worked with many artists including Sting, George Michael, Gl ...

– harmony vocals (5) *

Carol Kenyon Carol Kenyon (sometimes spelt Karol; born 1959) is a British singer. She is best known for her vocals on the Heaven 17 hit song "Temptation", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in 1983. When the song was re-released as a remix by ...

– harmony vocals (5) *

Ruby Turner Francella Ruby Turner MBE (born 22 June 1958) is a British Jamaican R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and actress. In a music career spanning more than 30 years, Turner is best known for her album and single releases in Europe and North Americ ...

– harmony vocals (5) *

Tessa Niles Tessa Margaret Niles ( ''née'' Webb; born 27 January 1961 in Ilford, Essex) is an English singer, best known as a backing singer for a wide variety of contemporary artists. She began her professional singing career in 1979. Early life and ca ...

– backing vocals (7) * Gene Miller – backing vocals (9) String Quartet (Track 4) * Rod Argent – arrangements *

Gavyn Wright Gavyn Wright is a British violinist and orchestra leader with the London Session Orchestra and Penguin Cafe Orchestra. He is best known for his orchestral arrangements on pop productions (including Elton John, Simply Red, Bush, Mecano, Oasis, ...

– conductor, violin * Roger Smith – cello * George Robertson – viola *

Wilfred Gibson Wilfred Gibson (28 February 1942 — 21 October 2014) was an English violinist, session musician, and early member of the Electric Light Orchestra. Early life Wilfred Gibson was born on 28 February 1942 in Dilston, Northumberland. He received ...

– violin Strings (Tracks 6 & 8) * Rod Argent – arrangements * Gavyn Wright – conductor *

Chris Laurence Chris Laurence (born 6 January 1949) is an English musician. Born in London, he studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and primarily works with jazz and classical music. In the classical world he was principal double bass with th ...

– double bass * Paul Kegg, Ben Kennard, Helen Liebmann and Roger Smith – celli * Susie Hansen, Andrew Parker, George Robertson, Robert Smissen and Stephen Tees – viola * Mark Berrow, Ben Cruft, Roger Garland, Wilfred Gibson, Roy Gillard, Tim Good, Rita Manning, Peter Oxer, Bill Penham, Barry Wilde, David Woodcock and Gavyn Wright – violin Choir (Track 6) * Rod Argent,

Adele Bertei Adele Maria Bertei (born 1955) is an American singer, songwriter, writer and director. Early life Bertei was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1955. She is the oldest of three children born to Katherine (née Murphy) and Umberto Bertei. Her father wa ...

, Lance Ellington, Carol Kenyon,

David Lasley David Eldon Lasley (August 20, 1947 – December 9, 2021) was an American recording artist, singer, musician and songwriter. He was best known as a touring background singer for James Taylor, as a session singer on recordings by artists including ...

, Ian Shaw,

Helen Terry Helen Terry (born 25 May 1956) is a British singer and television producer, known for her backing vocal work with Culture Club. As a solo performer, she scored a Top 40 hit single in 1984 with "Love Lies Lost", and released one album in 1986, ' ...

and Ruby Turner Choir (Track 9) * Sherwood Ball, Carmen Carter, Kathy Hazzard, Valerie Mayo,

Arnold McCuller Arnold McCuller (born August 26, 1950) is an American vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He was active as a solo artist and session musician, but is perhaps best known for his work as a touring back-u ...

, Joseph Powell, Carmen Twillie and Fred White

Production

* Rod Argent – producer (1, 3-8) * Peter Van Hooke – producer (1, 3-8) * David Kershenbaum – producer (2, 9), mixing (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9) *

Brian Koppelman Brian William Koppelman (born April 27, 1966) is an American showrunner. Koppelman is the co-writer of ''Ocean's Thirteen'' and ''Rounders (1998 film), Rounders'', the producer for films including ''The Illusionist (2006 film), The Illusionist'' a ...

– A&R * Simon Smart – engineer (1, 3-8) * Kevin Smith – mixing (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9), engineer (2, 9) * John Kurlander – string recording (4, 6, 8) * Rob Eaton – mixing (4, 5, 8) *

Bob Ludwig Robert C. Ludwig (born c. 1945) is an American mastering engineer. He has mastered recordings on all the major recording formats for all the major record labels, and on projects by more than 1,300 artists including Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed, Qu ...

– mastering * Nick Bode – art direction, design, management * Annalisa Pessin – photography Studios * Recorded at Red House Studios (Bedfordshire, UK); Westside Studios and

Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music c ...

(London, UK); The Mill Studios (Cookham, UK); Music Grinder Studios (Hollywood, California);

Track Record Studios Track Record Studios is a recording studio, originally established around 1970 and located in North Hollywood, California. Many gold or platinum records were recorded or mixed at Track Record: The Offspring's ''Ignition'' and the follow-up '' S ...

and Pacifique Studios (North Hollywood, California). * Mastered at

Masterdisk Masterdisk is an American multimedia company in New York, located at 8 John Walsh Boulevard in Peekskill. They provide production services such as audio mastering, vinyl cutting and enhanced CD and DVD production. Their clients include such no ...

(Hollywood, California).

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1993 debut albums Joshua Kadison albums Capitol Records albums SBK Records albums Albums produced by Rod Argent Albums produced by David Kershenbaum