''Worlds Apart'' is the debut album by Soleil Moon. It was co-written by

Larry King Larry King (born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger; November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021) was an American television and radio host, whose awards included 2 Peabodys The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program ...

and John Blasucci, and released on MFO Records in 2000.

Production

The 12 tracks were produced, co-written, and arranged by the duo of

and John Blasucci. Among the studio musicians enlisted to participate in the recording sessions were the

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

, session guitarist Michael Thompson, jazz musician

Paul Jackson, Jr. Paul Milton Jackson Jr. (born December 30, 1959) is an American fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. Jackson knew by the age of fifteen that he wanted to become a professional musi ...

, Warren Hill on saxophone, percussionist

Lenny Castro Lenny or Lennie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Lenny (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Lennie (surname), a list of people * Lenny (singer) (born 1993), Czech songwriter Arts and entertainment Music * ''L ...

, drummer

Kenny Aronoff Kenny Aronoff (born March 7, 1953) is an American session drummer. Early life Aronoff grew up in Stockbridge, Massachusetts He developed an interest in music at an early age and gravitated to the drums as "drumming was one hundred percent ene ...

Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd ( ) is an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Ju ...

and the

Smashing Pumpkins Smash may refer to: People * Smash (wrestler) (born 1959), professional wrestler * Moondog Rex, another professional wrestler who briefly wrestled as the original Smash, before being replaced by the above. * DJ Smash, DJ and music producer Art, ...

, and

Todd Sucherman Todd Sucherman (born May 2, 1969) is an American drummer, who is best known for having been a member of Styx since March 1995. Early life Sucherman grew up in a musical family and followed in his father's footsteps by playing the drums. His fat ...

Styx In Greek mythology, Styx (; grc, Στύξ ) is a river that forms the boundary between Earth (Gaia) and the Underworld. The rivers Acheron, Cocytus, Lethe, Phlegethon, and Styx all converge at the centre of the underworld on a great marsh, whic ...

. Many others were also participants in the Larry King Orchestra. ''Worlds Apart'' was released under King's label MFO Records.

Reception

In 2000, various tracks from the album including "Willingly" and "Never Say Goodbye" charted on the Adult Contemporary Top 100. Reviews for the album positive, ''Glory Daze Music'' saying "As far as genre's go, Soleil Moon could fit into numerous.

Smooth jazz Smooth jazz is a genre of commercially-oriented crossover jazz and easy listening music that became dominant in the mid 1970s to the early 1990s. History Smooth jazz is a commercially oriented, crossover jazz which came to prominence in the 19 ...

would be one. West Coast another. 80's pop is a good fit too. The production on ''Worlds Apart'' is utterly first class, there is a depth to it that disappears out of sight, the soul and emotion displayed on all the songs is a connection very few musicians (let alone a duo) can expect to achieve in a lifetime." Another review also espoused the production quality, saying "Normally, with more or less independent releases on small labels (or no label at all) it's the production that fails the most. Not here!" About the style, ''Musical Discoveries'' stated "the band's first album blends singer Larry King's epic rock instincts with Blasucci's sleek-flavored approach. A truly unique jazz/pop style has been used by the group in a form never achieved by any other artist."

Track listing

Personnel

;Instruments, production *

- vocals, co-writing, production *John Blasucci - keyboards, piano, programming, co-writing *

* Michael Thompson - guitar * Paul Jackson Jr. - guitar * Warren Hill - saxophone *

- percussion *

- drums *

- drums *Craig Bauer - Wha Wha keyboards *Ricky Peterson - organ *Bob Lizik - bass *Richard Patterson - bass ;Background vocals *Kathleen O'Brien *Pamela Rose *Phoebe Fuller *Becca Kaufman *Donna Lori *

Yvonne Gage Yvonne Gage (born December 20, 1959) is an American singer from Chicago, Illinois. Active since the late 1970s, she has done background vocals for artists prior to and after her own solo success. As a session musician, she has provided vocals for ...

*Paul Mabin *Jeffrey Morrow

References

External links

Soleil Moon
on MySpace {{Authority control 2000 debut albums