Soundtrack | WIZ,THE | CD

Principal cast includes: Diana Ross (Dorothy); Michael Jackson (Scarecrow); Nipsey Russell (Tinman); Ted Ross (Lion); Richard Pryor (The Wiz); Lena Horne (Glinda); Mabel King (Eviline); Thelma Carpenter (Miss One); Theresa Merrit (Aunt Em).
Additional personnel includes: Ann Barak, Arnold Black, Arthur Bogin (vocals); Eric Gale (guitar); Ann Barak, Arnold Black, Arthur Bogin, Max Cahn (violin); Janet Hamilton (cello); Pepper Adams, Danny Banks, Ray Beckenstein (woodwinds); Tom Bahler, Randy Brecker, Daniel Cahn, Jon Faddis, Bernie Glow (trumpet); Ray Alonge (french horns); George Flynn, Urbie Green (trombones); Don Butterfield (tuba); Kenny Ascher, Thom Bridwell (keyboards); John Beal, Ron Carter, Milton Hinton (bass); Steve Gadd (drums).
Recorded at A&R Recording Studios, New York, New York. Includes liner notes by Quincy Jones, Bruce Swedien and Sidney Lumet.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
Composers: Harold Wheeler ; Charlie Smalls.
Personnel: Diana Ross (vocals, harmonica); Nipsey Russell, Theresa Merrit, Lena Horne, Mabel King, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, Ted Ross, Thelma Carpenter (vocals); Eric Gale , Hugh McCracken, Jeff Mironov, Steve Khan (guitar); Carmen Mastren (banjo); Sally Foster, Ruth Armato, Gloria Agostini, Margaret Ross (harp); David Sackson (violin, viola); Frederick Buldrini, Marvin Morgenstern, Harry Glickman, Kathryn Kienke, Paul Winter , Joseph Rabushka, Lou Eley, Avram Weiss, Tony Posk, Arthur Bogin, Carmel Malin, Harry Urbont, Alfons Schipani, Ann Barak, Michael Comins, Louann Montesi, Louis Gabowitz, Arnold Black, Leo Kahn, Peter Dimitriades, Jean Ely, Guy Lumia, Ora Shiran, Robert Rozek, Diana Halprin, John Pintavalle, Michael Spivakowsky, Ariana Bronne, Noel DaCosta, Joseph Malin, Max Cahn, Michal Urbaniak , Richard Henrickson, Regis Iandiorio, Harold Kohon, Raoul Poliakin, Matthew Raimondi, Richard Sortomme, Max Hollander, Irving Spice, Harry Cykman, Max Ellen, Harry Lookofsky (violin); Sue Pray, Theodore Israel, Lamar Alsop, Julien Barber, Linda Lawrence, Seymour Berman, Midhat Serbagi, Julian Baird, Harry Zaratzian, Alfred Brown , Maxine Roach, Harold Coletta, Richard Maximoff, Emanuel Vardi (viola); Jonathan Abramowitz, Frederick Slotkin, Janet Hamilton, Richard Boch, Mary Green Jaccoma, Maurice Bialkin, Seymour Barab, Alla Goldenberg, Jesse Levy, Eugene J. Moye, Alan Shulman, Kermit Moore, Anthony Sophos (cello); Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Wally Kane, John Campo, Ray Shanfeld (bassoon, woodwinds); Lorin Clickman (bassoon); Jerome Richardson, Michael Brecker (woodwinds, soprano saxophone); David Tofani, Don Hammond, Charles Russo, Eddie Daniels, Larry Williams , Loren Glickman, Frank Wess, George Marge, George Young , Danny Banks, Hubert Laws, Ronnie Roseman, Sheldon Powell, Arthur Kaplan, Raymond Beckenstein, John Lissauer, Johnny Mince, Kim Hutchcroft, Lew Del Gatto, Lou Marini, Phil Bodner, Walter Levinsky, L?on Cohen, Romeo Penque, Hank Freeman, Billy Slapin, Harvey Estrin (woodwinds); Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, Gary Grant, Allan Dean , Raymond Crisara, Jerry Hey, Joe Wilder, Jon Faddis, Alan Rubin, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm, Mel Davis , Mike Lawrence , Randy Brecker, Tom Bahler, Bernie Glow, Chuck Finley, Joe Shepley, Danny Cahn, Burt Collins (trumpet); Tony Miranda, Brooks Tillotson, Joseph DeAngelis, Larry Wechsler, Donald Corrado, Maggie Reilly, James Buffington, John Clark , Peter Gordon , Sharon Moe, Bob Carlisle, Ray Alonge (French horn); Alan Raph (trombone, tuba); Sonny Russo, Eddie Bert, Charles Small, Urbie Green, Wayne Andre, George Flynn , David Taylor , Tony Studd, Paul Faulise, William Frank "Bill" Reichenbach Jr. (trombone); Tony Price, Dave Bargeron, Howard Johnson , Don Butterfield (tuba); Joe Marangella (horns); David Foster (keyboards, synthesizer); Dave Grusin, Derek Smith , Dick Hyman, Tommy Bridwell, Bhen Lanzaroni, Jerry Peters, Kenny Ascher, Leon Pendarvis, Quincy Jones, Richard Tee, Rob Mounsey, Warren Bernhardt, Pat Rebillot, Ernie Hayes, Bob James, Paul Griffin , Frank Owens (keyboards); Michael Boddicker (synthesizer); Grady Tate, Harvey Mason, Sr. , Steve Gadd (drums, percussion); Chris Parker (drums); Dave Charles, David Friedman, Bill Lavorgna, George Devens, Dave Carey , Victoria Berdy, Artie Jenkins, Mel Lewis, Paulinho Da Costa, Phil Kraus , Ralph MacDonald, Bill Summers, Steve Little, Sue Evans (percussion).
Liner Note Authors: Sidney Lument; Quincy Jones.
Recording information: A&R Studios, New York, NY.
Editor: Jack Fitzstephens.
Photographers: Tom Zimberoff; Karen Epstein; Bob Greene; Mulky; Bob Fletcher; Lou Barrett; Barry Berenson.
Arranger: Tom Bahler.
Director Sidney Lumet's big-budget film version of The Wiz, an updated musical treatment of The Wizard of Oz with songs by Charlie Smalls, is not remembered as one of the great movie musicals. But you wouldn't know that from this elaborate double-LP soundtrack album, on which Smalls' Broadway score is augmented by music written by producer Quincy Jones, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, and Luther Vandross. Jones organized a studio band of New York jazz veterans, including Toots Thielemans, Eric Gale, Michael Brecker, and Richard Tee, and of course the cast provides spectacular vocal firepower in the persons of Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. The result was a Top 40, gold-selling album paced by a Top 40 single of "Ease on Down the Road" by Ross and Jackson (outperforming the 1975 version by Consumer Rapport), as well as the chart single "You Can't Win," by Jackson. Much comparison was made between the vocal (not to mention the facial) resemblance between Ross and Jackson; here's the only place to hear them together. ~ William Ruhlmann

• Format: CD
• Genre: Soundtracks
• Genre: Soundtracks & Film Scores
• Released: 7/29/1997
• Released: 07/29/1997