Midnight Love [Remaster]

Performer: Marvin Gaye
Engineer: Dan Bates; John Kovarek; Mike Butcher
Producer: Marvin Gaye
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Also available in a 2-CD set entitled MIDNIGHT LOVE & THE SEXUAL HEALING SESSIONS. Personnel: Marvin Gaye (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, synthesizer, drums, vibraphone, bass synthesizer, bongos, congas, orchestra bells, glockenspiel, tambourine, percussion); Gordon Banks (guitar, Fender Rhodes piano, bass, drums, background vocals); Bobby Stern (harmonica, tenor saxophone); Joel Peskin (alto & tenor saxophones); David Stout and The L.A. Horn Section (horns); James Gadson (drums); Harvey Fuqua (background vocals). Recorded at Studio Katy, Ohaine, Belgium. Disc 1 is the original MIDNIGHT LOVE album in its entirety. Disc 2 is a collection of previously unreleased tracks recorded during the MIDNIGHT LOVE sessions. Personnel: Marvin Gaye (vocals, synthesizer, drums, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, vibraphone, bass synthesizer, orchestra bells, glockenspiel, percussion); Gordon Banks (guitar, bass, drums, Fender Rhodes piano, background vocals); Joel Peskin (alto & tenor saxophones); Bobby Stern (tenor saxophone, harmonica); David Stout and The L.A. Horn section (horns); James Gadson (drums); Harvey Fuqua (background vocals). Producer: Marvin Gaye Reissue producer: Leo Sacks. Recorded at Studio Katy, Ohaine, Belgium. Includes liner notes by David Ritz. Digitally remastered by Tom Ruff (Sony Music Studios, New York, New York). This is a multichannel Super Audio CD playable only on Super Audio CD players. Personnel: Marvin Gaye (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, synthesizer, drums, vibraphone, bass synthesizer, bongos, congas, orchestra bells, glockenspiel, tambourine, percussion); Gordon Banks (guitar, Fender Rhodes piano, bass, drums, background vocals); Bobby Stern (harmonica, tenor saxophone); Joel Peskin (alto & tenor saxophones); David Stout and The L.A. Horn Section (horns); James Gadson (drums); Harvey Fuqua (background vocals). Recorded at Studio Katy, Ohaine, Belgium. Personnel: Marvin Gaye (vocals, fiddle, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer, glockenspiel, drums, bongos, bells, background vocals); Gordon Banks (guitar, Fender Rhodes piano, drums, background vocals); Bobby Stern (harmonica, tenor saxophone); Joel Peskin (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Stout (horns); James Gadson (drums); Harvey Fuqua (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Harvey Fuqua; Mike Butcher. Audio Remixer: John Kovarek. Recording information: Kendun Recorders, Burbank, CA; Studio Katy, Ohaine, Belgium. Editor: Harvey Fuqua. Arranger: Marvin Gaye. Leaving the safety and familiarity of Tamla/Motown has seen many artists take a flight to obscurity. Gaye turned it on its head and made his most successful album for over ten years. The pivotal track is "Sexual Healing," an idea given to him by his biographer David Ritz and co-written with Odell Brown. This track alone is worth the price of the album (even though it was a single). It oozes greatness with every second and was the last great Marvin Gaye song. And for the record, he played drums, piano, organ, bells, synths and bongos. A premier voice lost to the world. 1982's MIDNIGHT LOVE turned out to be Marvin Gaye's final offering to the world, but his swan song was a moving and effective one. He managed to fuse his sensual, '70s-oriented brand of sinuous, progressive R&B with more electronic-based '80s production techniques, including drum machines, sequencers and synthesizers. It's a tribute to his artistry that the blend was so seamless and organic. "Sexual Healing," the signature tune from MIDNIGHT LOVE, combined the carnal with the spiritual in a manner rivaling vintage (secular) Al Green. This release reissues MIDNIGHT LOVE with a fascinating additional disc that features unreleased material from that album's sessions. The additional material, including alternate mixes, instrumental versions and even a rehearsal recording of "Sexual Healing" isn't really revelatory, but it's consistently intriguing, and a welcome look into the creative process of R&B's late, tortured genius.

Rolling Stone (11/89) - Ranked #7 in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Albums Of the 80s" survey. Rolling Stone (11/89) - Ranked #7 in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Albums Of the 80s." Spin (1/99, p.117) - "...features some a capella moaning that will freak you deep into the night..." Q (5/00, p.135) - Included in Q Magazine's "Best Soul Albums Of All Time" - "...[His] lubricious tour de force....'Sexual Healing' is clearly the highlight....All the tracks showcase a different but equally integral Gaye persona..." Down Beat (p.79) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "MIDNIGHT LOVE remains his crowning studio achievement." NME (Magazine) (9/25/93, p.19) - Ranked #43 in NME's list of The 50 Greatest Albums Of The '80s.

Marvin Gaye began his career in the late 1950s, singing with various R&B vocal groups. Soon he moved on to work as a session drummer and vocalist at Motown. Gaye's own '60s albums are marked by propulsive, high-energy R&B, and duets with Mary Wells and Tammi Terrell. In the '70s, he crafted a unique, highly personal vision of R&B, incorporating socio-political issues, atmospheric arrangements, and unified album themes. His early, violent death robbed the world of a true genius.

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