Tambu (album)



Tambu is the ninth studio album by Toto released in May 1995. Tambu sold 600,000 copies worldwide. It was the first Toto studio album since the death of Jeff Porcaro in 1992. It includes the single "I Will Remember", which failed to chart in the US but was the band's first chart hit in the UK since "I Won't Hold You Back" twelve years before.

The album was a nominee for Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical in 1997.

Reception
Allmusic's review reflected on the album as a major change of direction for Toto, commenting on the anguished and highly vague philosophical lyrics and the focused, bluesy musical style. They found Steve Lukather's performance as chief lead vocalist of such quality that it was puzzling why he hadn't been given the role earlier, and concluded "You couldn't call the result accomplished, but Tambu suggested that Toto was embarked on a new personal and musical journey that might lead in an interesting direction."

The Absolute Sound called the album "brilliant" and "near-perfect", saying that it was better than the band's previous works.

Toto

 * Steve Lukather – guitars; lead and backing vocals; bass fills on "Baby He's Your Man"; mandolin on "The Road Goes On"; synthesizer and piano on "I Will Remember", "The Other End of Time", and "Just Can't Get to You"
 * David Paich – synthesizer (except on "I Will Remember"), piano (except on "The Other End of Time" and "Just Can't Get to You"), Fender Rhodes and Hammond organ on "The Turning Point" and "Just Can't Get to You"; string arrangements and conductor on "I Will Remember", "If You Belong to Me", "Just Can't Get to You" and "The Road Goes On"; backing vocals; lead vocals on "Drag Him to the Roof"
 * Mike Porcaro – bass, additional keyboards on "The Turning Point"
 * Simon Phillips – drums; additional keyboards on "The Turning Point"; drum loops on "Baby He's Your Man"; Roland TR-808 on "The Other End of Time"

Guest musicians

 * John Jessel – keyboard programming
 * Shari Sutcliffe – strings contractor
 * Lenny Castro – percussion on "Gift of Faith", "I Will Remember", and "The Other End of Time"
 * Michael Fisher – percussion on "If You Belong to Me"
 * Paulinho da Costa – percussion on "Baby He's Your Man", "The Turning Point", and "Time is the Enemy"
 * Jenny Douglas-McRae – backing vocals, lead vocals on "The Turning Point" and "Baby He's Your Man"
 * John James – backing vocals, lead vocal on "Drag Him to the Roof"
 * Phillip Ingram – backing vocals on "Baby He's Your Man", "The Turning Point" and "Drag Him to the Roof"
 * Ricky Nelson – backing vocals on "Baby He's Your Man" and "The Turning Point"
 * Steve Porcaro – drum loops on "Baby He's Your Man"
 * Jim Giddens, Steve Lukather, Stan Lynch, Mike Porcaro and Elliot Scheiner – chant on "Gift of Faith"

Production

 * Producers – Toto and Elliot Scheiner
 * Recorded by Elliot Scheiner, Al Schmitt and Bill Smith.
 * Additional recording by Stephen Genewick, Jim Giddens, John Jessel and Sean Schimmiel.
 * Mixed by Elliot Scheiner
 * Digitally Edited and Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
 * Production Coordination – Ivy Skoff
 * Technicians – Keith Albright, Paul Jamieson, John Jessel and Gavin Menzies.
 * Cartage for Steve Lukather – Andy Braun Studio Rentals.
 * Drum Set-up – Drum Paradise
 * Art Direction – Eric Scott
 * Creative Direction – Doug Brown
 * Photography – Melanie Lawrence
 * Cover and Portraiture – Daniel Brereton
 * Management – The Fitzgerald Hartley Co.

Additional notes
Catalogue: (CD) Sony Legacy 64957

Singles

 * I Will Remember / Dave's Gone Skiing
 * I Will Remember / Dave's Gone Skiing / Blackeye (CD/12")
 * I Will Remember / Rosanna / Africa / Georgy Porgy
 * The Turning Point / The Road Goes On / Time is the Enemy
 * The Other End of Time / Slipped Away
 * The Other End of Time / Slipped Away / Home of The Brave
 * If You Belong to Me / Don't stop me now