The Comfort Zone (album)

The Comfort Zone is the second studio album by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams, released on August 20, 1991, by Mercury's Wing Records label. Much like her debut album, The Right Stuff (1989), The Comfort Zone features a new jack swing and R&B sound to it, along with a dance-pop edge to its music.

Critical reception

The Comfort Zone received mainly positive reviews from music critics and was also nominated for five Grammy Awards: Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "Runnin' Back to You" in 1992; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, Record of the Year and "Song of the Year" for "Save the Best for Last" and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "The Comfort Zone" in 1993.

Track listing

The tracks "Work to Do" and "What Will I Tell My Heart?" both appeared in the film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man; the latter also appeared on the film's soundtrack album.

Personnel
Musicians
DJ L.A. Jay, Dr. Jam, Mark Hammond, Harvey Mason Sr. - drums
Dave Darlington, DJ L.A. Jay, Trevor Gale, Kenni Hairston, Mark Hammond, Reggie Stewart, Keith Thomas - drum programming
D.J. LA Jay, Bob Rosa, Rob Von Arx - "beats"
Phase 5, Bob Rosa, Rob Von Arx - samples
Greg Arnold, Derek Bramble, Merv DePyere, DJ L.A. Jay, Dr. Jam, David Frank, Trevor Gale, Kenni Hairston, Fred McFarlane, Monty Seward, Keith Thomas - keyboards
Jorgen Kaufma, Brian McKnight, Randy Waldman - piano
Stanley Clarke, Fred McFarlane, Cornelius Mims, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Keith Thomas - bass
David Frank - synthesized bass 
Dann Huff, Paul Jackson, Jr., Jerry McPherson, Wah Wah Watson - guitar
Jerry McPherson - mandolin
Gerald Albright, Pete Christlieb, Mark Douthit, Thomas Haas, Scott Mayo - saxophone
Fernando Pullum - trumpet
Duane Benjamin - trombone
Hubert Laws - flute
The Nashville String Machine - strings
Horns arranged by Scott Mayo
Strings arranged by Keith Thomas
Debbie Cole, Dres, Lori Fulton, Vicki Hampton, Kipper Jones, Valerie Mayo, Donna McElroy, Rick Nelson, Tata Vega - backing vocals
Vocals arranged by Gerry Brown, Kipper Jones, Brian McKnight, Mark Stevens, Keith Thomas and Vanessa Williams

Technical
Produced by Vanessa Williams (also executive), Ed Eckstine (executive), Keith Thomas, Brian McKnight, Kenni Hairston, Derek Bramble, Gerry Brown, Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, DJ L.A. Jay, Kipper Jones, Phase 5, Mark Stevens and Reggie Stewart
Engineers – Derek Bramble, Claude Demers, Joe Schiff, Will Schillinger, Allen Sides, Kieran Walsh, Matt Wells, Gerry Brown
Assistant engineers – Steve Charles, Foley, Roy Gamble, Marty Lester, Todd Moore, Gary Paczosa, Mike Piersante, Brian Soucey
Mixing – Gerry Brown, Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, Humberto Gatica, Bill Whittington, Vanessa L. Williams
Mix assistants – Jeff Gledt, John Kunz, John David Parker, Brian Soucey
Mastering – Herb Powers

Charts

Weekly charts
+ Weekly chart performance for The Comfort Zone Chart (1992) Peakposition

Year-end charts
+ 1991 year-end chart performance for The Comfort Zone Chart (1991) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 85

+ 1992 year-end chart performance for The Comfort Zone Chart (1992) Position US Billboard 200 45 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 6

Certifications

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Related pages
 List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 1992

References

Category:1991 albums
Category:Vanessa Williams albums
Category:Dance-pop albums
Category:New jack swing albums
Category:R&B albums