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Blue, originally titled The Blue Album,[1] is a studio album by American singer Diana Ross. Initially recorded between late 1971 and early 1972, it was released as Ross' twenty-third studio album by Motown Records on June 20, 2006. Overseen by Ross' musical director Gil Askey,[2] the jazz-flavoured album was originally conceived as a follow-up to her soundtrack to the 1972 American biographical drama film Lady Sings the Blues in which Ross starred. Berry Gordy and Motown subsequently decided to shelve the album, and Ross' next release was the more pop-oriented Touch Me in the Morning (1973) album.[3]
| Blue | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 20, 2006 | |||
| Recorded | 1971–1972 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 50:16 | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Producer | Gil Askey | |||
| Diana Ross chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Blue | ||||
| ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| About.com |    [4] |
| All About Jazz | (favorable)[5] |
| Allmusic | [3] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[6] |
| Metro Weekly | (mixed)[7] |
| PopMatters |   [8] |
| Rolling Stone | [9] |
Allmusic editor Rob Theakston found that "Gil Askey's arrangements are top-notch without sounding like dinner theater knock-offs. Blue is an album every bit as bold an artistic statement as her contemporaries Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, who were recording the opuses Where I'm Coming From and What's Going On around the same time, and for Ross fans, Blue is every bit as enjoyable as her sultriest moments as the supreme Supreme."[3]
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Blue was initially sold through Starbucks' US stores for the first 30 days of release, though the coffeehouse chain immediately sold out of its supply nationwide. On the charts, Blue peaked at number two on the US Billboard Top Jazz Albums, also logging a single week on the Billboard 200 at number 146.[10] Its final sales figure was slightly higher than 80,000 US copies.
All songs produced and conducted by Gil Askey.[3]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" | 3:28 | |
| 2. | "No More" | 3:09 | |
| 3. | "Let's Do It" | Cole Porter | 3:00 |
| 4. | "I Loves Ya Porgy" | 5:11 | |
| 5. | "Smile" | 2:58 | |
| 6. | "But Beautiful" | 2:50 | |
| 7. | "Had You Been Around" |
| 3:29 |
| 8. | "Little Girl Blue" | 4:00 | |
| 9. | "Can't Get Started with You" |
| 3:10 |
| 10. | "Love Is Here to Stay" |
| 2:13 |
| 11. | "You've Changed" |
| 2:54 |
| 12. | "My Man" |
| 3:31 |
| 13. | "Easy Living" | 2:54 | |
| 14. | "(In My) Solitude" | 2:05 | |
| 15. | "He's Funny That Way" | 3:02 | |
| 16. | "T'Ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do" | 2:22 |
Notes
- Tracks 10-16 were originally recorded for Lady Sings the Blues (1972) but some were left out of the movie or were included in different versions.[2]
- Gil Askey – Conductor, Musical Arrangements, Producer
- Oliver Nelson, Benny Golson – Arrangements
- Guy Costa – Engineer
- Cal Harris Sr. – Engineer
- Michele Horie – Producer, Artwork
- Harry Langdon – Photography, Cover Photo
- Pat Lawrence – Executive Producer
- Ralph Lotten – Assistant
- Bill MacMeeken – Engineer
- Larry Miles – Engineer
- John B. Norman – Engineer
- Ryan Null – Photo Coordination
- Kevin Reeves – Mastering, Mixing
- David Ritz – Liner Notes
- Greg Ross – Design
- George Solomon – Consultant
- Art Stewart – Engineer
- Russ Terrana – Engineer
- Harry Weinger – Liner Notes, Compilation Producer
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| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[10] | 146 |
| US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard)[11] | 2 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[12] | 71 |
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