| When
a record becomes a hit, it's usually the songwriters, producers
and the performer who garner most of the acclaim, while one of
the most important cogs in the hitmaking machinery - the arranger
- goes virtually unnoticed. Along with the producer, it's the
arranger who helps shape the song in the studio, fleshing out
the songwriter's melody, framing the song with the proper instrumentation
and creating the proper mood - be it a dance record or a big ballad
- eventually turning the song into something that lodges itself
in the ears of the record-buying public.
One of the best of these behind-the-scenes maestros is British-born
Jeremy Lubbock. A highly respected arranger, producer and songwriter,
Lubbock has established himself as a unique and important presence
in popular music with his uncanny ability to work in a wide variety
of musical styles. A list of his credits not only shows off his
incredible versatility, but it also reads like a 'Who's Who' of
pop music - Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Sting, Barbra Streisand,
Madonna, Toni Braxton, Maria Carey, Celine Dion, Elton John, Jewel,
P Diddy etc |
