Album Liner Notes
The Way In
The Way In is a headline-friendly guitar compilation on paper, but the rhythm section is just as carefully cast. The Germany CD pressing on Discogs documents three bassists rotating by track index while Colaiuta holds down the drum chair for the full program.
Overview
The guitar distribution is the obvious story—Frank Gambale on the opener, Abercrombie on the middle tracks, Lukather on several slots including the finale—but the bass map is what keeps Jeff Berlin's discography honest.
Philip Giffin produced and shares co-writer credit on selected titles, while Francis Buckley is named as mixer on the cited CD. Executive production is credited to Andreas Vahsen and Horst Polland on the same page.
Because the album is built as a rotating-feature record, the listening experience changes every few minutes. That makes the track-index credits essential rather than decorative.
Quick Snapshot
- Released in 1991 on MGI Records in Germany as CD MGR CD 1016 and LP MGR 1016, manufactured at P+O Pallas per the CD matrix data on Discogs.
- Eight Richman compositions fill the album, including a Peter Gabriel co-credit on 'Sledgehammer' alongside Philip Giffin arrangement credits on the vocal-heavy cuts.
- Discogs lists Jeff Berlin on bass for CD tracks 1, 4, and 8; Gary Willis on tracks 2, 3, 5, and 6; and Domenic Genova on track 7.
Three Berlin tracks
Berlin is indexed on 'Like A Mountain,' 'Robin Hood,' and 'Sledgehammer' on the Germany CD entry.
Willis on the other four rhythm tracks
Gary Willis covers the bass chair on the indices where Berlin is not listed.
Colaiuta all the way through
Vinnie Colaiuta is credited on drums for the full album on the cited pressing.
Listen For
Like A Mountain
Opens the record with Gambale on lead guitar and Berlin on bass in the same index block.
Pygmy People
Carries a Giffin vocal arrangement with credited soloists and choir-style vocals on Discogs.
Sledgehammer
Closes the program with Lukather and Di Meola in the guitar credits and the Gabriel/Richman writing footnote.
Track Listing
- 1. Like A Mountain — 4:28
- 2. The Way In — 5:53
- 3. Little Big — 5:12
- 4. Robin Hood — 4:52
- 5. Pygmy People — 5:39
- 6. Carolina Heart — 4:35
- 7. Namaste — 5:25
- 8. Sledgehammer — 5:49
Musicians
- Jeff Richman: guitar; associate producer
- Frank Gambale: guitar (track 1)
- John Abercrombie: guitar (tracks 3, 6)
- Steve Lukather: guitar (tracks 4, 7, 8)
- Al Di Meola: acoustic guitar (tracks 2, 8)
- Jeff Berlin: bass (tracks 1, 4, 8)
- Gary Willis: bass (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6)
- Domenic Genova: bass (track 7)
- Vinnie Colaiuta: drums
- Philip Giffin: producer; co-writer (tracks 4, 5); arranger (tracks 5, 8)
- Francis Buckley: mixed by
- Gabe Moffat, Jim Sheffler: engineers
- Andreas Vahsen, Horst Polland: executive producers
- Leah Kunkel, Michael Now: vocals (tracks 5, 8)
- Karen Blake: solo vocals (tracks 5, 8)
Technical Credits
- Germany CD: MGI Records MGR CD 1016; manufactured P+O Pallas (matrix MGR 1016 P+O-7366-A10-90 on Discogs)
- SPARS code DDD on cited CD
- Written primarily by Jeff Richman; 'Sledgehammer' written by Richman and Peter Gabriel per Discogs