Country USA Style WestCoast AOR
Rating 85/100
Band Members
Karen Blake – Lead,Backing vocals, Phillip Griffin – Arrangements,Bass,Backing vocals, Steve Lukather,Dann Huff,Michael Landau – Guitars, Nathan East,Neil Stubenhaus – Bass, Alan Pasqua, hane Keister,Kyle Lehning,Peter Wolf – Synths, Robbie Buchanan – Electric Piano,Rhodes Synth, Larrie Londin,Carlos Vega – Drums, Pat Mastelotto: Simmons Drums, Lenny Castro – Percussion, Billy Puet,Ernie Watts – Horns, James Newton Howard – Clavinet, Karla Bonoff,Christopher Cross,Kenny Edwards,Andrew Gold,Dave Loggins,Wendy Waldman – Backing vocals
Tracks
01. I Want You Back, 02. I’m Only Here For You, 03. Anything At All, 04. Just One Heart, 05. Come Hell Or Waters High, 06. Chain Reaction, 07. I’m Not A Loser, 08. Someone To Love, 09. Time Heals The Wounds, 10. I’ll Shine My Light On You
Profile Karen Blake is one of those ‘career singers’ that has done everything. Since the late seventies she has sung on US national jingles, TV shows and movie soundtracks, wrote songs for publishing companies, arranged and recorded for many major artists like Michael McDonald or Christopher Cross, and also pursued a solo career.
Producer Philip Giffin not only fell in love with Karen’s gifted voice, he became her husband as well. Giffin got a label contract, the cream of the L.A. session musicians and co-produced Karen’s debut “Just One Heart”. This is that kind of albums with pristine production and refined arrangements that only could have been crafted during the ’80s. You have pop-rockers, lite AOR tunes, westcoast ballads and mid-eighties soundtrack-like songs played by terrific musicians (check personnel), penned by monsters such as Glen Ballard, Clif Magness & Jay Gruska among others, and sung by Karen’s velvety vocals.
“Just One Heart” was originally published in 1984 only in Japan, while the American edition was put on hold until 1986. Both were LP-vinyl releases only. Karen has diverse accomplishments singing on national jingles, TV shows and movie scores. She has worked with a range of composers including Randy Newman, Jerry Goldsmith, Danny Elfman, Mike Post and the list goes on.