Joy (Teddy Pendergrass album)

Joy
Studio album by Teddy Pendergrass
Released	1988
Recorded	QCA Studios, Cincinnati, Ohio; Kajem/Victory Studios, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Soul
Length	45:18
Label	Elektra
Producer	Teddy Pendergrass, Miles Jaye, Nick Martinelli, Reggie Calloway, Vincent Calloway
Teddy Pendergrass chronology
Workin' It Back (1985) Joy (1988) Truly Blessed (1991)

Joy is a studio album by the American singer Teddy Pendergrass, released in 1988 on Elektra Records.[1][2] It was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male" category.[3]

Joy peaked at No. 54 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the R&B chart, Pendergrass's highest placing on the chart since 1979's No. 1 album Teddy.[4] It peaked at No. 45 on the UK Albums Chart.[5]

Production

The album was produced by Reggie and Vincent Calloway, Nick Martinelli, Miles Jaye, and Pendergrass.[6] It was mostly recorded at Victory Studios, in Philadelphia.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Los Angeles Times	[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[10]

The Chicago Tribune called the album "an accomplished meditation on romantic love and perhaps an exercise in imagination."[11] The Washington Post praised the "dusky purr on slow-groove songs like '2 A.M.' and 'Love Is the Power'."[12] The Los Angeles Times wrote that Pendergrass's "smoldering style has been replaced by a sleek, sophisticated sound that recalls the urbane elegance of Luther Vandross' best work."[9]

Track listing

1. "Joy" (Reggie Calloway, Vincent Calloway, Joel Davis) - 6:18
2. "2 A.M." (James S. Carter, Kevin J. Askins, Marvin Hammett) - 5:25
3. "Good to You" (Miles Jaye) - 5:13
4. "I'm Ready" (Jaye) - 5:12
5. "Love Is the Power" (R. Calloway, V. Calloway, Davis) - 6:16
6. "This Is the Last Time" (Gabriel Hardeman, Annette Hardeman) - 6:27
7. "Through the Falling Rain (Love Story)" (Carter, Askins, Hammett) - 4:58
8. "Can We Be Lovers" (Carter, Freddie Williams) - 5:29

Personnel

• Teddy Pendergrass - lead vocals
• Charlene Hollaway, Cynthia Biggs, Annette Hardeman, G Syier Hawkins Brown,Elizabeth Hogue, Tenita Jordan - backing vocals
• Gene Robinson, Jeff Lee Johnson, Randy Bowland, William "Doc" Powell - guitar
• Miles Jaye - bass guitar, percussion, synthesizers, violin
• Joel Davis - keyboards
• Jerry Hey, Gary Grant - trumpet
• Bill Reichenbach Jr. - trombone
• Marc Russo - saxophone
• Daryl Burgee, J.T. Lewis - drums
• Randy Cantor - synthesizers, strings
• Douglas Grigsby III, Tom Barney - bass guitar
• Donald Robinson - Rhodes, piano
• John "Skip" Anderson - electric piano

References

1. Wilker, Deborah (12 June 1988). "Pendergrass a Joy to Hear". Sun-Sentinel. p. 3F.
2. Jones IV, James T. (18 May 1988). "Soul's sweet revival". USA Today. p. 1D.
3. "Teddy Pendergrass". Recording Academy. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
4. "Teddy Pendergrass". Billboard. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
5. "Teddy Pendergrass". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
6. McAdams, Janine C. (Jul 9, 1988). "Pendergrass Finds 'Joy' in Hot New Elektra Album". Billboard. 100 (28): 24.
7. Waldron, Clarence (Jul 11, 1988). "Teddy Pendergrass Says Marriage and Career Are a 'Joy'". Jet. 74 (15): 36.
8. "Joy Review by Ron Wynn". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
9. Grein, Paul (31 July 1988). "Teddy Serves Notice". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 60.
10. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 537.
11. Milward, John (28 Apr 1988). "Pop, Soul, and Sex". Chicago Tribune. p. 17C.
12. Brown, Joe (27 May 1988). "Between Soul Roles and a Rocky Place". The Washington Post. p. N25.