Black Diamond (The Rippingtons album)
# Black Diamond (The Rippingtons album)

Black Diamond is the tenth album by American Jazz group The Rippingtons. Released in 1997, it was their first project for the Windham Hill label. The album reached number one on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart.

## Track listing

All tracks written by Russ Freeman except where noted.

* "Black Diamond" – 4:46
* "Deep Powder" – 6:16
* "Seven Nights in Rome" – 5:05
* "Soul Seeker" – 4:40
* "In Another Life" – 5:41
* "Big Sky" – 4:23
* "If I Owned the World" (Russ Freeman, Mark Williamson) – 3:39
* "North Peak" – 4:12
* "Angelfire" – 4:13
* "Jewel Thieves" – 5:05
* "Black Diamond" (Acoustic Version) – 4:09

## Personnel

The Rippingtons

* Russ Freeman – keyboards, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, classical guitar, electric guitars, 12-string guitar, mandolin, bass, drum programming, rhythm loops, rhythm programming, percussion
* David Kochanski – keyboards (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11), organ (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11)
* Kim Stone – bass (1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11), fretless bass (1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11)
* Steve Reid – percussion (8, 11)
* Jeff Kashiwa – EWI controller (1), tenor saxophone (2, 4), tenor sax solo (2), soprano saxophone (11)

Guest Musicians

* Mark Williamson – backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11), lead vocals (7), acoustic guitar (7), percussion (7)
* Pete Escovedo – percussion (9)
* Nelson Rangell – alto saxophone (10), tenor saxophone (10), flute (10)
* Mark Ledford – trumpet (5)
* Arturo Sandoval – trumpet solo (9)

### Production

* Russ Freeman – producer, executive producer, arrangements, recording, mixing
* Carl Griffin – producer (trumpet sessions on Tracks 5 & 9), mixing
* Andi Howard – executive producer, management
* Paul Wickliffe – additional engineer
* Ray Obiedo – assistant engineer
* John Reigart III – assistant engineer
* Brian Springer – assistant engineer
* Nick Sodano – mixing
* Doug Sax – mastering
* Patrick Clifford – A&R
* Larry Hamby – A&R
* Sonny Mediana – art direction
* Ilene Weingard – design
* Bill Mayer – illustration
* Carl Studna – photography

**Studios**

* Recorded and Mixed at Cheyenne Mountain Ranch Studios (Colorado).
* Additional recording at Sound On Sound (New York City, New York).
* Assistant recording at Werewolf Studio (Oakland, California) and Sonic Jungle Studios (North Hollywood, California).
* Mastered at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California).

## Charts

| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
| - | - |
| US Billboard Jazz Albums | 1 |
