Draft:Casablanco (Marsha Ambrosius)

Casablanco
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 28, 2024 (2024-06-28)
Genre
Length48:20
LabelAftermath Entertainment
Producer
Marsha Ambrosius chronology
Nyla
(2018)
Casablanco
(2024)
Singles from Casablanco
  1. "The Greatest"
    Released: November 30, 2023
  2. "One Night Stand"
    Released: March 22, 2024
  3. "Greedy"
    Released: June 14, 2024

Casablanco is the fourth studio album by British R&B singer Marsha Ambrosius, released on June 28, 2024, through Aftermath Entertainment. The production was primarily handled by Dr. Dre, with contributions from Dem Jointz, Erik "Blu2th" Griggs, Focus..., DJ Khalil, and Phonix. The album was supported by the singles "The Greatest," "One Night Stand," and "Greedy," with each track receiving significant acclaim. Inspired by her personal journey and creative freedom, Ambrosius and Dre crafted an album blending elements of R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and soul, marking a new chapter in her career.[1][2]

Background

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In early 2024, Marsha Ambrosius announced her new album, Casablanco, executive produced by Dr. Dre, during a press event. The album was released on June 28, 2024, through Aftermath Entertainment and marks her first studio album since 2018.[1] The collaboration with Dr. Dre began in 2020, following his recovery from a brain aneurysm. He reached out to Ambrosius, expressing a desire to create new music together, reigniting their creative partnership from previous projects.[3]

The album was primarily recorded in Los Angeles, with Ambrosius and Dre enlisting a team of top producers, including Dem Jointz, Erik "Blu2th" Griggs, Focus..., DJ Khalil, and Phonix. The creative process involved extensive studio sessions that began in 2021, where the duo explored a wide range of musical styles, blending R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and soul.[4]

Ambrosius described Casablanco as her most personal album to date, reflecting her journey through various emotions and life experiences. The album's title was inspired by the track "Tunisian Nights," which set the tone for the entire project. Dr. Dre suggested the name "Casablanco" to give it a unique twist and a more "gangster" feel.[2]

The album was preceded by the singles "The Greatest," released on November 30, 2023, "One Night Stand," released on March 22, 2024, and "Greedy," released on June 14, 2024. Each single was accompanied by a music video that further built anticipation for the album.[5]

The project began as a jazz album but evolved into a genre-bending tour de force, incorporating elements of funk, soul, rock, and more. Ambrosius and Dre pushed creative boundaries, resulting in an album that reflects their artistic synergy and dedication to crafting timeless music.[6]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Smoke"
  • Andre Young
  • B. Edwards Jr
  • D. Abernathy Jr.
  • E. Griggs
  • Jerome Kern
  • K. Williams
  • M. Ambrosius
  • O. Harbach
  • P. Brown
  • R. Rans
  • Dem Jointz
  • Dr. Dre
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs
  • Focus...
  • Marsha Ambrosius
3:39
2."Tunisian Nights"
  • Andre Young
  • D. Abernathy Jr.
  • E. Griggs
  • M. Ambrosius
  • C. Martin
  • E. Barrier
  • F. Paparelli
  • J. A. Johnson
  • J. Gillespie
  • J. Hendricks
  • Mary J. Blige
  • N. Jones
  • W. Griffin
  • Dem Jointz
  • Dr. Dre
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs
  • Marsha Ambrosius
4:09
3."One Night Stand"
  • Andre Young
  • M. Ambrosius
  • E. Griggs
  • J. A. Johnson
  • N.J. Wright
  • K. Burke
  • A.W. Felder
  • P. Rushen
  • K. Evans
  • Dr. Dre
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs
  • Marsha Ambrosius
4:16
4."Cloudy With A Chance Of ...Real"
  • Andre Young
  • M. Ambrosius
  • B. Edwards Jr
  • E. Griggs
  • D. Abernathy Jr.
  • S. Jordan
  • J. Heath
  • K. Robinson
  • R. Hammond
  • H. David
  • Burt Bacharach
  • T. Bell
  • C. James
  • Dem Jointz
  • Dr. Dre
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs
  • Focus...
  • Marsha Ambrosius
4:51
5."Greedy"
  • Andre Young
  • M. Ambrosius
  • E. Griggs
  • B. Edwards Jr
  • S. Jordan
  • L. Russell
  • J. Baranowski
  • L. Milano
  • P. Brown
  • A. Benjamin
  • A. Patton
  • Dr. Dre
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs
  • Focus...
  • Marsha Ambrosius
5:01
6."Self Care / Wrong Right"
  • Andre Young
  • M. Ambrosius
  • D. Barnes
  • K. Rahman
  • D. Seeff
  • L. Johnson
  • J. Card
  • S. Jordan
  • Stevie Wonder
  • DJ Khalil
  • Dr. Dre
  • Marsha Ambrosius
  • Phonix
5:00
7."Wet"
  • Andre Young
  • M. Ambrosius
  • B. Edwards Jr
  • E. Griggs
  • T. Hester
  • J. Moody
  • D. Fields
  • J. McHugh
  • G. Grice
  • C. Smith
  • R. Jones
  • R. Diggs
  • D. Coles
  • J. Hunter
  • C. Woods
  • L. Hawkins
  • M. Ripperton
  • R. Rudolph
  • L. Ware
  • Dr. Dre
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs
  • Focus...
  • Marsha Ambrosius
4:24
8."Thrill Her"
  • Andre Young
  • M. Ambrosius
  • E. Griggs
  • I. Hayes
  • D. Porter
  • G. Grice
  • C. Smith
  • R. Jones
  • R. Diggs
  • D. Coles
  • J. Hunter
  • C. Woods
  • L. Hawkins
  • M. Jackson
  • Duke Ellington
  • Dr. Dre
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs
  • Marsha Ambrosius
3:59
9."The Greatest"
  • A. Young
  • B. Edwards Jr.
  • D. Abernathy Jr
  • E. Boyd
  • E. Griggs
  • F. Steiner
  • H. Smith
  • K. Keaton
  • M. Ambrosius
  • T. Lawrence Jr.
  • Dr. Dre
  • Marsha Ambrosius
  • Focus...
  • Dem Jointz
  • Trevor Lawrence Jr
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs
3:16
10."Best I Could Find"
  • Andre Young
  • M. Ambrosius
  • S. Jordan
  • Stevie Wonder
  • Dr. Dre
  • Marsha Ambrosius
4:30
11."Music of My Mind"
  • Andre Young
  • M. Ambrosius
  • D. Abernathy Jr.
  • B. Edwards Jr
  • E. Griggs
  • P. Ambrosius
  • Gilbert O'Sullivan
  • A. Brown III
  • K. West
  • J. Lind
  • M. White
  • P. Rushen
  • T. McFadden
  • F. Washington
  • A. Harris
  • N. Stewart
  • S. Simms
  • L. Dozier
  • E. Holland
  • B. Holland
  • Dem Jointz
  • Dr. Dre
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs
  • Focus...
  • Marsha Ambrosius
5:15

Personnel

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  • Marsha Ambrosius – executive producer, performer, vocals, writer
  • Dr. Dre – executive producer, producer, mixer, writer
  • Dwayne "Dem Jointz" Abernathy Jr. – producer, programming, writer
  • Erik "Blu2th" Griggs – producer, bass, writer
  • Bernard Edwards Jr. – producer, programming, writer
  • DJ Khalil – producer
  • Phonix – producer
  • Sly Pyper – additional vocals
  • Fredwreck – programming, rhythm programming, percussion
  • Trevor Lawrence Jr. – programming, drums, writer
  • Karl Vincent – contra-bass
  • Reggie Hamilton – contra-bass
  • Trey Henry – contra-bass
  • Dominique Sanders – contra-bass
  • Tim Eckert – contra-bass
  • Marcus Miller – bass
  • Curt Chambers – guitar
  • Jerry "Jay Flat" Williams – flute, saxophone
  • Chris Johnson – trombone, tuba
  • Chris Lowery – trumpet
  • Caroline Buckman – viola
  • Leah Katz – viola
  • Rocio Marron – viola
  • Rodney Wirtz – viola
  • Stefan Smith – viola
  • Linnea Powell – viola
  • Andrew Duckles – viola
  • Charlie Bisharat – violin
  • Chris Woods – violin
  • Christian Hebel – violin
  • Daphne Chen – violin
  • Heather Powell – violin
  • Ina Veli – violin
  • Jennifer Takamatsu – violin
  • Marisa Kuney – violin
  • Radu Pieptea – violin
  • Shigeru Logan – violin
  • Susan Chatman – violin
  • Ashoka Thiagarajan – violin
  • Joel Drouin – violin
  • Juliette Jones – violin
  • Katie Sloan – violin
  • Lesa Terry – violin
  • Mark Robertson – violin
  • Songa Lee – violin
  • Luanne Homzy – violin
  • Paul Cartwright – violin
  • Samuel Fisher – violin
  • David "Preach" Balfourd – additional keyboards
  • Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering
  • Richard "Segal" Huredia – collage photographer, engineer
  • Paul Foley – album editor

References

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  1. ^ a b Grant, Shawn (2024-06-04). "Marsha Ambrosius Announces New Album 'Casablanco' Executive Produced by Dr. Dre". The Source. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  2. ^ a b Butta (2024-05-30). "Marsha Ambrosius Announces Release Date For New Album 'Casablanco' & Shares Cover Art". SoulBounce. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  3. ^ "Marsha Ambrosius and Dr. Dre Team Up for 'Casablanco'". AP News. 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  4. ^ "Dr. Dre and Marsha Ambrosius Complete New Album 'Casablanco'". Radio France. 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  5. ^ "Marsha Ambrosius Releases New 'Casablanco' Album, Executive Produced By Dr. Dre". The Source. 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  6. ^ "Album Review: 'Casablanco' by Marsha Ambrosius". Shatter The Standards. 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-07-04.