Minnie Riperton

To celebrate what would have been her 70th birthday, Capitol Records salutes the late songstress Minnie Riperton with a deluxe edition of her 1974 album, co-produced by Stevie Wonder.  This 2-CD set boasts 11 bonus tracks. The original album is appended with the hit single version of "Lovin' You," edited and featuring a synth overdub as well as a previously unreleased studio count-off by Richard Rudolph. Disc Two's alternate construction of the album, A More Perfect Angel, includes extended and alternate versions of every track on the album; highlights include a duet version of "Take a Little Trip" with vocals by Wonder and a full band version of "Lovin' You." One final bonus track is an early version of "Don't Let Anyone Bring You Down," later re-recorded for Riperton's next album Adventures In Paradise (1975), with backing instrumentation by Wonder on most instruments and Hubert Laws on flute. A 24-page booklet features rare images and new liner notes by Rudolph on the making of the album.