Smitty:  So can we look forward to seeing the BWB thing again?

NB:  I’m sure at some point we’re gonna do it again.  With the whole politics of the recording industry, it’s all changing labels and all of that, we have to make sure our careers keep going first, you know?

Smitty:  Yeah, absolutely, man, absolutely.  Well, we await that time because that was a beautiful time, some great music.  Well, I gotta talk about my favorite track on this new record.

NB:  Oh, I can’t wait to hear that.

Smitty:  And, man, let me tell ya, it was a very, very tough decision.

NB:  Okay.

Smitty:  I narrowed it down to “Soul Dance” and “A Quiet Place,” and “Soul Dance” won out and I’ll tell you why.

NB:  Tell me.

Smitty:  I just love that guitar groove mixed with Sam Riney on sax and I’m so glad to see him on this record.  Man, he has a sax groove that won’t wait.

NB:  I agree, man.  What’s interesting about that, Smitty, is when I first moved to L.A., I met Sam through a mutual friend.  Sam was working on a record.  You know, I played guitar.  He said “Man, come play some guitar on my record for me.”  Of course I did and I never heard from the guy again. I don’t know what happened with the business with him, but the record didn’t come out, he didn’t make another one, and Paul Brown said to me “Man, let’s get Sam Riney on this record.”  I was like “Are you kidding?  Yes, go grab him!”  (Both laugh.)

Smitty:  That is a sweet sax with your guitar.

NB:  Thank you. He put a vibe on that baby, definitely.

Smitty:  Yes indeed, so that one won out but “A Quiet Place,” Track 9, is very close behind, it’s almost side by side, because that’s a great track, and I can’t be quiet with that song.  (Both laugh.)

NB:  Yeah, that’s one of my favorites as well.  I couldn’t agree with you more on that.

Smitty:  So, now, when you started to put this record together, the arrangements, were you and Paul just talking about some songs or was this something you had already kinda rolled out of your head?  How did that all roll out?

NB:  Well, I produced six of the cuts on the record myself with my partner Herman Jackson and Lloyd Tolbert, so I had written those tunes and I’d been writing those things and I wanted to get some of that Paul Brown flavor, so yeah, I went over to Paul.  “Man, let’s work on some things together like we always do” and we came up with some really brilliant things, I think.

Smitty:  I agree, yeah.  So whose idea was it on “So In Love”?  Was it Herman’s idea or your idea to sing on this one?  Because it’s pretty cool.  I said “Man, Norman’s singing again.”

NB:  Well, you know what?  I was torn with it.  We were in the studio recording it and I just heard that line and I started singing and Herman said “Man, you gotta put that down.”

Smitty:  (Laughs.)

NB:  “Shouldn’t we get some girls to do it or something?”  (Both laugh.)  He says “No, man, we need your voice on this one” so I went in there and did it and there it is.

Smitty:  Yeah, man, it’s nice.

NB:  And he and I went back and forth with it, man.  I had mixed a version without it and I mixed a version with them and, of course, you see what won out.

Smitty:  Yeah, yeah.  How meticulous are you in selecting your rhythm section?

NB:  Oh, yeah, the heartbeat, that’s the crucial part. Everything on top is candy and sprinkles compared to the heart and the core of the matter.  (Laughs.)

Smitty:  Yeah, man.

NB:  Well, that’s the song, really, and after that it’s the rhythm section.

Smitty:  Well, I tell you, man, you selected some great players and the arrangements of the rhythm section are just…it’s mind blowing.  This is incredible stuff.

NB:  Man, you know what?  I really wanted to make it something special, so along with my talents and the people I collaborated with, I really tried to pull the best out of all of us.

Smitty:  You did it, brotha.  I like the photos on the liner notes too, man.  You laid it out, bro.

NB:  Well, thank you.  I wasn’t sure about that photo session.  I left that day feeling like “Oh, man, I wonder if they got it?”  (Both laugh.)