Boy how times (and budgets, I suppose) change.

While spinning subject release this morning and reading liner notes it took me by surprise that there are a whopping 12 guest musicians on this cd not counting guest arrangers. That certainly must be the biggest production in the bands catalog. In these lean times of trying to make a living as a core band I suppose this is a thing of the past. At least with this many "guests". Ironic too how on the title track with the added "programming" person and percussionist the stripped down Road Scholars version still knocks it's socks off.

Steve, you have no idea. I often get into it with the editors at AAJ because the format requires track-specific personnel listings. Groups usually don't have that many "guests," but solo artists and vocalists may have dozens. Different lineups for different songs.
A recording might have three different drummers, three bassists and a half-dozen keyboardists - to say nothing of the sax, alto sax, alto sax solo, soprano sax, flute, guitar, rhythm guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, bass, 5-string tenor bass, 6-string tenor bass, bass synths, piano, Rhodes, Hammond B-3.
By the time I get done listing them all and identifying which tracks they appear on, the personnel listing is twice as long as the review.

Yep...your both right...but i also consider "Incognito" and "City Kids" great productions as well. You have a whole string section + Tom Scott + Toots Theilmans + Jorge Dalto (On Both recordings) + Marcus Miller (On Both)+ Steve Gadd (On Both)

and the lit goes on!!! I guess that those productions were on a high budget too!!