Black & White (Pointer Sisters album)

Black & White is the eighth studio album by the Pointer Sisters, released in 1981 on the Planet label.

History
Black & White was their fourth record with producer Richard Perry and yielded the #2 pop hit "Slow Hand". The fourth single release, "Should I Do It", reached #13 in the spring of 1982, making Black & White the first Pointer Sisters album to yield two Top Twenty hits. Black & White was certified Gold in September 1981. The album was remastered and issued on CD with bonus tracks in 2009 by Wounded Bird Records.

Critical reception
Record World said that the second single "What a Surprise" has "sing-song choruses and a simple yet effective melody line."

Personnel
The Pointer Sisters
 * Anita Pointer – lead vocals (2, 4, 5-6), backing vocals, vocal arrangements
 * June Pointer – lead vocals (1, 5, 7-9), backing vocals, vocal arrangements
 * Ruth Pointer – lead vocals (3), backing vocals, vocal arrangements

Musicians
 * James Newton Howard – keyboards (1), synthesizers (1, 3, 8)
 * John Barnes – keyboards (2, 3, 6-8), electric piano (4), acoustic piano (9)
 * Ed Walsh – synthesizers (2, 6, 7)
 * William Smith – organ (4)
 * Mike Cotten – synthesizers (5), synthesizer programming (5)
 * David Foster – keyboards (5), arrangements (5)
 * Greg Phillinganes – electric piano (9)
 * Danny Faragher – organ (9)
 * Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (1-4, 6-9), guitar solo (8)
 * Tim May – guitar (1-4, 6-9)
 * Nathan Watts – bass (1-4, 6-9)
 * Mike Porcaro – bass (5)
 * John Robinson – drums
 * Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1-4, 6-9), congas (5)
 * Trevor Lawrence – tenor sax solo (3, 6, 9)

Production

 * Richard Perry – producer
 * Trevor Lawrence – associate producer
 * David Foster – production assistance (track 5)
 * Gabe Veltri – recording
 * Piers Plaskitt – additional recording
 * Bill Schnee – remixing
 * Tim Dennen – assistant engineer
 * Stuart Furusho – assistant engineer
 * Bobby Gerber – assistant engineer
 * Larry Emerine – mastering
 * Stephen Marcussen – mastering
 * Precision Lacquer (Hollywood, California) – mastering location
 * Michael Barackman – music coordinator
 * Susan Epstein – production coordinator
 * Michael Solomon – production coordinator
 * Kosh – art direction and design
 * Aaron Rapoport – photography