the beginning of "Higher Love", by assigning a timing offset to one of two tape machines such that they first played the drum fill followed by the song coming in on the beat. Titelman was very happy with the result, and decided to open the album with this drum fill. The opening eventually became so famous that JR put it on his answering machine as a professional calling card. JR said the pattern was a Latin rimshot technique across the top of his classic seamless brass Ludwig Black Beauty snare, unmuffled, with its snare wires disengaged, to emulate the sound of a timbale. He said, "it's one of the best drum intros I've ever played." Titelman remembered the fill being played ad lib by JR while his friend Chaka Khan was preparing to sing her background vocals on "Higher Love", causing Khan to exclaim "What is that shit? It sounds like voodoo shit!" Tom Lord-Alge agreed that the drum fill was played as a lark after JR had completed his drum overdubs for "Higher Love". Tom said, "It was one of those happy accidents, and it happened because Chris always taught me that if the tape is rolling and there's a musician in the studio, make sure the tape machine is in record!" Notable collaborators Titelman tapped James Taylor to add background vocals to "Back in the High Life Again", after hearing the slowed-down Winwood and Bralower version. Titelman felt that the song fit Taylor's style perfectly. Another Titelman decision was to call Nile Rodgers to handle a guitar solo in "Wake Me Up on Judgment Day", for which Winwood wanted an interpretation different from his own. Chaka Khan, JR and drummer Mickey Curry were all Titelman's contacts. Titelman also brought in David Frank for his experience at turning out synthesizer horn parts. Titelman said, "I feel that basically I was a casting director in a lot of ways." But Winwood himself invited Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh to join the project. Walsh and Winwood had met during Walsh's James Gang years. More than a decade later Walsh phoned "out of the blue" to say hello, with Winwood immediately suggesting a songwriting collaboration. In October, the two wrote "Split Decision" together, the only song on the album written entirely during the recording process in New York. Walsh also performed slide guitar on "Freedom Overspill". Walsh tackled his electric guitar solo for