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Album Review
by SaschaS
13-1-2005
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| Ray Charles: 'Genius of Soul''s ultimate |
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Ray Charles: 'Genius Loves Company'
(Liberty)
‘Genius of Soul’’s farewell duets (refreshed)
Listening to this Ray Charles’s album, ‘Genius Loves Company’, evokes the same bittersweet emotion as did listening to Johnny Cash’s one last year, as well as Warren Zevon‘s. The reason being that the all discs arrived after their creators departed the tragic planet.
The final album by Mr Charles is an obvious collection of duets with some of the greatest contemporary and former acts. Starting with the ‘hotter-than-hotplate’ Norah Jones - on ‘Here We Go Again’ she sings like she’s lived several lifetimes - to Mrs Elvis Costello [i.e. Diana Krall on ‘You Don‘t Know Me‘] to Willie Nelson, BB King and Gladys Night. Even Johnny Mathis got invited to the sessions.
What can you say about the line-up of collaborators that also features our own Elton John and that most reserved Mr Van Morrison, alongside other Charles's compatriots Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Cole, James Taylor… Delivery, passion, variety, talent, top gear, One gem after another, sung soulfully, passionately and with such apparent ease to clearly separates them from performers such as Madonna, Britney, J-Lo and a number of boy- and girl-groups.
To reflect his career - a word idiosyncratic seems a tad small - this is an album of diverse material to reflect the full range of the man’s creativity that embraced gospel, country, soul, funk… As the man said it himself, “We cover it all, from country to R&B, pop, rock and blues. I've never let them put me in a little box, and this album expresses that open feeling. A beautiful song... is a blessing from God.”
Ray Charles will not only be remembered for many a song during his illustrious career but also for his cameo in ‘The Blues Brothers’ movie. He certainly had a sense of humour and appeared to be a happy performer, able to completely enjoy even the saddest of songs.
"I've recorded with so many amazing artists in my career but never on a duets album of my own. I thought it was time to have some friends that I love and the artists that I admire come into my studio and sing with me live, the way we did it in the old days... All the guests brought their own magic to each song. That's what we wanted and that's exactly what we got." Mr Charles commented in March 2004 upon finishing recording.
All these artists - and who knows how many others the great man played with during his long career - must [as they should] feel mightily honoured to have been in such a company. If at all possible, a fitting farewell to a genius.
9/10
~
Born Ray Charles Robinson to a fifteen year old mother in rural Georgia in 1930, he saw his brother drown when he (Ray) was six, and shortly after started to go blind. Not long after, the family having moved to Florida, he started to learn piano and, like so many of his contemporaries, honed his singing in Church. Known the world over as the ‘Genius of Soul’, he passed away at home in Beverly Hills on 10 June 2004, surrounded by his family and friends. [Originally published 01 Sept. 2004]
SaschaS
13-1-2005
Ray Charles’s album ‘Genius Loves Company’ [original release 30 August 2004] is being re-launched as a Special limited edition CD with a bonus DVD on 17 January 2005 by Liberty/EMI
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