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Album of the Year:
Genius Loves Company at
[FYE (For Your Entertainment) ]
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Genius Loves Company is the last studio album Ray
Charles completed before his death in June 2004. Prior to
this, the last studio album he released was Strong Love
Affair in 1996, which was a stab at modern pop, filled with
new songs and given an adult contemporary sheen. It was
not one of his most distinctive efforts, even when judged
against his latter-day albums, and it disappeared not long
after its release. Charles left Warner and, years later,
signed with Concord, who released Genius Loves
Company, which had a decidedly different approach than
the all-modern Strong Love Affair. As the title
acknowledges with a wink, this is a duets album, which
may be a little commonplace as far as latter-day superstar
albums go, but is still a step up from his previous studio
album, since it puts Ray Charles in a comfortable, relaxed
situation that plays to his strengths. Instead of trying to
put Charles in a modern setting, producers John Burk and
Phil Ramone (Burk helmed seven of the album's tracks,
Ramone is responsible for the other five, and their work
fits together seamlessly) go for a clean retro setting with a
few guitars, synths and a rhythm section, occasionally
dressing it with an orchestra or some strings. In other
words, apart from the glistening production, it's not far
removed from any of Charles' crossover records from the
'60s, and he's also given a strong set of songs, largely
familiar pop classics from "Fever" and "Somewhere Over
the Rainbow" to "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" and
"Crazy Love." His duet partners are fairly predictable --
classy newcomers like Norah Jones and Diana Krall, but
also old stalwarts like Elton John, BB King, Johnny Mathis,
James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt and the ubiquitous Willie
Nelson (who has never sounded older as he does here on
"It Was a Very Good Year") -- but they're also reliable,
never overshadowing Ray, yet never shrinking in his
shadow, either; in short, it sounds more like a real duets
album than most superstar duet records. The end result is
modest, friendly, laid-back and pleasing, one that remains
faithful to Charles' music while sounding relatively fresh.
It may not be weighty enough to be a career-capping
masterpiece, but it's sweet enough to be an appropriate
final album -- which is far more than can be said of
Strong Love Affair, or any of the other albums he cut in
the '80s or '90s for that matter. ~ Stephen Thomas
Erlewine, All Music Guide
Details:
• Artist: Ray Charels and Norah Jones, Willie
Nelson, James Taylor, Michael McDonald, Krall, BB King,
Gladys Knight, Elton John, Natalie Cole, Johnny Mathis,
Bonnie Raitt, Morrison.
• Label: Concord Jazz
• SKU: 61705749
• Genre: Rythim and Blues
• Styles: Urban Blues
• Info: compilation (best of)
Track Listing:
1. Here We Go
Again - Ray Charles, Norah Jones
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6. Do I Ever Cross
Your Mind? - Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles
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2. Sweet Potato
Pie - Ray Charles, James Taylor
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7. It Was a Very
Good Year - Willie Nelson, Ray Charles
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3. You Don't Know
Me - Diana Krall, Ray Charles
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8. Hey Girl -
Ray Charles, Michael McDonald
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4. Sorry Seems to
Be the Hardest Word - Elton John, Ray
Charles
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9. Sinner's
Prayer - Ray Charles, BB King
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5. Fever -
Natalie Cole, Ray Charles
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10. Heaven Help
Us All - Ray Charles, Gladys Knight
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6. Somewhere
Over the Rainbow - Ray Charles, Johnny
Mathis
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12. Crazy Love
[Live] - Van Morrison, Ray Charles
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 740-522-2573
In Location 225.
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