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Elly Roberts reviews
Genius Loves Company
Concord (EMI)
- Released: August 2004
- Rating: 10/10
- Cat. No: 7243 8 66540 2 1
Track listing:
- 1. Here We Go Again (with Norah Jones)
2. Sweet Potato Pie (with James Taylor)
3. You Dont Know Me (with Diana Krall)
4. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (with Elton John)
5. Fever (with Natalie Cole)
6. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind? (with Bonnie Raitt)
7. It Was A Very Good Year (with Willie Nelson)
8. Hey Girl (with Michael McDonald)
9. Sinners Prayer (with B.B.King )
10. Heaven Help Us All (with Gladys Knight)
11. Over The Rainbow (Johnny Mathis)
12. Crazy Love (with Van Morrison)
When Ray Charles died on 10 June 2004 he left behind a huge legacy.
He accrued 12 Grammy awards between 1960 and 1993 acquiring the nick nameGenius.
Ray Charles Robinson was born on 23 September 1930, he single-handedlyinvented Soul music by bringing together the fervour of Gospel, the secularlyrics and narratives of Blues and Country, the big-band arrangements ofJazz, and the rhythms and improvisational possibilities from them all.
The net result was both sophisticated and spontaneous, (all found here)releasing his eponymously – titled first album in 1957. Those entire eclecticinfluences turn up as the stars come out to play on his final studio recording.
Born into abject poverty in Albany Georgia and raised in Florida, he beganplaying piano at the tender age of five. At six he contracted glaucoma, whichwent untreated and eventually left him blind.
He studied composition (writing music in Braille), he also learned to playalto sax, clarinet, trumpet and organ while attending St. Augustine Schoolfor the Deaf and Blind from 1937 to 1945.
Big guns like Elton John, B.B.King, and Willie Nelson turnup on his final recording sessions of this generational cross over, turningit into a real melting pot of genres. The synthesis of established and newperformers makes this a charming and endearing collection as he draws onall his eclectic styles.
There are some great renditions and musical momentsparticularly from B.B.King, Natalie Cole, Van Morrison with all songsperfectly suited to their individual talents. Charles does fail to impresson the odd occasion Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word, and Do IEver Cross Your Mind.
However he does excel on my favourites, including Sweet Potato Pie, Fever -with Natalie Cole giving a world class contribution, the awesome It Was AVery Good Year with Nelsons sharp country lilt, Sinners Prayerwith BB, as the pair play off each other in a perfect Bluesy manner. Finalsong, a live recording with Van Morrison is a real mutual appreciationsociety number, closing a magical experience for them and me.
His life was a true rags to riches story. Triumph overcoming tragedy. Lighttranscending darkness. This CD is a fitting epitaph to a legend in his ownright.
And check outRay Charles.co.uk
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.