Genius Loves Company [Enhanced]

Ray Charles, Ray Charles And the Count Basie Orchestra | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 31, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Concord Records
• ASIN: B0002F7I9Y
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (215 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,560 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #3 in Music > Blues > Piano Blues
  • #18 in Music > R&B > Classic R&B
  • #30 in Music > Music Deals > More Titles at Least 25% Off

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The fact that Genius Loves Company will be Ray Charles's final new album inspires an unavoidable blue feeling. But it's also a happy reminder that the man spent the last months of his life at work doing what he loved. The overall effect of these dozen duets is autumnal and smooth. Brother Ray is on point and cruising here. Fine moments abound--you can hear his delight even in the rather stiff company of Diana Krall and Natalie Cole. His voice sounds a bit frayed by ill health at times, but it also allows for great performances like the slyness behind the ache in his version of the old soul hit "Hey Girl" with Michael McDonald and a grand "Crazy Love" with Van Morrison. Potently, he and Gladys Knight remind us of the continued timeliness of Stevie Wonder's "Heaven Help Us All." Its best moments make Company one more essential purchase for Ray Charles fans. --Rickey Wright

Product Description

DVD is NTSC format, region code 2 --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

282 of 296 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For over 40 years....and in every style imaginable --, September 13, 2004

By 

L. Quido "quidrock" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Genius Loves Company (Audio CD)

Ray Charles truly gave back to the world of music. In his last album, a series of duets, aptly titled "Genius Loves Company", Charles and his collaborators give us that eclectic mix of styles he was known for.

There are a couple of tracks, recorded early in 2004, when Ray was ill, where his voice and manner are notably subdued. There are three miscalculations of the choice of songs that he made with his collaborator. There are the inevitable difficulties of harmonizing with Ray -- (a man who had a knack for never singing a song the way you expect someone to), and those come through in some of the duets, although most feature echo singing and response, and little harmony.

What a thrill to be asked to work with Ray on one of his previous hits....Gladys Knight is his featured partner in his gospel classic, "Heaven Help Us All". Backed by a choir, Ray and Gladys mix richly. Ray has several blues cuts on the CD -- the best of these is "Sinner's Prayer" with BB King. Ray jams on the piano and BB gives Lucille a workout, with some background Hammond B3 by the legendary Billy Preston. Ray and BB have a natural mix on one of Ray's oldest songs. Some close harmony in the country blues cut "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?" shines through in the featured song with Bonnie Raitt -- produced by Phil Ramone, it is a great mix of vocals and blues guitar. Ray first did the song at the beginning of his career. There's a changeup from country in the old Eddy Arnold standard, "You Don't Know Me" with Ray and Diana Krall. Ray first did it in 1962, and the song is made richer with the jazzy counterpoint of Krall's flawless voice--another contribution from Phil Ramone. And starting the album, Ray collaborates with a relative newcomer, Norah Jones, in his 1967 blues hit - "Here We Go Again". The song is strong throughout, but fades a bit at the end where Ray and Norah struggle trying to mix harmony. Preston's contribution on the Hammond B3 is flawless in this collaboration.

Even better than being asked to work with Ray on one of his own songs is the honor of having Ray want to sing one of yours in a duet. Ray introduced and inducted masterful songwriter Van Morrison into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in the summer of 2003, and their resulting duet, to Morrison's "Crazy Love" (from his amazing album, "Moondance") kick started the whole duet album concept. It is the only live performance on the CD, and it amazes in that Morrison completely changes his approach to the song given the way that Ray begins it. A flawless exercise (again, with Ramone producing) in musicianship!

Another pop icon, Elton John, contributed the last song recorded, and the one where Ray's voice is the most feeble, but yet haunting. True to form, his lead in the song gives Elton John an opportunity to sing his part in a completely different manner than his original recording. The song is silk, with a full string accompaniment and a brooding, sultry feel that is perfect for both.

The third artist who contributed a song and a duet is the wonderful James Taylor. I've never been a fan of his ditty, "Sweet Potato Pie", and although it seems a logical choice for he and Ray -- it is one of only three "passable" songs.

The other two songs that didn't quite cut it? Both are classics, and in both, Ray works with another genius. Unfortunately, both songs are overproduced and the mix of styles and voices doesn't work well. With Johnny Mathis in "Over the Rainbow" -- Ray can't get Johnny to leave the standard melody and presentation of the old song. Ray's bluesy counterpoint doesn't blend well, and the song is regrettably, just ordinary. One can't help but contrast it to the amazing Eva Cassidy version of the same song. Perhaps the weakest duet on the album is a contrast in style and song, with Willie Nelson on the Sinatra standard, "It Was A Very Good Year". In an overblown, orchestra-laden approach, arranger Victor Vanacore leaves you feeling the production had nothing to do with the singers....it was a la Sinatra. Either Ray or Willie could have done a credibly different version of the song as a solo, but together, the mix didn't work.

One of Ray's favorite songs was a 60's pop tune called "Hey Girl"...wisely, he performs with a king of blue-eyed soul, Michael McDonald. Strangely, Ray takes the high part, and McDonald, known for his incredible range in the high register, gets to exercise his lower range, although at one point, he lets his pipes fly. With a full power orchestra, this song works, and the playful, tongue in cheek way in which Ray approaches it, makes it a highlight.

But, saving the best for last, the only real jazz combination on the CD is Ray's duet with Natalie Cole on the classic, "Fever". They are smooth as velvet and in perfect combination on the song. "Fever" is known as a jazz torch song for a woman, but somehow, this duet, more playful and and unique than any version I've heard, is my favorite of all the songs on the CD.

So, 9 great collaborations, and some exceptional liner notes and photos of Ray's last days ...far away offset a few of the lesser notes on this, the last effort of one of the finest performers of the last century.

Buy, enjoy.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Coda To A Brilliant Career, January 8, 2005

By 

Robert Culbertson (Tenafly, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Genius Loves Company (Audio CD)

I've been listening to Ray Charles since I was about 15 years old, when I first heard "What'd I Say." His voice, the electric piano and the song were about the freshest things I had ever heard, and I immediately loved him. That love never ended.

While I reluctantly agree with a few other reviewers that Ray's voice on some of the tracks is not what it once was, he still is absolutely wonderful and Genius Loves Company is a must for long-time Ray Charles fans like me. The selection of stars with whom he sings duets is varied and interesting and the musicianship and arrangements on the CD are outstanding. Everyone will find a different track that they like best and will feel Ray is particularly good with one artist or another. But, while there are certain tracks that appeal most to me, I actually think they all are good and the guest artists all put in excellent performances -- seemingly a heartfelt tribute to Ray --one of the greatest ever.

My personal favorites are "Fever" with Natalie Cole, who I think sounds as good as I've ever heard her, "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" with Elton John, which some other reviewers have not liked but I think is particularly good, "Sinner's Prayer" with B.B. King--perhaps the best track on the CD, "Heaven Help Us All" with Gladys Knight, "Over The Rainbow" with Johnny Mathis (I think Johnny sounds as good as he did 40 years ago) and "Crazy Love" with Van Morrison.

While Ray has sounded better on other CDs, this is still a classic by a man at the end of his life and one which I'm glad I own and which will be played frequently.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Bag, September 8, 2004

By 

Jim Mitchell (St. Louis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Genius Loves Company (Audio CD)

It's a cliche to use the term "overproduced" in critiquing music, but that's the word that consistently comes to mind with many of the songs on "Genius Loves Company". To me, much of Ray Charles' catalog suffers from this- too many syrupy strings, horns and background singers. I don't have a problem with orchestrations- they work to great effect on old Capitol-era Sinatra records and the Ella Fitzgerald "Songbook" series- but they walk a fine line between sounding lush and overwrought. Sadly, many of the songs on this, Mr. Charles' final studio album, fall into the latter category. His voice and piano/keyboard playing are powerful enough by themselves, and don't need to be overshadowed by such sappy sounds that instantly make this brand new album sound terribly dated. That's been a complaint of mine about most of what I've ever heard from Ray Charles, and I'm disappointed that this CD is no exception.

To be fair, there are some true gems on this album. While some of the arrangments might overpower and reduce the timelessness of the music, most of the duet partners seem to complement Mr. Charles quite nicely. Standout tracks are those with Norah Jones, Diana Krall, BB King, Gladys Knight and Van Morrison. They have just the right mix of jazz, soul and blues to give them a touch of the class and elegance of which Ray is so deserving. Elton John isn't bad, but his singing has become so over the top in the past decade or so as to become almost self-parodying. And there are many songs in Elton's catalog that would have better suited the pair. Willie Nelson is actually beginning to sound old. That by itself isn't a bad thing, but the attempt to replicate the orchestrations on the Sinatra version of "It Was A Very Good Year" just sound terrible. The Michael McDonald track is just excruciating, and epitomizes the overproduced sound that I'm talking about, with the muted trumpets and synths. So while there are certainly good songs here, only half the songs on a 12 song CD being listenable makes this a collection of questionable value. Sure, it's Ray Chalres, which for completists will be enough. But for more casual fans, well...listen to some samples first to see what you think.

What I would like to hear is a collection of Ray Charles on soulful vocals and piano, with minimal backing. If anyone is aware of such a CD, please click on my profile and e-mail me. I've often had the Atlantic recordings recommended to me; they do sound good but don't have Ray at the peak of his vocal abilities. While I should have known what to expect on a duets collaboration, I was hoping that this CD would have a more consistent, timeless sound. Sadly, it doesn't deliver. Even more sadly, unless there are hidden gems lurking in the vaults, this is the last original recording we're ever going to have from Ray Charles.

(And for people who take some of these reviews so seriously- LIGHTEN UP! The ones comparing Ray Charles unfavorably to Avril Lavigne, Vanilla Ice and the Backstreet Boyz are obviously written sarcastically or cynically. There seem to be regular Amazon reviewers who post such absurd, cynical reviews. Some of them are actually funny, some not. But if a review sounds too over the top to be real, chances are it's a joke. And if they're serious, well, are they really worth your time?)