Genius Loves Company, Ray Charles, Ray Charles And the Count Basie Orchestra

EDITORIAL REVIEWS Ray Charles – Genius Loves Company / EMI, Hear Music, Concord Records Audio CD / 2004 UPC 724386654120 /// Genius Loves Company is the final studio album by rhythm and blues and soul musician Ray Charles, posthumously released August 31, 2004, on Concord Records. Recording sessions for the album took place between June 2003 and March 2004. The album consists of rhythm and blues, soul, country, blues, jazz and pop standards performed by Charles and several guest musicians, such as Natalie Cole, Elton John, James Taylor, Norah Jones, B.B. King, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson and Bonnie Raitt. Genius Loves Company was the last album recorded and completed by Charles before his death in June 2004. The album was produced by Concord A&R man, John Burk, who approached Charles with the concept of a duets album for a collaboration of Concord Records and Hear Music, the record label owned by the coffee chain Starbucks. It served as the first original non-compilation release by Hear Music, as well as one of Ray Charles' most commercially successful albums. On February 2, 2005, Genius Loves Company was certified triple-platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America following sales of over three million copies in the United States. It also became Charles' second to reach number one on the Billboard 200, after Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962). On February 13, 2005, the album was awarded eight Grammy Awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. /// Country: Indonesia Released: 2004 Genre: Jazz, Blues Style: Piano Blues, Easy Listening, Swing Tracklist: 1 Ray Charles with Norah Jones– Here We Go Again Bass – Tom Fowler Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – Irv Kramer* Keyboards – Ray Charles Organ [Hammond B3] – Billy Preston Vocals [Duet], Piano – Norah Jones Bass – Tom Fowler Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – Irv Kramer* Keyboards – Ray Charles Organ [Hammond B3] – Billy Preston Vocals [Duet], Piano – Norah Jones 3:59 2 Ray Charles with James Taylor (2)– Sweet Potato Pie Baritone Saxophone – Brandon Fields Bass – Tom Fowler Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – Irv Kramer*, Michael Landau Keyboards – Randy Waldman Saxophone – Bob Shepard*, Dave Boruff* Trombone – Bob McChesney, Bruce Fowler (3) Trumpet – Charles Davis, Walt Fowler Vocals [Duet] – James Taylor (2) Baritone Saxophone – Brandon Fields Bass – Tom Fowler Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – Irv Kramer*, Michael Landau Keyboards – Randy Waldman Saxophone – Bob Shepard*, Dave Boruff* Trombone – Bob McChesney, Bruce Fowler (3) Trumpet – Charles Davis, Walt Fowler Vocals [Duet] – James Taylor (2) 3:47 3 Ray Charles with Diana Krall– You Don't Know Me Bass – Tom Fowler Cello – John Krovoza, Stefanie Fife, Tim Landauer, Trevor Handy Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – George Doering, Irv Kramer* Keyboards – Ray Charles Piano, Keyboards – Randy Waldman Viola – Andrew Picken, David Walther, Miguel Ferguson*, Ray Tischer, Shawn Mann, Suzanna Giordano Violin – Berj Garabedian, Brian Benning, Daphne Chen, David Stenske, Dynell Weber, Irina Voloshina, Jennifer Munday (2), Jennifer Walton, Johana Krejci, Julie Rogers (2), Kirsten Fife, Margaret Wooten, North Wood, Raymond Kobler, Ron Clark, Ronald Folsom, Songa Lee-Kitto Vocals [Duet] – Diana Krall Bass – Tom Fowler Cello – John Krovoza, Stefanie Fife, Tim Landauer, Trevor Handy Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – George Doering, Irv Kramer* Keyboards – Ray Charles Piano, Keyboards – Randy Waldman Viola – Andrew Picken, David Walther, Miguel Ferguson*, Ray Tischer, Shawn Mann, Suzanna Giordano Violin – Berj Garabedian, Brian Benning, Daphne Chen, David Stenske, Dynell Weber, Irina Voloshina, Jennifer Munday (2), Jennifer Walton, Johana Krejci, Julie Rogers (2), Kirsten Fife, Margaret Wooten, North Wood, Raymond Kobler, Ron Clark, Ronald Folsom, Songa Lee-Kitto Vocals [Duet] – Diana Krall 3:55 4 Ray Charles with Elton John– Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word Bass – Tom Fowler Cello – John Acosta (2), Rudolph Stein*, Steve Richards, Yao Zhao Drums – John Robinson (2) Guitar – Michael Thompson Piano – Alan Pasqua Viola – Carolyn Riley, Ed Persi, Maria Newman, Sam Formicola Violin – Alan Ellsworth, Alicia Engley, Amy Wickman-Guerra*, Dennis Molchan, Edmund Stein, Gerry Hilera*, Igor Pandurski, Kathleen Robertson, Nick Grant (2), Paul Manaster, Reginald Clews, Sai Ly Acosta, Todor Pelev, Xiao Niu He, Zheng Wang Vocals [Duet] – Elton John Bass – Tom Fowler Cello – John Acosta (2), Rudolph Stein*, Steve Richards, Yao Zhao Drums – John Robinson (2) Guitar – Michael Thompson Piano – Alan Pasqua Viola – Carolyn Riley, Ed Persi, Maria Newman, Sam Formicola Violin – Alan Ellsworth, Alicia Engley, Amy Wickman-Guerra*, Dennis Molchan, Edmund Stein, Gerry Hilera*, Igor Pandurski, Kathleen Robertson, Nick Grant (2), Paul Manaster, Reginald Clews, Sai Ly Acosta, Todor Pelev, Xiao Niu He, Zheng Wang Vocals [Duet] – Elton John 3:59 5 Ray Charles with Natalie Cole– Fever Bass – Tom Fowler Cello – John Acosta (2), Rudolph Stein*, Steve Richards, Yao Zhao Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – George Doering, Irv Kramer* Keyboards – Randy Waldman Viola – Carolyn Riley, Ed Persi, Maria Newman, Sam Formicola Violin – Alan Ellsworth, Alicia Engley, Amy Wickman-Guerra*, Dennis Molchan, Edmund Stein, Gerry Hilera*, Igor Pandurski, Kathleen Robertson, Nick Grant (2), Paul Manaster, Reginald Clews, Sai Ly Acosta, Todor Pelev, Xiao Niu He, Zheng Wang Vocals [Duet] – Natalie Cole Bass – Tom Fowler Cello – John Acosta (2), Rudolph Stein*, Steve Richards, Yao Zhao Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – George Doering, Irv Kramer* Keyboards – Randy Waldman Viola – Carolyn Riley, Ed Persi, Maria Newman, Sam Formicola Violin – Alan Ellsworth, Alicia Engley, Amy Wickman-Guerra*, Dennis Molchan, Edmund Stein, Gerry Hilera*, Igor Pandurski, Kathleen Robertson, Nick Grant (2), Paul Manaster, Reginald Clews, Sai Ly Acosta, Todor Pelev, Xiao Niu He, Zheng Wang Vocals [Duet] – Natalie Cole 3:30 6 Ray Charles with Bonnie Raitt– Do I Ever Cross Your Mind? Bass – Tom Fowler Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – George Marinelli Keyboards – Ray Charles Piano – Randy Waldman Vocals [Duet], Guitar [Slide] – Bonnie Raitt Bass – Tom Fowler Drums – Ray Brinker Guitar – George Marinelli Keyboards – Ray Charles Piano – Randy Waldman Vocals [Duet], Guitar [Slide] – Bonnie Raitt 4:34