Narada Michael Walden’s music and that of the artists he works with varies intriguingly from genre to genre. So do the albums that shaped his career.

In an age when his contemporaries take three, five even seven years between studio projects, Paul Carrack is already back with another blend of blue-eyed soul originals and choice covers — a trio of which pay direct tribute to Ray Charles. You May Also Like: No related posts.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nd2Le9SHeU&w=500&h=305] An evening of improvised music becomes a thrilling journey into the imaginations of multi-instrumentalist David Cain and Grammy-awarding winning drummer Paul Wertico. You May Also Like: Wertico Cain and Gray – ‘Windows of Time’ (2021) Wertico Cain and Gray – ‘Without Compromise’ (2019) Wertico, Cain and Gray –Read More

Live albums and reissue projects often do much to shape the broader idea we have about a musical legacy, and this year was no different — with impressive sets devoted to Ray Charles, the Beach Boys, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings and the Smiths You May Also Like: No related posts.

The range and scope of Ray Charles’ talent could never be contained within one genre, no matter its lasting joys.

Here’s unearthed new proof of Ray Charles’ still-underrated creativity, unerring rhythmic ear and undeniable moxie as a jazz musician.

On this special edition of Something Else! Reviews’ One Track Mind, we hand the reins over to keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, who rose to fame as a composer and sideman alongside Eric Clapton and George Harrison. You May Also Like: ‘All Things Must Pass Away: Harrison, Clapton, and Other Assorted LoveRead More

Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis continue a stirringly offbeat musical dialogue begun with their 2008 release Two Men with the Blues, this time focusing on the music of Ray Charles. You May Also Like: Willie Nelson Found a Worthy Foil on the Diverse, Rootsy ‘Willie and the Wheel’ Wynton MarsalisRead More

“Am I Blue” is a largely forgotten argument for Ray Charles’ striking ability to synthesize jazz, blues, country and gospel into music with a broader appeal. That’s saying something, considering that it appears on The Genius of Ray Charles, a half-big band/half-strings Atlantic release that became one of his mostRead More

David “Fathead” Newman, one of our favorite tenor men, has passed after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 75. A Dallas native, Newman left college to tour with Charlie Parker’s mentor, Buster Smith. He then found fame as a sideman with Ray Charles, spending 12 seminal years inRead More