Genius Loves Company

by Ray Charles

Overview

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, B.B. King, Johnny Mathis, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, and the ubiquitous Willie Nelson (who has never sounded older than 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

Product Details

Release Date:	10/21/2022
Label:	Monster Music / Tangerine Records
UPC:	0708857212514
Rank:	2972

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Here We Go Again
2. Sweet Potato Pie
3. You Don't Know Me
4. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
5. Fever
6. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?

Disc 2

7. It Was a Very Good Year
8. Hey Girl
9. Sinner's Prayer
10. Heaven Help Us All
11. Over the Rainbow
12. Crazy Love [Live]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ray Charles   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals,Keyboards
Gladys Knight   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Elton John   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Michael McDonald   Primary Artist,Vocals,Keyboards,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Van Morrison   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Johnny Mathis   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
James Taylor   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Bonnie Raitt   Primary Artist,Vocals,Slide Guitar,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Natalie Cole   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
B.B. King   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Norah Jones   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Take 6   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Diana Krall   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Willie Nelson   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Poncho Sanchez   Primary Artist,Congas,Percussion,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Shawn Pelton   Drums
Bashiri Johnson   Percussion
David Hayes   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Michael Bearden   Keyboards
Jeff Mironov   Guitar
Trey Henry   Guitar (Bass),Bass,Contrabass
Danny Jacob   Guitar
Charles Fearing   Guitar
James Gadson   Drums
Jim Keltner   Drums
George Marinelli   Guitar
Alan Pasqua   Piano
Michael Thompson   Guitar,Guitar
George Doering   Guitar
Randy Waldman   Piano,Keyboards
Michael Landau   Guitar
Ray Brinker   Drums
Tom Fowler   Guitar (Bass),Bass,Violin
Irv Kramer   Guitar,Guitar (Rhythm)
Abraham Laboriel, Sr.   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Tawatha Agee   Vocals
Terry Woods   Choir/Chorus
Steve Kujala   Flute
Raymond Kobler   Violin
Bob McChesney   Trombone
Larry Corbett   Cello
Armen Garabedian   Violin
Daphne Chen   Violin
Clarence McDonald   Piano
Fred Wesley   Trombone
Sal Vasquez   Tres,Bongos,Guitar,Percussion
Serafin Aguilar   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Francisco Torres   Trombone
Janey Clewer   Choir/Chorus
David Torres   Piano,Music Direction
Jeff Kievit   Trumpet
Walt Fowler   Trumpet
Charlie Davis   Trumpet
John Acosta   Cello
Joel Derouin   Violin
Wayne Bergeron   Trumpet
Scott Martin   Flute,Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor),Sax (Baritone)
Rob Mathes   Conductor
Rosemary Butler   Choir/Chorus
Julie Rogers   Violin
Pee Wee Ellis   Sax (Tenor)
Vaneese Thomas   Vocals
Rick Baptist   Trumpet
Richard Todd   French Horn
David Riddles   Bassoon
Reginald Clews   Violin
Briana Bandy   Viola
Samuel Formicola   Viola
Loren Turner   Choir/Chorus
Timothy Landauer   Cello
Stephanie Fife   Cello
Donald Markese   Clarinet
John Krovoza   Cello
Matt Holland   Trumpet
Charles Pillow   Sax (Tenor)
Martin Winning   Sax (Tenor)
Kurt Snyder   French Horn
Tom Saviano   Saxophone
Alethea Mills   Choir/Chorus
Kenneth Wild   Contrabass
Chavonne Morris   Choir/Chorus
Joe Heredia   Trap Kit
Sheven Morris   Choir/Chorus
Tim Christensen   Contrabass
Berj Garabedian   Violin
Dennis Farias   Trumpet
Jennifer Walton   Violin
Rudy Stein   Cello
Gary Grant   Trumpet
Dale Spalding   Harmonica
Steve Richards   Cello
Dave Stone   Contrabass
Nancy Roth   Violin
Dave Walther   Viola
Rev. Dave Boruff   Saxophone
Richard Shaw   Contrabass
Tony Banda   Bass
Margaret Wooten   Violin
David Stenske   Viola,Violin
Anatoly Rosinsky   Violin
Bob Shepard   Saxophone
Jennifer Munday   Violin
Johana Krejci   Violin
Trevor Handy   Cello
Irina Voloshina   Violin
Shawn Mann   Viola
Tony Kadleck   Trumpet
Suzie Katayama   Cello
Maria Newman   Viola
Larry Hall   Trumpet
George Ortiz   Timbales
Kirstin Fife   Violin
Fonzi Thornton   Vocals
Greg Huckins   Flute
Kevin Dorsey   Choir/Chorus
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson   Viola
Joseph Stone   Oboe,Horn (English)
Andrew Martin   Trombone
Ronald Clark   Violin
Shanti Randall   Viola
Brandon Fields   Saxophone
Leanne Becknell   Oboe
Bruce Fowler   Trombone
Mark Converse   Percussion
Darryl Phinnessee   Choir/Chorus
Robert Berg   Viola
Suzette Moriarty   French Horn
Brian Benning   Violin
Dynell Weber   Violin
Songa Lee   Violin
Charlie Morillas   Trombone
Phillip Yao   French Horn
Ed Persi   Viola
Todor Pelev   Violin
Carolyn Riley   Viola
Robert Matsuda   Violin
Yao Zhao   Cello
Ronald Folsom   Violin
Raymond Tischer   Viola
Charles Boito   Clarinet
John Mitchell   Bassoon
Charles Everett   Violin
Scott Higgins   Timpani
John Acevedo   Viola
Joe Meyer   French Horn
Vladimir Polimatidi   Violin
Robert Sanders   Trombone
Nick Grant   Violin
North Wood   Violin
Igor Pandurski   Violin
Alicia Engley   Violin
Sai Ly Acosta   Violin
Patricia Skye   French Horn
Fred Martin & the Levite Camp   Choir/Chorus
Alan Ellsworth   Violin
John West   Choir/Chorus
Alwyn Wright   Violin
Xiao Niu He   Violin
Horia Moroaica   Violin
Suzanna Giordano   Viola,Violin
Dennis Molchan   Violin
Ray Tischer   Viola
Zheng Wang   Violin
Franklyn D'Antonio   Violin
Edmund Stein   Violin
Gerry Hilera   Violin
Alex Isles   Trombone
Andrew Picken   Viola
Edith Markman   Violin
David Kilbride   Violin
Clarissa Watkins   Choir/Chorus
Amy Wickman Guerra   Violin
Aminah Ofumbi   Choir/Chorus
Martha Lippi   Cello
Kathleen Robertson   Violin
De'Ante Duckett   Choir/Chorus
Irene Madison   Choir/Chorus
Leslie Brown Katz   Violin
Michelle Richards   Violin
Tricia Lee   Violin
Paul Manaster   Violin
Kenneth Yerke   Violin
John "J.R." Robinson   Drums
Karl Vincent   Contrabass
Armen Ksajikian   Cello
James Burney   Choir/Chorus
Eleanore Choate   Harp
James Gilstrap   Choir/Chorus
Wallace Snow   Percussion
David Boruff   Saxophone
Clydene Jackson Edwards   Choir/Chorus
Kenneth Scharf   Trumpet
Kevan Toreh   Cello
Mann Giordano   Violin
Michael Beardon   Keyboards
Mike Markman   Violin
Robert Joseph Stone   Trombone
Tim Pendergrass   Director
Yaroslav Kettner   Violin

Technical Credits

Don Mizell   Audio Production,Producer
Herbert Waltl   Audio Production,Producer,Associate Producer
Terry Howard   Audio Production,Engineer,Producer
Phil Ramone   Audio Production,Producer
John Burk   Audio Production,Producer,Executive Producer
Seth Presant   Engineer,Pro-Tools
Teddy Powell   Composer
Gladys Knight   Duet
Ray Charles   Composer
B.B. King   Duet
Harold Arlen   Composer
Bobby Sharp   Composer
Natalie Cole   Duet
Billy Burnette   Composer
Bonnie Raitt   Duet
Cindy Walker   Composer
Clarence McDonald   Arranger
Take 6   Arranger,Producer
Ed Thacker   Engineer
Eddie Cooley   Composer
Carole King   Composer
Joel Moss   Engineer
Dorsey Burnette   Composer
David Torres   Associate Producer
Doug Sax   Mastering
James Taylor   Duet,Composer
Russell Steagall   Composer
John Davenport   Composer
John Jennings   Photography
Robert Fernandez   Engineer
Johnny Mathis   Duet
Diana Krall   Duet
Peter Doell   Mastering
Lloyd Glenn   Composer
Ron Davis   Mixing,Engineer
Ronald Dean Miller   Composer
Lowell Fulson   Composer
Van Morrison   Duet,Composer
Pete Karam   Engineer
Darrell Thorp   Assistant Engineer
Bernie Taupin   Composer
Red Steagall   Composer
Randy Waldman   Arranger,Rhythm Arrangements
Michael McDonald   Duet
Micheal Smotherman   Composer
Michael Vaccaro   Contractor
Joel Singer   Assistant Engineer
Willie Nelson   Duet
Gerry Goffin   Composer
Glen Barros   Executive Producer
Steve Deutsch   Digital Editing
Steve Genewick   Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Elton John   Duet,Composer
Eddy Arnold   Composer
Joe Soldo   Contractor
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg   Composer
Ervin Drake   Composer
Ron Miller   Composer
Poncho Sanchez   Duet,Producer
Norah Jones   Duet
Robert Hadley   Mastering
Keith Gretlein   Assistant Engineer
Al Schmitt   Mixing,Engineer,String Engineer
David Blumberg   Arranger,String Arrangements
Jim Cassell   Associate Producer
David Vanacore   Score Assistance
Jaime Sickora   Assistant Engineer
Steve Granitz   Photography
Bill Kaylor   Assistant Engineer
Hardi Kamsani   Assistant Engineer
Jeff Hamor   Lighting,Camera Operator
Mark Fleming   Engineer
Don Lanier   Composer
Ken Desantis   Assistant Engineer
Frank Micelotta   Photography
Greg Dennen   Assistant Engineer
Jill Dell'Abate   Production Coordination
Ken Gruberman   Copyist
Victor Vanacore   Arranger
Larry Sanchez   Equipment Technician
Casey Phariss   Assistant Engineer
Nick Reiber   Editing
Michael Caulfield   Photography
Andrew Felluss   Assistant Engineer
Dennis Shirley   Photography
Joe McGuire   Copyist
John Harris   Engineer
Ronald Miller   Composer
Brian Benison   Copyist
Jay Spears   Assistant Engineer
Lee Reisch   Pro-Tools,Assistant Engineer
Mike Eleopoloulos   Assistant Engineer
Noel Johanson   Audio Engineer,Camera Operator
Ron Guerro   Technical Assistance
Tim Pendergrass   Editing,Camera Operator
Elizabeth Goettcher   Video Producer
Ted White   Mixing Assistant