JOHN SCOFIELD — That's What I Say: John Scofield Plays The Music Of Ray Charles (review)

JOHN SCOFIELD — That's What I Say: John Scofield Plays The Music Of Ray Charles album cover Album · 2005 · Soul Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Rokukai
One of the best Ray Charles tribute albums that flooded the market following his death, "That's What I Say: John Scofield Plays the Music of Ray Charles" fits nicely into John Scofield's eclectic discography. Jazz fans will find plenty to like, and Charles fans will be delighted as Scofield and his all-star crew breathe new life into 13 Ray favorites (not all Ray originals). The set starts with a bang, as "Busted" flies through the speakers and reminds every listener what a great song it is.

Along the way, you get to hear standards like "Hit the Road Jack" "Georgia on My Mind" "You Don't Know Me" and "What'd I Say". Then there's the songs you won't hear on many Charles compilations--"Unchain My Heart" "Cryin' Time" and "Talkin' 'bout You".

True heavyweights deliver the vocals. Art Neville, John Mayer, Mavis Staples, Dr. John. My only qualm--why no country star? Hell, this record would be awesome if Merle Haggard sang "Cryin' Time" or Junior Brown sang and played his axe on "Busted".

At any rate, it's great to hear a jazzer interpret C&W material, and Scofield churns out another winner with this one.

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

About (or On)First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ELLERY ESKELIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Noah Kaplan Quartet : Out Of The Hole Avant-Garde Jazz
NOAH KAPLAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
To Walk On Eggshells Avant-Garde Jazz
RUSS JOHNSON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Snakeoil : Snakeoil Ok Avant-Garde Jazz
TIM BERNE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Poetry of Place (from the exhibit by painter Karen Allen) Jazz Related Improv/Composition
CHRIS DINGMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio Dream a Dream
SATOKO FUJII
js· 1 day ago
Wojciech Jachna Squad - Ad Astra (Promo Teaser)
WOJCIECH JACHNA
snobb· 4 days ago
Nitty Gritty
RUSS SPIEGEL
js· 4 days ago
Never in a 100.000.000 Dreams
SUPERSISTER
js· 5 days ago
Love is a Fire that Burns Unseen
PETER MADSEN
js· 5 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed