Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company

Here's a great CD for any Ray Charles fan or any fan of jazz/blues vocals for that matter - Genius Loves Company. This was his last album before he passed away, and it's a great compilation of duets with a wide range of vocalists – from Norah Jones and Diana Krall to James Taylor and Johnny Mathis.

I hate to admit it, but I'm a sucker for compilation CDs. I love the variety of songs and music styles. This CD has classic Ray Charles songs like "Fever" with Natalie Cole and a wonderful version of "You Don't Know Me" with Diana Krall. And a beautiful rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" with Johnny Mathis. Ray's voice isn't as clear as when he was in his prime, but he still belts out his songs with soul. And it's fun to hear him paired with contemporary vocalists like Norah Jones. The diversity of songs and vocalists on the CD also makes it a great gift choice for a wide range of people.