"ballads Before The Rain", a review Options

[Moorish Idol]

This is an entirely self-indulgent Ray performance piece with Roy Rogers as his sidekick (any fan of old TV westerns will understand the irony of that statement).

Bottom line first: This is not rocking Ray at his foot-on-the-keyboard finest. This isn't Rick and the Ravens featuring Screamin' Ray Daniels. It's just an excellent piano/guitar duet performance with Roy filling in the music with guitar rhythm accompaniment.

The first song, "Gnossienne No.1", is a lush and vividly played piece with a phenomenal sounding REAL piano. The Doors song, "Crystal Ship", is treated to a beautiful, classical-styled Ray performance. The other songs are ably played by an extremely talented piano player, again w/ mellow electric guitarwork.

Overall the songs are played with the mood of a candlelight dinner at a deep sunset on the veranda overlooking the grape vineyards of the Napa Valley.

However, the two most upbeat songs are the last two. The first, somewhat surprisingly, is the other Doors song on the album, "Riders On The Storm." The second is a jaunty piece called "American Pastoral" which evokes images of a spirited horse ride throught the rolling hills of Central California.

I enjoy piano work. I'm a great fan of Ray and his work. This album is not something to listen to after a hard partying night. No keyboard wizardry, flying fingers. It is an album to hear if you wish to enjoy the pot of gold by an artist from the other end of his talented rainbow.

Buy this record

[brianw]

Thanks for the review, man. I think I'm going to pick it up. Sounds like a nice piece of work to enjoy with a bottle of red & a nice steak. Damn, its been quiet around here...

[FreedomMan]

Hi Brian,

I think i do agree in what you said mainly. It's the piano more than the guitar, that is mesmerizing. Ray piano style in it's clearness reminds me the way he is talking in interviews and so on, very clear speech!

Does anybody know who might be "B.E"?

FreedomMan

[Bland_Boy]

If I compare this album to "The Golden Scarab" or "The Whole Thing..." , I would disappointed.
So, I'm not going to do the comparison.

:-)

[Moorish Idol]

Congrats to Ray on his Grammy nomination for the instrumental performance of "Riders On The Storm", as noted at www.idafan.com

[FreedomMan]

Congrats to Ray on his Grammy nomination for the instrumental performance of "Riders On The Storm", as noted at www.idafan.com

Congrats by me, too!

A good reason to listen to the CD once more, just now! Maybe I'll get liking the guitar part, too, after listening to it for several times. Of course, Roy Rogers is not Brian Jones ....

[Sunday Trucker]

I really enjoyed this album. I love piano and I love Ray's style, there is a spiritual aproach on what he does. Although it's a 'classic' piano and Ray is able to show his talents.

[waiting for her]

This is an entirely self-indulgent Ray performance piece with Roy Rogers as his sidekick (any fan of old TV westerns will understand the irony of that statement).

Bottom line first: This is not rocking Ray at his foot-on-the-keyboard finest. This isn't Rick and the Ravens featuring Screamin' Ray Daniels. It's just an excellent piano/guitar duet performance with Roy filling in the music with guitar rhythm accompaniment.

The first song, "Gnossienne No.1", is a lush and vividly played piece with a phenomenal sounding REAL piano. The Doors song, "Crystal Ship", is treated to a beautiful, classical-styled Ray performance. The other songs are ably played by an extremely talented piano player, again w/ mellow electric guitarwork.

Overall the songs are played with the mood of a candlelight dinner at a deep sunset on the veranda overlooking the grape vineyards of the Napa Valley.

However, the two most upbeat songs are the last two. The first, somewhat surprisingly, is the other Doors song on the album, "Riders On The Storm." The second is a jaunty piece called "American Pastoral" which evokes images of a spirited horse ride throught the rolling hills of Central California.

I enjoy piano work. I'm a great fan of Ray and his work. This album is not something to listen to after a hard partying night. No keyboard wizardry, flying fingers. It is an album to hear if you wish to enjoy the pot of gold by an artist from the other end of his talented rainbow.

Buy this record

sounds interesting