What'd I Say - Ray Charles

Advantages: Superb performance by Jamie Foxx
Disadvantages: Long and dull at times

...Born Ray Charles Robinson in 1930 in a poor part of Georgia, the singer and pianist we know simply as Ray Charles did not have the easiest of starts in life. Cared for by his single mother, he witnessed the drowning of his brother at a young age, and by seven, was blind in both eyes. Despite this, his mother entreated him to keep working and to never let his disability get the better of him. His drive and enthusiasm for life was soon to pay dividends in the form of a successful music career, with hits in the charts and a lucrative record contract. Yet his life was not all roses - addicted to heroin, Ray was nearly imprisoned more than once and had extra-marital affairs. Would heroin be the end of his family life? And how would it affect his musical career? I am not a big fan of biopics; the problem with the story of someone's life... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Really innovative. One of the best reenactment of a legend
Disadvantages: Some unneccesary Inclusion.

...! (remember, he was blind).That was really extraordinary. Ray Charles..... The Legend..... I dont wanna call him "the man" here, let's give honour to whom it is due, Ray is a legend, not a man.Or what else should we use to describe a man who went against all odds, despite being blind (completely) to become one of the greatest American pianist in the world?(yes I say in the world) Ray is a legend. His life has not been rosy at all right from his birth.He came from an ''impoverished'', not even ''poor'' family in Albania His father left them (little charles and his mother) while he was still very young, his baby brother died in a washtub accident, and he himself developed glaucoma when he was 5 which by the age of 7, had turned into total blindness.Yet Charles never give up even when his parent passed away when he was only thirteen, He... Read review

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Advantages: read below
Disadvantages: read below

...dont know me", is a great orchestra set piece, with the piano sounds...smoothing the atmosphere. This song features Diana Krall and is a good album track. The suprising element in this album is the song that features Elton John!, yep you heard right...i wouldnt consider elton to be producing the same style of music as Ray Charles...But however the track does actually work suprisingly well, the song is "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word", reminding those those who forgot how soulful elton is, or can be. The impressive Natalie Cole also stars along side ray charles in "Fever". This is a bit of a faster paste jazzy track. Nelson and Ray on Sinatra's "It Was a Very Good Year," also a great recreation, great vocal arrangment...a great song. This song really makes your heart stop for a second!. The great BB Also features in "Sinner... Read review

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