Craig Armstrong Ray: Original Motion Picture Score Soundtrack CD

Live Recording

Personnel: Craig Armstrong (piano); Craig Armstrong; Metro Voices, Billie Godfrey (vocals); David Donaldson (programming); Simon Chamberlain (piano).
Audio Mixers: Craig Armstrong; David Donaldson.
Audio Remixer: Scott Fraser.
Liner Note Author: Craig Armstrong.
Recording information: Air Studios, Lundhurst, London, England.
Arranger: Craig Armstrong.
Scottish composer/producer Craig Armstrong may not have been the most obvious choice to provide the original score for Universal's biopic of Ray Charles, but his work with Baz Luhrmann on Moulin Rouge and Romeo & Juliet showed a flair for melding contemporary and classical themes with sometimes dizzying results. Unfortunately, when your subject is one of the world's most revered musical figures, it's unlikely anyone will pay attention to any music other than his, and Armstrong's attempts to fuse gospel, electronic, and orchestra, while quietly ambitious, just don't manage to evoke Charles' mischievous grace. At its best, Armstrong's atmospheric score provides a dramatic bridge between Ray and his songs, allowing the viewer/listener a peek into the legend's life that feels genuinely personal. However, much of that atmosphere feels contrived and overly familiar, resulting in a piece that as a whole could be juxtaposed over a particularly affecting X-Files episode with similar results. ~ James Christopher Monger
Craig Armstrong's score for the film RAY is largely orchestral, although keyboards and synthesizers often supplement the rich arrangements. Armstrong also regularly incorporates clips of dialog from the movie. Along with co-orchestrator Matt Dunkley, Armstrong focuses on the mystical, as he builds emotional climaxes, ghostly interludes, and other atmospheric blankets of sound.
On certain selections, Armstrong uses bluesy piano chords and gospel singers to show the connection between his score and the music of Ray Charles. "Remember Your Promise" is the best example of this, as it is propelled by the soft wail of a female gospel vocalist. Other tracks, such as "Dreams of Ray I" and "Dreams of Ray III," use sleek drum loops to drive the music; on the latter, a choir also sings soft harmonies in the distance. Similarly, "End Credits" uses drum loops, legato strings, and spacey keyboards to accompany a bluesy vocal. The beauty of Armstrong's music lies in his ability to capture the drama of Charles's life. The mix of gospel music with ethereal orchestrations is essential to the film and makes for an intriguing score.