David "Fathead" Newman I Remember Brother Ray CD

Personnel: David "Fathead" Newman (tenor saxophone); David "Fathead" Newman ; Steve Nelson Quartet, Steve Nelson (vibraphone); John Menegon (bass instrument); John Hicks (piano); Winard Harper (drums).
Audio Mixer: Rudy Van Gelder.
Recording information: Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (08/14/2004).
If ever a musician had a pedigree for simultaneously lamenting and celebrating the late Ray Charles, David "Fathead" Newman does. Newman met Charles in 1952 and was a working member of his band from 1954-1964. This program of tunes so closely associated with Charles features the tenor saxophonist in the company of vibist Steve Nelson, John Hicks in the piano chair, Winard Harper on drums, and bassist John Menegon. Newman's signature Southern soul tone, saturated in warmth and emotion, is by turns buttery, fat, and back-porch tender. From the opening chorus of "Hit the Road, Jack," one can feel the great control Newman has over the dynamic quality of these tunes. He treats them as classics, albeit very familiar ones. He finds no need to force anything here, knowing that the tunes themselves provide all the inspirational magic necessary. Newman also stays close to the soul-drenched bone despite the sophistication of the arrangements and performances. The reading of "Georgia On My Mind," with fine solos by Nelson and Hicks, is a case in point, as is the midtempo groove in "Deed I Do," where the swinging lyric is given wings in Newman's solo. The set closes with "Them That Got (I Ain't Got You)," a wide-open relaxed stroll through Charles' brand of gospel and soul re-created with a hard bop finger pop. This is a winner through and through. ~ Thom Jurek
The bluesy, distinctively hefty tenor sound of saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman has graced many recordings by many artists, but playing with Ray Charles during the 1950s and '60s is where he made a name for himself. Since then, Newman recorded numerous albums on his own, some leaning more towards jazz, others towards R&B. This versatility enables Newman to create an ideal homage to Charles, one of the most eclectic and revered musical figures in American history.
I REMEMBER BROTHER RAY is a set of heartfelt, slightly bittersweet jazz renditions of classic songs from Charles's repertoire. For "Georgia on My Mind," Newman's smooth-yet-robust tone gently caresses the melody, taking it on the dance floor for an elegant, affectionate waltz. The lovely, languid ballad "Ruby" nods towards the melody of "God Bless the Child," and features solos from vibes player Steve Nelson and pianist John Hicks, where their notes shimmer like raindrops suspended in mid-air. Accentuating the wistful, romantic, after-hours side of Charles's and Newman's musical personalities, I REMEMBER BROTHER RAY is late-night jazz balladry of the highest order.JazzTimes (p.127) - "These are all fine performances. They demonstrate that economy and nuance can carry plenty of emotional juice."