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Beyond Time
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Ray Benson Album Review:
Brother Ray Has Got The Goods! at 2003-11-13
Last weekend we saw Ray Benson perform at a small club in Washington, DC in an almost 2 hour concert Ray with Jason Roberts on fiddle and a bass player performed many selection from Beyond Time,Asleep at the Wheels new Alamo and new Live @ Billy Bobs CDs all three are terrific. As Ray states style wise Beyond Time is all over the musical map and that whats so great about it. Highlights for me included Sorry, El Paso, Annabelle, Aint Chet Yet and Leave That Cowboy ALone with Dolly Parton. Ray is a pros pro, and you wont go wrong on this CD.
Ray Benson Album Review:
smooth as silk at 2003-08-07
Ray Bensons seductive voice finally gets the prominence it deserves on this smooth effort. Asleep at the Wheel is a pleasure, of course, but Benson is a more than worthy solo performer. This collection of tunes spans many styles and includes fine instrumental contributions. Still, its that velvety baritone that makes this well-constructed production so special. Some of the songs are a little simplistic, but its easy to enjoy them just the same. I like to shuffle this with Suzy Bogguss Swing, which Benson produced. Theyre a great combination.
Ray Benson Album Review:
Wide variety from Asleep at the Wheels main man at 2003-07-31
Asleep at the Wheels driving force and front man steps out for his very first solo album, composed almost entirely of original tunes, ranging widely from folk-styled country to jazzy R and B to electric blues and fully orchestrated pop. Benson shines on the upbeat and twangy blues numbers, but the ballads, and the soft-jazz changes of the Bill Withers styled Hands of Time, dont click fully.This album hits a pair of high points with two half-spoken, half-sung blues originals, Mary Anne and Clearing Up to Be Cloudy. The former features Mike Judges slap bass, the latter showcases Delbert McLintons duet vocal, and both are illuminated by Jimmie Vaughns vintage Gibson ES-5. The lush Nelson Riddle styled Sorry shows off Bensons jazzy phrasings against a zesty horn chart, and Lets Get Lost, sounds like a long-lost tin-pan alley tune, with a romantic lyric backed by horns and woodwinds.Additional highlights include a duet with Dolly Parton on their co-written Leave That Cowboy Alone, a novel Conjunto arrangement of Marty Robbins El Paso, and the acoustic, finger-picked Aint Chet Yet. Having minted his fame with the western swing of Asleep at the Wheel, its refreshing to hear all the other sounds and styles tumbling around in Bensons head.3-3/4 stars, if allowed fractional ratings.
Ray Benson Album Review:
Dolly Duet Is Superb at 2003-07-23
Dolly Parton fans will definately be interested in this album. It contains the song Leave That Cowboy Alone which Dolly and Ray Benson originally wrote for their TV-movie Wild Texas Wind. The track is a definate highlight of this album. Also standing out amongst the other tracks is Bensons cover of the Marty Robbins classic El Paso. Fans of the traditional Asleep @ The Wheel sound will be plesaantly suprised.
Ray Benson Album Review:
A must have ... at 2003-06-27
This CD is definitely a MUST have forall Asleep at the Wheel and Ray Bensonfans. While the selections are definitely not what Id expect fromAsleep at the Wheel... they are exactlywhat Id expect from a Ray Benson soloCD. If youve been to AATW shows youknow for sure that Ray is way more thanwestern swing.
Ray Benson Album Editorial:
Long tall Ray Benson is usually in the drivers seat of Asleep at the Wheel as the hard-working multi-Grammy-winning Western swing aggregation hurtles down the highway. But Benson changes musical vehicles with his first-ever solo album IBeyond Time opting for a more casual cruise down a variety of stylistic side roads. Benson wrote or co-wrote all of the songs but one and most fall into the sentimental (if not outright romantic) jazz-tinged category. The opening Sorry for example with its Nelson Riddle-style strings-and-horns arrangement serves notice that Benson has a different destination in mind and he explores it fully bringing his baritone voice to bear on cool jazz numbers like Lets Get Lost (co-written with Willie Nelson) and folky social tunes such as Small Town. The only cover here is one of the highlights as Benson and accordion legend Flaco Jimenez offer a tasty Tex-Mex take on Marty Robbinss classic El Paso. Other guests include jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan blues singer Delbert McClinton and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan. Best of all however may be Leave That Cowboy Alone a country collaboration with Dolly Parton pedal-steel guitarist Lloyd Maines and Austins secret weapon guitar-slinger Redd Volkaert. Michael Point
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