Robert Cray - Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm (New CD)

2017 release. Robert Cray has been bridging the lines between blues, soul and R&B for the past four decades, with five Grammy wins and over 20 acclaimed albums. For the Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm album, the Blues Hall of Famer traveled to Memphis with his friend, renowned Grammy Award winning producer Steve Jordan, to make a classic soul album with Hi Rhythm, the band that helped create that sound. The album opens with a driving, soulful version of Bill Withers' "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh" that sounds as if it was originally from an old Hi Rhythm recording. When Robert chose two Tony Joe White songs for the album, White, a big fan of Cray, came up from Nashville to sit in. First up is the moving ballad "Aspen, Colorado" (the sister song of his "Rainy Night in Georgia"). The other end of the spectrum is the swirling psychedelia of "Don't Steal My Love." The tribute to O.V. Wright and Hi Rhythm is the horn-driven version of "You Must Believe in Yourself." Known for writing "Mustang Sally" and many other songs, Sir Mac Rice's "I Don't Care" follows on the album with an unforgettable hook, and Rice's funky "Honey Bad" features more guitar brilliance from Cray. Moving into early R&B from the 5 Royales, Robert performs "I'm With You Pt. 1" then turns the guitar loose on "I'm With You PT 2."