The first track off Smokey And Friends, the Motown giant’s duets album was so indifferent, Cee Lo joining him on “The Way You Do (The Things You Do)” and for the most part I was right but the album did have moments. Smokey is in fine voice throughout but he gains nothing special from the duets, nobody spurs him to heights.
The Miracles track were a little cool but the Smokey solo songs have their moments. First and foremost John Legend on “Quiet Storm”. Legend has missed his calling, his own compositions are drab beyond compare but he adds so much to other people’s material. During last years”Sinatra In The park” show he stole the show and on this album, it is Legend’s jazz inflected duet on “Quiet Storm” that lifts the performance from tribute to reinterpretation. Legend is like a young Denzel Washington, or even Sidney Poiter, he handles himself with so much dignity, his take on the wonderful song is both sincere and thoughtful. I can’t wait to hear Legend with Streisand later this year.
Mary J. Blige’s “Cruisin'” is soulful and powerful and on the song made popular by one Marvin Gaye, James Taylor gives a superb rethinking of “Ain’t That Peculiar”. Taylor had a huge hit with “How Sweet t Is” decades and decades ago and it is great to hear him tackle Gaye again, plus it is a quirked out arrangement which works stupendously for JT’s voice.
Once you get past those three songs , things begin to sink. Steve Tyler should go back to Lennon’s version of “You’ve really Got A Hold On Me” and stop squealing. The missed opportunity is Smokey not performing the Beatles arrangement -maybe the greatest Motown cover ever, and save us from this.. Three great young r&b singers, Miguel, JC Chasez and Aloe Blacc perform a doo wop version of “My Girl” but without spectacular effect. Elton John sings from his stomach on “Tracks Of My Tears”, Sheryl Crow is her usual asinine self on “Tears Of A Clown” on one of three tracks that simply shouldn’t have happened (Gary Barlow singing “Get Ready” is simply painful).
Finally, Ledesi, an r&b Chaka Khan wannabe, did herself only favors with a terrific “Ooh Baby Baby” that puts her on a whole other level andsent me right back to her new album.
Grade: B-
