I’ve always had a soft spot for this record as I love Ray’s playing. I’m guessing most of you won’t have heard of Ray before, but in the seventies he was a go to guy for a lot of fusion and groovy projects. He played in albums by Narmada Michael Walden, Lenny White, and Stanley Clarke to name a few. So when I heard he was putting out his own album I was very interested. This album was released in 1980, and I managed to get a remastered version of this album on CD from the man himself – with a different running order. Anyhoo, Ray writes all the tracks himself, apart from a cover of the classic, Summer In The City. It’s great to hear a guitar player releasing an album with songs, rather than a purely instrumental album I guess he got to do all the widdly stuff in all of the other projects he was involved with.
Make Your Move is a great rock track with a great harmony, hook, groove, and some great playing. More of the same with next track, USA, and I really like the way this song swings. Waiting For The Big Time has a great funky groove and some killer playing. The side rolls out with what I think is Ray’s trademark tune, West Side Boogie – the playing is outstanding. Ray gives Beck a run for his money on this track. Killer groove and riff!
Side 2 opens up with Summer In The City, which I’m sure most of you will have heard of, but this version gets the full treatment complete with horns and everything. Love At First Sight is my favourite Ray vocal track on the album. It has an almost disco beat played in a rock style with a really tasty solo. The World Will Keep On Turning has Ray playing everything with a weird drum machine. The last track is Blues For Mez, and I would have paid the money just for this track alone. Some of the best guitar you will hear.
This is just one of those albums that connects and hits the spot for me, and I would recommend this album for anyone’s collection.
10/10 from The Grooveman.
