Shortly before his death last June, Ray Charles entered the studio for one last time to record a series of duets with some of his musician friends. There's no way of knowing whether he realised that the end was nigh, but the croaky vocal performances here are certainly among the most affecting he ever committed to tape. The most successful collaborators, predictably, are those closest to Charles in age - with Elton John, Van Morrison and Willie Nelson taking the biggest plaudits. Younger stars such as Norah Jones, however, sound as if they're concentrating too hard on their own voices and fail to gel with the old master. Still, the mood is suitably melancholic, the backing orchestra is superb and it all amounts to a fitting send-off for one of the true greats of soul music. But couldn't the record company have thought of a less arrogant title?

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