RAY
Somewhere In The Universe
(c) 1995 Ray/Universe Records
14tks/42mins

Do you have moments in your life, when you are tired of running and rushing somewhere, everything is boring you, and you just want to remember old friends, whom you did not see for a long time? At these moments you'd like to meet them, have a glass of a good wine or beer and talk to them frankly, as you can talk only to old, real friends? Do you have moments in your life, when you want just a little soul warmth and sincerity, which can give you only the real friends? Put on Somewhere In The Universe, because this album is like the meeting with an old, good friend.

By its music this CD reminds Jethro Tull, and this is not surpassing, because Ray has dedicated the album to this famous English group, which has released more than 60 millions copies of its albums during its 29-year career. Somewhere In The Universe even contains two compositions by Ian Anderson - Broadford Bazar and Jackalynn.

Other twelve compositions are original ones. And this is not a stylization by the Jethro Tull. In his project Ray succeeded to combine novelty and this unique aroma, which is usual to the music of the famous supergroup. Somewhere In The Universe is a pleasant return from modern life to the golden days of rock-music. I am talking about it not occasionally: in my vision, in the music of Somewhere In The Universe one can observe melodical moments, being characteristic not only to Jethro Tull, but also to Genesis, and, a little bit, to the Dire Straits. All this is infused on the ballad and folk basis. In all this the originality and special presentation of the music by Ray is at present.

It is left for me to say, that except Ray /vocals, acoustic guitar, flute, pennywhistle/ in the recording of the album took part musicians of high class: John Berg /acoustic and electric guitar/, Mark Colicchia /drums, bells, percussion/, Gregory Pionntek /bass, fretless bass/ and Christopher Sierzchula /keyboards/. They have made the album sound melodically refined, very intelligent and laconic, and this is the very laconicity which is characteristic to real masters.

Listen to Somewhere In The Universe - this album will help you to feel the good and real things which present in this life!

Serge Kozlovsky