Seattle, Washington is home to a talented musician. That musician is guitarist Robert Charles. Robert Charles has been making music for many years now. And after making music for some of those years, Charles decided he was ready to make the next move and record some of the music that he had created on his own.
With that thought in mind, Robert Charles went into the studio in 1997 to complete his five-song self-titled EP. The self-titled EP by Charles is a release that features five original compositions. The CD showcased the talent of the musician by focusing on, not just his composing, but also his guitar playing. When the CD was released, it was met with rave reviews as critics enjoyed his playing style and his ability to be able to play any style of music, whether it is jazz, blues, or rock.
Since that time in 1997, however, Robert Charles has not released a CD. His time has been taken up by his live performances. But Robert knew it was only a matter of time before he would enter the studio again to record his next release. Earlier this year, Robert Charles once again entered the studio to create a new CD. This time around however, the musician took not only his own compositions, but also a few standards to help create the new release. That release is called Everything I Say. Everything I Say, the new release by guitarist Robert Charles, splits its time between original compositions and jazz standards. The standards that are performed by Charles on this album include: I Fall To Pieces, the song written by Hank Cochran and Harlin Howard, made famous by Patsy Cline; All Of Me, the song written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons, made famous by Dinah Washington; and Moon River, the song written by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini, with the most famous version of the song being done by Andy Williams. The standards part of the new self-titled release by Robert Charles is where Charles shines. He takes these songs that everyone should know and makes them his own. With his style of playing, Robert breathes new life into these songs that have been around for years. Along with the three standard tunes that Robert Charles chose for his new EP, the release also comes with three new compositions written by Charles. The three songs written by Robert Charles once again showcase his talent for writing. The three songs are split between one jazz composition with Didn’t Even Rain, and two blues compositions with Dexter’s Song and the title track of Everything I Say.
Didn’t Even Rain comes across as having been created in the studio as part of a jam session. With the loose feeling of the musicianship of the players that helped make the album, the song has a very genuine jazz feel to it. Dexter’s Song and Everything I Say are very good blues compositions. They really allow Robert to show off on his fingering techniques. The only drawback to the album comes on Everything I Say when Robert sings the lyrics to the song. The musician has a fine voice. And THAT is the problem, in my opinion: His tenor voice is too clear and too high for the blues. If his voice were a little raspier, the song would sound a little more believable as a blues number. Aside from that opinion, his playing on the tracks lives up to the rest of the release.
Robert Charles may not be very prolific when it comes to putting out new releases, but when he does put out a release, it contains the right amount of talent and showmanship to make people want to stop and listen. The new self-titled release by Robert Charles is worth the time to check out.
To find out more on Robert Charles, go to his website at www.robertcharlesmusic.com. He can also be found on MySpace at www.myspace.com/robertcharlesmusic.com.
Reviewed By Matheson Kamin
