Ray Russell

Dot Time Records is thrilled to announce the August 23, 2024 release of My Ideal, a breathtaking new album from acclaimed GRAMMY®-nominated vocalist Catherine Russell and prodigious pianist Sean Mason. This modern classic marks a significant milestone in both artists' careers, capturing a powerful and intimate musical dialogue. My Ideal is a very special project even in the very rarified strata where Catherine works; this is not only her first complete set of voice-and-piano duets, but her partner on this project is a remarkable piano prodigy whose technical skill is only rivaled by his soulfulness.

“The whole album just kind of fell into place and I just kind of got out of the way of it,” Ray Wylie Hubbard tells Apple Music of his 18th full-length. That’s the low-key perspective of a singer-songwriter whose four-decade-spanning catalog of leathery Southwestern mysticism and wit is admired by many of his fellow music-makers. His 10-song set features a slew of them—big names like Ringo Starr and Ronnie Dunn and well-kept secrets alike—spanning country, rock, blues, and folk. “Each song kind of dictated who was going to sing on it,” he explains. “When I asked all these cats to be on it, I didn't have to use guilt or shame—I'm not above using that, but I didn't have to. I just called them up and they all said yeah, they would do it. That was so gratifying and humbling.”

My World marked an attempt to somewhat "modernize" Ray Charles by incorporating elements of hip-hop and New Jack swing into his trademark sound. As a result, the record has aged poorly; the highlights are the songs done in Charles' usual inimitable style, including a reading of Leon Russell's "A Song for You" and a soulful rendition of Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years."