There"s just something about a middle-aged man with a cheap guitar! There"s also something about keyboards, acoustic guitars, alto flutes, strings and saxophones. That"s whay we"re dealing with here, folks. Eleven tunes strong, Ray"s ninth CD (and first "official" solo record), Old School draws on a bevy of influences from rock and roll and soul to country, pop and what-have-you. A little like Ray"s cassette-only releases of the early "80s. A little like the 13-CD catalogue of his band and the Lonesome Brothers. But not really. Old School creates its own musical stew. Producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Jim Weeks deserves a lot of credit here. His tireless input set the course for this record. Captivating music indeed! Enjoy.