JaimeG,
You are right about Ray's being the master of feel, and, like you, I cringed when I heard him off-pitch, which he never did when he was younger or on the many CDs in my collection, or in any of the live performances I attended.
But I first heard that duet he does with Bonnie Rait, "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?"--a great song-- in my car and I was floored by the emotion. It's when I heard some of the other tracks that I got disappointed and decided not to buy it. Maybe I will get it in SACD. This discussion has rekindled my curiosity. You do have to make allowances.
Regards,
