Smokey Robinson has never been one to slow down and is back with a new record today. His Smokey & Friends album takes his Motown classics and adds a few modern twists. There’s no need for him to update the material, but he just makes it different enough with an eclectic group of collaborators.
Smokey & Friends features the guitar playing of John Mayer, piano contributions from Elton John and vocals from Steven Tyler, Cee Lo Green, Mary J. Blige. For many, this is working with their main influence. It could even be Robinson’s biggest hit since One Heartbeat in 1987.
“From your mouth to God's ears,” Robinson told the Detroit Free Press. “Everybody's excited about it, and I'm so happy with the way it came out.”
Robinson recruited Randy Jackson to produce the 11-track record. Some highlights include “My Girl” with Mayer on guitar and vocals from Miguel, Aloe Blacc and JC Chasez; “The Way You Do The Things You Do” with Green; and “Ain’t That Peculiar” with James Taylor.
In its short review of the record, Rolling Stone compared it to John Fogerty’s 2013 release, Wrote A Song For Everyone. Like Smokey & Friends, that wasn’t just a duet record, but one that reimagined Fogerty’s classic songs.
“There was no need to go in and make the same records again,” Jackson told the Free Press. “Those things are already great as they are. Look, we took some (musical) liberties, and I like to think all of it worked.”
Now, fans of the 74-year-old’s music will get to decide that for themselves today.
image courtesy of INFphoto.com