Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Michael Nickolas & Ray Greene: We Got By

Michael Nickolas & Ray Greene: We Got By

By Jim Santella
March 1, 2002
View read count

Michael Nickolas & Ray Greene: We Got By

Spirituals and soulful ballads comprise this first duo album from guitarist Michael Nickolas and singer Ray Greene. From Boston, the pair has worked together on other ventures: 17 years. Their empathy shows up in the seamless manner they employ to interpret each smooth song. Theirs is a mature product. Greene sings these comfortable melodies with a sensitive touch and heartfelt accuracy. Nickolas accompanies on both acoustic guitar and a blues-filled, amplified model with down-home charm. Together, they've put together a session that soothes. Their online audio and video samples provide evidence. The best part of the album comes on "Here's That Rainy Day," where Nickolas improvises a brief interlude, and on "Heaven Help Us All," where Greene interprets poignant lyrics with sublime passion. Bob Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door" closes the session by turning up the emotional fires just a bit. Theirs is a gentle session, designed for healing.

Track Listing

We Got By; Hold My Hand; Hearts Horizon; Cecelia; When I Fall in Love; I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know; Heaven Help Us All; Here's That Rainy Day; They Can't Take That Away From Me; Landslide; Knocking On Heaven's Door.

Personnel

Michael Nickolas

guitar

Michael Nickolas- guitar; Ray Greene- vocals.

Album information

Title: We Got By | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Studio Nine

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Meet Terri Lyne Carrington
< Previous

Opium
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.