Smokey & Friends

Naturally, anyone who loves the songs presented here should own the original versions, which sent a chill up America’s collective spine upon their releases in the early ‘60s through the early ‘80s. Smokey Robinson is an R&B and soul singer beyond peer; he was once a hitmaking machine with The Miracles, as a solo artist, and with other artists, such as Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. This album presents modern duet versions, assembled without the singers necessarily sharing the same room; they're mostly well matched. For example, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler free-associates throughout “You Really Got a Hold on Me” in a must-hear performance that's likely to divide listeners. R&B singers Mary J. Blige and Ledisi, who perform “Being with You” and “Ooh Baby Baby,” respectively, are the two most perfectly fit for Robinson’s soul music, while James Taylor is just right on “Ain’t That Peculiar.” Songs like “The Way You Do (The Things You Do)” and “Tears of a Clown” are virtually indestructible, and Cee Lo Green and Sheryl Crow have fun with them.