Don Ray (1942-2019) - Garden Of Love [Full Album, 1978]
Raymond Donnez was a French musical arranger who personified the French disco sound with his gorgeous string arrangement, bubbly synths and punchy beats. His big break came with Cerrone's epic 1976 recording, Love In C Minor, and he quickly found himself in high demand, working with French-Greek-Egyptian master Alec R. Costandinos on several of his disco albums, and also arranging Santa Esmeralda's multi-million selling Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood.
During these years he was also the musical conductor for the Monegasque Eurovision entries 1974 and 1976, and also conducting France's Eurovision winner, Marie Myriam's L'oiseau et l'enfant, 1977.
In 1978, he released an album in his own name, Garden Of Love, co-written and produced by Cerrone, from which the hypnotic Got To Have Lovin' and the dreamy Standing In The Rain became huge disco classics with Lawrence Rich's gritty vocals. A 1980 single followed, Simplify.
Sadly, on March 7, 2019, the news broke that Raymond Donnez had passed away at the age of 77. This upload is to celebrate the wonderful musical legacy he left behind, may he rest in peace.
