Ray Charles - Original Album Series (2009) REPOST

Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer-songwriter, musician and composer known as Ray Charles. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles "the only true genius in show business", although Charles downplayed this notion. He was blind from age seven. His best friend in music was South Carolina-born James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul", and like Charles an active lifelong Republican. ~Wikipedia





This set is rather unusual, for it is strictly instrumental, allowing Ray Charles a rare opportunity to be a jazz-oriented pianist. Two selections are with a trio (bassist Oscar Pettiford joins Charles on "Black Coffee"), while the other six are with a septet taken from his big band of the period. Key among the sidemen are David Newman (soloing on both tenor and alto) and trumpeter Joseph Bridgewater; highlights include Quincy Jones' "The Ray," "My Melancholy Baby," "Doodlin'," and "Undecided." Ray Charles should have recorded in this setting more often in his later years. ~Allmusic

Track listing
01. The Ray (4:02)
02. My Melancholy Baby (4:26)
03. Black Coffee (5:47)
04. There's No You (4:51)
05. Doodlin' (5:58)
06. Sweet Sixteen Bars (4:09)
07. I Surrender Dear (5:11)
08. Undecided (3:41)
~ (38:04)








For his appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 5, 1958, Charles pulled out all the stops, performing raucous versions of "The Right Time," "I Got a Woman," and "Talkin' 'Bout You." This album was reissued in 1973 as a two-record set, packaged with Ray Charles in Person under the title Ray Charles Live. ~Allmusic

Track listing
01. The Right Time (4:02)
02. In a Little Spanish Town (3:54)
03. I Got a Woman (6:19)
04. Blues Waltz (6:29)
05. Hot Rod (3:51)
06. Talkin' 'Bout You (4:21)
07. Sherry (4:24)
08. A Fool for You (7:11)
~ (40:31)






Some players from Ray Charles' big band are joined by many ringers from the Count Basie and Duke Ellington bands for the first half of this program, featuring Charles belting out six songs arranged by Quincy Jones. "Let the Good Times Roll" and "Deed I Do" are highlights, and there are solos by tenorman David "Fathead" Newman, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, and (on "Two Years of Torture") tenor Paul Gonsalves. The remaining six numbers are ballads, with Charles backed by a string orchestra arranged by Ralph Burns (including "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'"). Charles' voice is heard throughout in peak form, giving soul to even the veteran standards. ~Allmusic

Track listing
01. Let the Good Times Roll (2:52)
02. It Had to Be You (2:43)
03. Alexander's Ragtime Band (2:52)
04. Two Years of Torture (3:24)
05. When Your Lover Has Gone (2:50)
06. Deed I Do (2:26)
07. Just for a Thrill (3:24)
08. You Won't Let Me Go (3:20)
09. Tell Me You'll Wait for Me (3:23)
10. Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' (3:45)
11. Am I Blue (3:37)
12. Come Rain or Come Shine (3:40)
~ (38:14)






Down-home, anguished laments and moody ballads were turned into triumphs by Ray Charles. He sang these songs with the same conviction, passion, and energy that made his country and soul vocals so majestic. This has not turned up in the reissue bins. ~Allmusic

Track listing
01. Early in the Morning (2:48)
02. Hard Times (Nobody Knows Better Than I) (2:56)
03. The Midnight Hour (3:02)
04. The Right Time (3:25)
05. Feelin' Sad (2:50)
06. Ray's Blues (2:55)
07. I'm Movin' On (2:13)
08. I Believe to My Soul (3:01)
09. Nobody Cares (2:41)
10. Mr. Charles Blues (2:48)
11. Some Day Baby (3:01)
12. I Wonder Who (2:46)
~ (34:26)






Taken from the same three sessions as The Great Ray Charles but not duplicating any of the performances, this set casts Charles as a jazz-oriented pianist in an instrumental setting. Brother Charles has five numbers with a trio (three songs have Oscar Pettiford on bass) and jams on three other tunes ("Hornful Soul," "Ain't Misbehavin'," and "Joy Ride") with a septet arranged by Quincy Jones; solo space is given to David "Fathead" Newman on tenor and alto and trumpeter Joseph Bridgewater. Fine music – definitely a change of pace for Ray Charles. ~Allmusic

Track listing
01. The Genius After Hours (5:24)
02. Ain't Misbehavin' (5:41)
03. Dawn Ray (5:03)
04. Joy Ride (4:39)
05. Hornful Soul (5:29)
06. The Man I Love (4:27)
07. Charlesville (4:56)
08. Music, Music, Music (2:54)
~ (38:33)




Thx to Misantrop