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With 1959’s The Genius of Ray Charles, the maestro produced a cinematic expansion of his rollicking, heartrending R&B. In the first half, big-band arrangements transform “’Deed I Do” and “Let the Good Times Roll” from beat-up pickup trucks into shiny, new Cadillacs. In the second half, a string orchestra elevates ballads like “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying” and “Am I Blue” into luxurious expressions of loss and loneliness. Through it all, Ray’s voice channels the rough-hewn emotion that was often lacking in an era of candy-flavored crooners. With 1959’s The Genius of Ray Charles, the maestro produced a cinematic expansion of his rollicking, heartrending R&B.
Feb 20, 2014 Mix - The Genius of Ray Charles - 1959 - (FULL ALBUM) by Ray Charles YouTube The Best of Ray Charles (full album) - Duration: 53:34. Jazz and Blues Experience 8,987,736 views. Features The Genius Of Brother Ray Charles. A tribute to the man who helped invent modern-day R&B with his deeply soulful, gospel-influenced piano playing and singing.
In the first half, big-band arrangements transform “’Deed I Do” and “Let the Good Times Roll” from beat-up pickup trucks into shiny, new Cadillacs. In the second half, a string orchestra elevates ballads like “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying” and “Am I Blue” into luxurious expressions of loss and loneliness. Through it all, Ray’s voice channels the rough-hewn emotion that was often lacking in an era of candy-flavored crooners.
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Having made his first two studio albums instrumental jazz excursions, Ray Charles tried something new for his third and last Atlantic LP, The Genius Of Ray Charles of October 1959 (Atlantic 1312): a collection of standards, one side with a brass band and the other with an orchestra. Applying the “genius” epithet for the first time (not Ray’s idea, though as he said there are worse things to be called), The Genius Of Ray Charles is possibly the greatest LP Ray Charles created. It was certainly a surprise to fans, who had only known the R&B singlemaker and the jazz LP artist. The Genius Of Ray Charles was in neither of these guises: it was a new, gentler Ray, and the depths of the music he recorded for this album remain nearly unequalled in recorded music. Side 1 is the brass side, and it begins big and strong with “Let The Good Times Roll”, where Ray lets the band elevate his unmoored screams and shouts to a loud, overpowering force. Otherwise, Ray tends to the quieter side: performances like “It Had To Be You” and “Two Years Of Torture” are absolutely riveting. Side 2 is even better than Side 1, somehow — it’s perfect.
From the opening to the dramatic finish of “Come Rain Or Come Shine”, Ray Charles takes the listener on a soul-baring ride through his musical psyche. No wonder that several of these tracks always end up on Ray compilations. They probably all should.
Reissues Rhino reissued The Genius Of Ray Charles on vinyl in 2009, and my guess would be that this is a good release to get. (I was lucky enough to find an old sealed Atlantic pressing for $10 on eBay so I don’t know about pressings.) DOL has released the album a couple times on vinyl in Europe, including once on clear vinyl, but these cheapo copyright-expired editions are to be avoided, however nice the packaging may be. Get the best sound on an Atlantic original. Record covers.