Ray Charles & Milt Jackson - Soul Brothers, Soul Meeting Disc 1 And Disc 2

Styles: Soul Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:50 (Disc 1)
Size: 111,6 MB (Disc 1)
Time: 46:10 (Disc 2)
Size: 107,8 MB (Disc 2)
Art: Front

Disc 1

(9:15)  1. How Long Blues
(5:23)  2. Cosmic Ray
(5:25)  3. The Genius After Hours
(4:57)  4. Charlesville
(8:50)  5. Bags Of Blues
(5:51)  6. Deed I Do
(8:05)  7. Blue Funk

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Disc 2

(9:34)  1. Soul Brothers
(6:27)  2. Bag's Guitar Blues
(6:04)  3. Soul Meeting
(5:29)  4. Hallelujah I Love Her So
(6:40)  5. Blue Genius
(8:11)  6. X-Ray Blues
(3:42)  7. Love on my Mind

This brings together all of the extant takes recorded for two albums that Milt Jackson made with Ray Charles for Atlantic in 1957 and 1958. With Oscar Pettiford, Connie Kay, and Kenny Burrell in the various lineups, this is bluesy jazz in a laid-back manner; it surprised many hardcore R&B fans when these albums were originally issued. Jackson moves from vibes to piano, and even guitar (on "Bag's Guitar Blues"), while Ray jumps between piano and alto sax on these sessions. A rare glimpse of Charles' jazz soul coming up for air.      ~ Cub Koda   http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-brothers-soul-meeting-mw0000653204.

Personnel: Skeeter Best, Kenny Burrell (guitar); Ray Charles (alto saxophone, acoustic & electric pianos); Billy Mitchell (tenor saxophone); Milt Jackson (piano, vibraphone); Oscar Pettiford (bass); Connie Kay (drums)

Soul Brothers, Soul Meeting Disc 1, Disc 2

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Tony Bennett - Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:05

Size: 130.7 MB

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2001

Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Alright, Okay, You Win (With Diana Krall)

[3:35] 2. Everyday (I Have The Blues) (With Stevie Wonder)

[2:41] 3. Don't Cry Baby

[4:53] 4. Good Morning Heartache (With Sheryl Crow)

[3:14] 5. Let The Good Times Roll (With B.B. King)

[4:12] 6. Evenin' (With Ray Charles)

[3:52] 7. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues (With Bonnie Raitt)

[3:49] 8. Keep The Faith, Baby (With K.D. Lang)

[3:23] 9. Old Count Basie Is Gone (Old Piney Brown Is Gone)

[3:19] 10. Blue And Sentimental (With Kay Starr)

[4:29] 11. New York State Of Mind (With Billy Joel)

[3:15] 12. Undecided Blues

[3:32] 13. Blues In The Night

[4:32] 14. Stormy Weather (With Natalie Cole)

[4:45] 15. Playin' With My Friends (With Others)

Tony Bennett's latter-day albums tend to have themes, and this one has two, as indicated by its double-barreled title: It is both a duets album and a blues album. The duet partners include ten singers who range from his recent touring partners Diana Krall and k.d. lang to fellow veterans Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Kay Starr, and younger, but still mature pop stars Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, and Billy Joel. All sound happy to be sharing a mic with Bennett. Not surprisingly, the singer's conception of the blues does not extend to the Mississippi Delta or the South Side of Chicago; rather, he is interested in the blues as filtered through the sound of the Swing Era, particularly from around Kansas City, and as interpreted by Tin Pan Alley and show tunes. For the former, his true mentor is Count Basie, whose overt influence is heard on six of the 15 tracks. Bennett makes no attempt to hide this, leading off the album with two songs, "Alright, Okay, You Win" (a duet with Krall) and "Everyday (I Have the Blues)" (a duet with Wonder), closely associated with Basie singer Joe Williams. The Broadway and Hollywood blues style is introduced in three selections written by Harold Arlen. On about half the tracks, the Ralph Sharon Quartet is augmented by Harry Allen's saxophone and Mike Melvoin's Hammond organ, but this remains a small, intimate affair that emphasizes the singers. There are missteps -- Sheryl Crow's Billie Holiday impersonation on "Good Morning, Heartache" is unfortunate, and Natalie Cole, as usual, sounds out of her depth on "Stormy Weather." But the trade-offs Bennett enjoys with King and Charles are priceless, and the Joel duet is surprisingly effective. On the whole, this is yet another entry in Bennett's lengthening series of autumnal recorded triumphs. ~William Ruhlmann

Playin' with My Friends"

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Ray Charles - Live In Japan

Styles: Soul, Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 89:25
Size: 205,0 MB
Art: Front

( 0:09)  1. Introduction - The Ray Charles Show
( 4:25)  2. Metamorphosis
( 5:56)  3. Pair Of Threes
( 6:28)  4. Spain
( 3:37)  5. Blowin' The Blues Away
( 0:30)  6. Introduction - Ray Charles
( 2:48)  7. Let The Good Times Roll
( 4:05)  8. Then I'll Be Home
( 5:43)  9. Till There Was You
(10:00) 10. Feel So Bad
( 5:29) 11. Georgia On My Mind
( 2:17) 12. Busted
( 6:58) 13. Am I Blue
( 8:06) 14. Living For The City
( 3:14) 15. I Can't Stop Loving You
( 4:27) 16. Take Me Home, Country Road
( 4:26) 17. Don't Let Her Know
(10:39) 18. What'd I Say

Ray Charles was the musician most responsible for developing soul music. Singers like Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson also did a great deal to pioneer the form, but Charles did even more to devise a new form of black pop by merging '50s R&B with gospel-powered vocals, adding plenty of flavor from contemporary jazz, blues, and (in the '60s) country. Then there was his singing; his style was among the most emotional and easily identifiable of any 20th century performer, up there with the likes of Elvis and Billie Holiday. He was also a superb keyboard player, arranger, and bandleader. The brilliance of his 1950s and '60s work, however, can't obscure the fact that he made few classic tracks after the mid-'60s, though he recorded often and performed until the year before his death. Blind since the age of six (from glaucoma), Charles studied composition and learned many instruments at the St. Augustine School for the Deaf and the Blind. His parents had died by his early teens, and he worked as a musician in Florida for a while before using his savings to move to Seattle in 1947. By the late '40s, he was recording in a smooth pop/R&B style derivative of Nat "King" Cole and Charles Brown. He got his first Top Ten R&B hit with "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" in 1951. Charles' first recordings came in for their fair share of criticism, as they were much milder and less original than the classics that would follow, although they're actually fairly enjoyable, showing strong hints of the skills that were to flower in a few years. In the early '50s, Charles' sound started to toughen as he toured with Lowell Fulson, went to New Orleans to work with Guitar Slim (playing piano on and arranging Slim's huge R&B hit, "The Things That I Used to Do"), and got a band together for R&B star Ruth Brown. It was at Atlantic Records that Ray Charles truly found his voice, consolidating the gains of recent years and then some with "I Got a Woman," a number-two R&B hit in 1955. 

This is the song most frequently singled out as his pivotal performance, on which Charles first truly let go with his unmistakable gospel-ish moan, backed by a tight, bouncy horn-driven arrangement. Throughout the '50s, Charles ran off a series of R&B hits that, although they weren't called "soul" at the time, did a lot to pave the way for soul by presenting a form of R&B that was sophisticated without sacrificing any emotional grit. "This Little Girl of Mine," "Drown in My Own Tears," "Hallelujah I Love Her So," "Lonely Avenue," and "The Right Time" were all big hits. But Charles didn't really capture the pop audience until "What'd I Say," which caught the fervor of the church with its pleading vocals, as well as the spirit of rock & roll with its classic electric piano line. It was his first Top Ten pop hit, and one of his final Atlantic singles, as he left the label at the end of the '50s for ABC. One of the chief attractions of the ABC deal for Charles was a much greater degree of artistic control of his recordings. He put it to good use on early-'60s hits like "Unchain My Heart" and "Hit the Road Jack," which solidified his pop stardom with only a modicum of polish attached to the R&B he had perfected at Atlantic. In 1962, he surprised the pop world by turning his attention to country & western music, topping the charts with the "I Can't Stop Loving You" single, and making a hugely popular album (in an era in which R&B/soul LPs rarely scored high on the charts) with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. Perhaps it shouldn't have been so surprising; Charles had always been eclectic, recording quite a bit of straight jazz at Atlantic, with noted jazz musicians like David "Fathead" Newman and Milt Jackson. Charles remained extremely popular through the mid-'60s, scoring big hits like "Busted," "You Are My Sunshine," "Take These Chains From My Heart," and "Crying Time," although his momentum was slowed by a 1965 bust for heroin. This led to a year-long absence from performing, but he picked up where he left off with "Let's Go Get Stoned" in 1966. Yet by this time Charles was focusing increasingly less on rock and soul, in favor of pop tunes, often with string arrangements, that seemed aimed more at the easy listening audience than anyone else. 

Charles' influence on the rock mainstream was as apparent as ever; Joe Cocker and Steve Winwood in particular owe a great deal of their style to him, and echoes of his phrasing can be heard more subtly in the work of greats like Van Morrison. One approaches sweeping criticism of Charles with hesitation; he was an American institution, after all, and his vocal powers barely diminished over his half-century career. The fact remains, though, that his work after the late '60s on record was very disappointing. Millions of listeners yearned for a return to the all-out soul of his 1955-1965 classics, but Charles had actually never been committed to soul above all else. Like Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley, his focus was more upon all-around pop than many realize; his love of jazz, country, and pop standards was evident, even if his more earthy offerings were the ones that truly broke ground and will stand the test of time. He dented the charts (sometimes the country ones) occasionally, and commanded devoted international concert audiences whenever he felt like it. For good or ill, he ensured his imprint upon the American mass consciousness in the 1990s by singing several ads for Diet Pepsi. He also recorded three albums during the '90s for Warner Bros., but remained most popular as a concert draw. In 2002, he released Thanks for Bringing Love Around Again on his own Crossover imprint, and the following year began recording an album of duets featuring B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, and James Taylor. After hip replacement surgery in 2003, he scheduled a tour for the following summer, but was forced to cancel an appearance in March 2004. Three months later, on June 10, 2004, Ray Charles succumbed to liver disease at his home in Beverly Hills, CA. The duets album, Genius Loves Company, was released two months after his death. The biopic Ray hit screens in the fall of 2010 and was a critical and commercial success, with the actor who portrayed Charles in the move, Jamie Foxx, winning the 2005 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role. Two more posthumous albums, Genius & Friends and Ray Sings, Basie Swings, appeared in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Charles' recordings began reappearing in various facsimile editions, reissues, re-masters, and box sets as his entire recorded legacy received the attention that befits a legendary American artist. ~ Richie Unterberger https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ray-charles-mn0000046861/biography

Musicians: Reggie Walsh, Bob Coassin, Johnny Coles (flugel), Jack Evans – trumpets; Steve Davis, Wally Huff, Ken Tussing – trombones;  Ed Pratt, Clifford Solomon – alto saxophones; James Clay, Andy Ennis – tenor saxophones; Leroy  Cooper – baritone saxophone; Scott von Ravensberg – drums; Tony Matthews – guitar; Edgar Willis – bass; Ernest Vantrease – organ. The Raelettes: Linda Sims, Dorothy Berry, Estella Yarbrough. Bernice Hullaby, Donna [Jones].

Thank You Luis!

Live In Japan

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Ray Charles - Forever

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:00
Size: 112.2 MB
Styles: R&B, Soul
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:14] 1. A Song For You
[3:39] 2. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
[3:07] 3. Ring Of Fire
[3:40] 4. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[4:11] 5. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[4:06] 6. Till There Was You
[4:06] 7. Isn't It Wonderful
[5:02] 8. None Of Us Are Free
[4:25] 9. Imagine
[4:53] 10. If I Could
[3:58] 11. So Help Me God
[3:34] 12. America The Beautiful

Concord Music Group releases the Ray Charles Forever album, which includes re-mixed and re-mastered versions of some of Ray's classic hits and the previously unreleased "They Can't Take That Away From Me." In conjunction, the U.S. Postal Service proudly honors inspiring musician Ray Charles with a stamp, one of several that inaugurates the Music Icons Forever® series.

Forever mc
Forever zippy

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Ray Charles - 1950

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:38
Size: 72.4 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. I Will Not Let You Go
[3:04] 2. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hands
[2:31] 3. If I Give You My Love
[3:03] 4. This Love Of Mine
[2:18] 5. Hey Now
[2:31] 6. Rockin Chair Blues
[2:17] 7. I Wonder Who´s Kissing Her Now
[2:44] 8. I'm Glad For Your Sake
[2:11] 9. Goin Down Slow
[2:42] 10. St Pete Blues
[2:18] 11. They´re Crazy About Me
[3:07] 12. Blues Is My Middle Name

These early recordings by Ray Charles have often been righteously criticized as being too deeply influenced by Nat King Cole. That notion is correct, but one can also hear the roots of his arrangement style in these sides, and they also include his very first chart hits, most notably "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand". These are development years for Charles, and he was moving further afield from the smooth jazzy style that Cole had pioneered. The deep R&B influence was here, but it had not yet been fused to gospel. This is mildly interesting stuff for most listeners, but Charles devotees would find revelation in it nonetheless.

1950

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Ray Charles - U.S. Singles 1952-1962

Size: 146,7+137,4+158,0+158,0 MB
Time: 62:04+58:06+67:05+67:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Soul, R&B, Blues
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Roll With Me Baby (2:34)
02. The Midnight Hour (2:58)
03. The Sun's Gonna Shine Again (2:35)
04. Jumpin' In The Morning (2:45)
05. Mess Around (2:38)
06. Funny (But I Still Love You) (3:11)
07. Feelin' Sad (2:47)
08. Heartbreaker (2:49)
09. It Should've Been Me (2:38)
10. Sinner's Prayer (3:21)
11. Don't You Know (2:53)
12. Losing Hand (3:09)
13. I've Got A Woman (2:49)
14. Come Back Baby (3:03)
15. This Little Girl Of Mine (2:30)
16. A Fool For You (3:00)
17. Blackjack (2:17)
18. Greenbacks (2:48)
19. Drown In My Own Tears (3:19)
20. Mary Ann (2:44)
21. Hallelujah I Love Her So (2:32)
22. What Would I Do Without You (2:34)

CD 2:
01. Lonely Avenue (2:32)
02. Leave My Woman Alone (2:38)
03. Ain't That Love (2:50)
04. I Want To Know (2:07)
05. It's All Right (2:13)
06. Get On The Right Track Baby (2:16)
07. Talkin' 'bout You (2:46)
08. What Kind Of Man Are You (2:47)
09. Yes, Indeed! (2:14)
10. I Had A Dream (2:51)
11. My Bonnie (2:45)
12. You Be My Baby (2:25)
13. Rockhouse, Pt. 1 & 2 (3:50)
14. Night Time Is The Right Time (3:21)
15. Tell All The World About You (1:59)
16. That's Enough (2:43)
17. Tell Me How Do You Feel (2:39)
18. What'd I Say, Pt. 1 & 2 (5:03)
19. I'm Movin' On (2:09)
20. I Believe To My Soul (2:58)
21. Let The Good Times Roll (2:50)

CD 3:
01. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying (3:43)
02. Just For A Thrill (3:22)
03. Tell The Truth (3:05)
04. Sweet Sixteen Bars (4:03)
05. Come Rain Or Come Shine (3:39)
06. Tell Me You'll Wait For Me (3:21)
07. Doodlin', Pt. 1 & 2 (5:50)
08. Early In The Morning (2:44)
09. A Bit Of Soul (2:17)
10. Am I Blue (3:36)
11. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) (2:52)
12. I Wonder Who (2:45)
13. My Baby (I Love Her Yes I Do) (3:00)
14. Who You Gonna Love (2:01)
15. Sticks And Stones (2:13)
16. Worried Life Blues (3:05)
17. Georgia On My Mind (3:32)
18. Carry Me Back To Old Virginny (1:58)
19. Ruby (3:50)
20. Hard Hearted Hannah (3:14)
21. Them That Got (2:47)

CD 4:
01. I Wonder (2:32)
02. One Mint Julep (3:02)
03. Let's Go (2:39)
04. I've Got News For You (4:29)
05. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town (3:38)
06. Hit The Road Jack (1:57)
07. The Danger Zone (2:21)
08. Unchain My Heart (2:48)
09. But On The Other Hand Baby (3:10)
10. Baby It's Cold Outside (4:06)
11. Goodbye We'll Be Together Again (3:14)
12. Hide Nor Hair (3:08)
13. At The Club (2:58)
14. I Can't Stop Loving You (4:11)
15. Born To Lose (3:12)
16. You Don't Know Me (3:13)
17. Careless Love (3:55)
18. You Are My Sunshine (2:57)
19. Your Cheatin' Heart (3:32)
20. Take These Chains From My Heart (2:54)
21. No Letter Today (2:58)

Born in Georgia in 1930, Ray Charles was a legendary musician who pioneered the genre of soul music during the 1950s. Often called the "Father of Soul," Charles combined blues, gospel and jazz to create groundbreaking hits such as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit the Road Jack" and "Georgia on My Mind." He died in 2004, leaving a lasting impression on contemporary music.

U.S. Singles 1952-1962 CD 1
U.S. Singles 1952-1962 CD 2
U.S. Singles 1952-1962 CD 3
U.S. Singles 1952-1962 CD 4

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Willie Nelson & Friends - Live And Kickin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:59
Size: 132.7 MB
Styles: Country, Assorted styles
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. I Didn't Come Here (And I Ain't Leavin')
[4:32] 2. Night Life (With Eric Clapton)
[2:56] 3. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (With Shania Twain)
[3:58] 4. Homeward Bound (With Paul Simon)
[3:34] 5. Beer For My Horses (With Toby Keith)
[4:35] 6. Crazy (With Diana Krall, Elvis Costello)
[4:26] 7. To All The Girls I've Loved Before (With Wyclef Jean)
[2:31] 8. Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want To Get Over You) (With Norah Jones)
[2:41] 9. She Loves My Automobile (With Zz Top)
[4:38] 10. Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground ( With Shelby Lynne)
[5:22] 11. A Song For You (With Leon Russell, Ray Charles)
[2:54] 12. I Couldn't Believe It Was True (With John Mellencamp)
[4:33] 13. Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning (With Kenny Chesney)
[2:34] 14. Run That By Me One More Time (With Ray Price)
[5:26] 15. One Time Too Many (With Steven Tyler)

For his 70th birthday gala, Willie Nelson decided to celebrate by inviting a cast of musical stars to join him in duets on a televised concert. In keeping with Nelson's eclecticism, only a few of the famous participants are country artists (Shania Twain, Toby Keith, and old pal Ray Price). How much is added to his classic "Crazy" by guests Diana Krall and Elvis Costello (then-hot celebrity couple of the moment) is an open question; what's really important is the well-deserved recognition Nelson receives from the musical world's biggest names. If you're a hardcore Willie fan, you've probably already got a couple of earlier live versions of, for example, "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," but part of Live and Kickin's purpose is to expose fans of Nelson's duet partners to the magic they've been missing out on for many decades. In that, it's a success. ~John Bush

Live And Kickin'

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Ray Charles - Four Classic Albums (The Genius Hits The Road + The Genius Sings The Blues + The Genius After Hours + Genius+Soul=Jazz) (Remastered)

Size: 158,0+176,9 MB
Time: 67:08+75:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Soul, Jazz, Blues, R&B
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Alabamy Bound (Remastered) (1:51)
02. Georgia On My Mind (Remastered) (3:33)
03. Basin Street Blues (Remastered) (2:42)
04. Mississippi Mud (Remastered) (3:21)
05. Moonlight In Vermont (Remastered) (2:59)
06. New York's My Home (Remastered) (3:01)
07. California, Here I Come (Remastered) (2:09)
08. Moon Over Miami (Remastered) (3:17)
09. Deep In The Heart Of Texas (Remastered) (2:24)
10. Carry Me Back To Old Virginny (Remastered) (1:58)
11. Blue Hawaii (Remastered) (2:54)
12. Chattanooga Choo Choo (Remastered) (3:01)
13. Early In The Morning (Remastered) (2:45)
14. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) (Remastered) (2:52)
15. The Midnight Hour (Remastered) (2:58)
16. (Night Time Is) The Right Time (Remastered) (3:21)
17. Feelin' Sad (Remastered) (2:47)
18. Ray's Blues (Remastered) (2:52)
19. I'm Movin' On (Remastered) (2:10)
20. I Believe To My Soul (Remastered) (2:58)
21. Nobody Cares (Remastered) (2:37)
22. I Got A Break Baby (Remastered) (2:45)
23. Worried Life Blues (Remastered) (2:57)
24. I Wonder Who (Remastered) (2:47)

CD 2:
01. The Genius After Hours (Remastered) (5:26)
02. Ain't Misbehavin' (Remastered) (5:38)
03. Dawn Ray (Remastered) (5:05)
04. Joy Ride (Remastered) (4:41)
05. Hornful Soul (Remastered) (5:27)
06. The Man I Love (Remastered) (4:28)
07. Charlesville (Remastered) (4:55)
08. Music, Music, Music (Remastered) (2:53)
09. From The Heart (Remastered) (3:38)
10. I've Got News For You (Remastered) (4:31)
11. Moanin' (Remastered) (3:20)
12. Let's Go (Remastered) (2:42)
13. One Mint Julep (Remastered) (3:06)
14. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town (Remastered) (3:43)
15. Stompin' Room Only (Remastered) (3:46)
16. Mister C (Remastered) (4:34)
17. Strike Up The Band (Remastered) (2:36)
18. Birth Of The Blues (Remastered) (5:13)

Influenced by Art Tatum, Nat King Cole, Louis Jordan, Charles Brown, Louis Armstrong and others, Ray Charles (1930-2004) was well set to establish his music-mix of jazz, blues, rhythm & blues and country which sent him to the top of the tree as a living legend. In turn, Ray always encouraged promising up-and-coming talent to reach their goals. Avid’s second two-disc set contains four Charles albums and the overworked word “genius” is well deserved in this case for there’s no doubting it applies to both the man, his career and these albums.

THE GENIUS HITS THE ROAD (1960) is indeed a song trip through the highways and byways of Americana and which other country can claim such cross-over romantic connotations as GEORGIA ON MY MIND, MOONLIGHT IN VERMONT, MOON OVER MIAMI and references to New York, California and Texas? Charles is both vocalist and pianist with Ralph Burns as arranger/conductor of a full-blown orchestra. THE GENIUS SINGS THE BLUES (1961) tells it all with Charles not only providing vocal/piano and organ but composer of half a dozen songs like RAY’S BLUES, FEELIN’ SAD and NOBODY CARES added to known blues numbers such as EARLY IN THE MORNING and I’M MOVIN’ ON.

Moving on to Charles in fully-fledged jazz-oriented pianist mode within an instrumental setting, THE GENIUS AFTER HOURS (1961) adds five of his own compositions (including DAWN RAY, CHARLESVILLE and album’s title number) to the familiar MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC, AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ and THE MAN I LOVE and he jams with fellow musicians Oscar Pettiford on bass, David "Fathead" Newman on tenor and Joseph Bridgewater on alto and trumpeter Joseph Bridgewater with septet arranged by Quincy Jones. Finally, RAY CHARLES - GENIUS + SOUL - JAZZ (1961) is focused as a mainly instrumental album although Charles, on organ, does provide a couple of vocal moments (I’M GONNA MOVE TO THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN and I’VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU) and with the swinging Count Basie Orchestra in tow ONE MINT JULIP, MOANIN’ and STRIKE UP THE BAND are among choices that really swing the shared Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns big band arrangements to the fore.

Excellent remastered sound. ~A Pollock

Four Classic Albums CD 1
Four Classic Albums CD 2

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Ray Charles - Rough Guide To Ray Charles

Size: 159,6 MB
Time: 68:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Soul, Jazz, R&B
Art: Front

01. Come Rain Or Come Shine (3:38)
02. What'd I Say (Parts 1 & 2) (5:02)
03. Lonely Avenue (2:32)
04. I Got A Woman (2:50)
05. Georgia On My Mind (3:32)
06. Ray Charles (2:32)
07. Drown In My Own Tears (3:18)
08. Early In The Morning (2:44)
09. Night Time Is The Right Time (3:24)
10. Mess Around (2:37)
11. I Believe To My Soul (2:58)
12. Mary Ann (2:43)
13. Come Back Baby (3:03)
14. This Little Girl Of Mine (2:29)
15. Sinner's Prayer (3:20)
16. Talkin' 'bout You (2:48)
17. A Fool For You (2:59)
18. Let The Good Times Roll (2:49)
19. Blackjack (2:17)
20. I Had A Dream (2:50)
21. Tell Me How Do You Feel (2:39)
22. It Should've Been Me (2:40)
23. I'm Moving On (2:17)

The undisputed ‘genius of soul’, Ray Charles’ golden period is presented here with a handpicked selection of tracks from his 1950s heyday. A true innovator and inspiration to soul singers and rock vocalists alike, Ray Charles transcended racial boundaries and changed the shape of popular music.

‘I was the first one who started soul,’ Ray Charles said when the compiler of this collection interviewed him shortly before his death in 2004. ‘I was raised in the church and I knew gospel music. But I knew rhythm and blues too, because that was the music you heard in the neighbourhood. And I thought, ‘that’s my sound.’ I put those two things together and they called it soul music.’

To interview Ray Charles was a privilege. But to hear him sing was heaven and the tracks included here, recorded between 1953 and 1960, constitute not only the peak of his genius but were a fountain of inspiration that changed the shape of popular music across racial boundaries, influencing black soul singers such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding and white rock vocalists like Joe Cocker, Steve Winwood and Van Morrison.

Ray Charles Robinson was born into acute poverty in rural Georgia in 1930 and had a tragic upbringing. He witnessed his brother drown as a young child, was blind from the age of seven and lost his mother when he was 15. ‘Music was the only thing that kept me breathing and gave me a way to pick myself up,’ he told this writer.

At blind school he learnt to read and write music in braille and began his recording career for the Downbeat label in 1949, singing in a smooth, crooning style modelled on Nat ‘King’ Cole and Charles Brown.

He enjoyed some early success but it was not until he signed to Atlantic Records in 1952 that he began to develop his own style and, with the encouragement of label owner Ahmet Ertegun, moved away from his ‘cool’ sound towards a more urgent and emotional approach with its roots in blues and gospel.

The turning point came on 1954’s ‘I Got A Woman’. A huge hit, the song was also highly controversial for its fusion of gospel fervour and carnal lyrics which even Charles’ religious wife admitted shocked her when she first heard it.

The controversy soon subsided and a string of unforgettable hits followed, including ‘This Little Girl Of Mine, Drown In My Own Tears’, ‘Hallelujah I Love Her So’, ‘Lonely Avenue’, ‘Talking ‘Bout You’, ‘I Believe To My Soul’ and ‘The Night Time Is The Right Time’, all of which are included here. On these recordings, Charles fused jazz, gospel, swing, blues, r&b and balladry, which, as Van Morrison put it, were ‘rolled together into one amazing, soulful thing.’

He left Atlantic at the end of the 1950s and although there were still some great records to come, few would argue that the tracks included here represent his golden period when he was the undisputed ‘genius of soul’

Rough Guide To Ray Charles

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Various - Atlantic Jazz: Best Of The '50s

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:19
Size: 156.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Soul-jazz, R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[ 4:36] 1. The Modern Jazz Quartet - Django
[ 2:48] 2. Chris Connor - All About Ronnie
[ 7:56] 3. Shorty Rogers - Martians Go Home
[ 6:45] 4. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Evidence
[ 4:41] 5. Lavern Baker - Back Water Blues
[ 5:46] 6. John Coltrane - Cousin Mary
[ 3:32] 7. Jimmy Giuffre - The Train And The River
[ 7:16] 8. Big Joe Turner - Wee Baby Blues
[10:33] 9. Charles Mingus - Pithecanthropus Erectus
[ 5:21] 10. David Newman - Fathead
[ 5:21] 11. Lennie Tristano - You Go To My Head
[ 3:39] 12. Ray Charles - Come Rain Or Come Shine

Although there were plenty of early-'50s examples of Atlantic's commitment to jazz, the Ertegun brothers allegedly didn't get serious about establishing a full jazz line until 1955 when the twelve-inch LP was starting to take hold. Hence the half-decade span of this Rhino sampler that helped launch its repackaging of the Atlantic jazz caatalogue in 1993. In the space of one disc, Rhino touches upon most of the leading Atlantic jazz folk of the time, beginning with Shorty Rogers' inimitable "Martians Go Home" and running through to Chris Connor's live "All About Ronnie." Along the way, we hear samples of the MJQ (though there is no solo Milt Jackson), Art Blakey, LaVern Baker, John Coltrane ("Cousin Mary"), Jimmy Giuffre, Joe Turner, Charles Mingus, David "Fathead" Newman, Lennie Tristano, and some string-laden Ray Charles ("Come Rain Or Come Shine"). If quibble we must, there is nothing of the Dixieland resurgence that Atlantic was cultivating then, and most glaring of all, there is no Ornette Coleman, whose first two groundbreaking Atlantic albums were made in 1959. Otherwise casual jazz shoppers will find much to stimulate their appetites in this collection, better described as "best of the late-'50s." ~Richard S. Ginnell

Atlantic Jazz: Best Of The '50s

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Ray Charles - The Ray Charles Story Vols 3 & 4

Album: The Ray Charles Story Vol 3
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:42
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:21] 1. Sinner's Prayer
[3:17] 2. Funny But I Still Love You
[2:47] 3. Feelin' Sad
[2:53] 4. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) (R&b)
[2:34] 5. What Would I Do Without You
[2:27] 6. I Want To Know
[2:38] 7. Leave My Woman Alone
[2:14] 8. It's Alright
[2:25] 9. Get On The Right Track
[2:43] 10. That's Enough
[2:52] 11. I Want A Little Girl
[2:28] 12. You Be My Baby
[2:50] 13. I Had A Dream
[3:07] 14. Tell The Truth

The Ray Charles Story Vol 3

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Album: The Ray Charles Story Vol 4
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:53
Size: 93.6 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:20] 1. Blackjack
[2:55] 2. Alexander's Ragtime Band
[2:58] 3. I Believe To My Soul
[2:17] 4. A Bit Of Soul
[2:49] 5. Greenbacks
[3:40] 6. Undecided
[2:47] 7. When Your Lover Has Gone
[2:41] 8. It Had To Be You
[2:45] 9. Early In The Morning
[2:50] 10. Heartbreaker
[2:53] 11. Music, Music, Music
[2:43] 12. Tell Me How Do You Feel
[3:52] 13. In A Little Spanish Town
[3:18] 14. You Won't Let Me Go

The Ray Charles Story Vol 4

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Ray Charles - The Ray Charles Story (Discs 1 & 2 of 4-Disc Boxset)

Ray Charles Robinson was a top vocal star, songwriter, leading jazz piano player and composer. He was sometimes referred to as "The Genius" and was also nicknamed "The High Priest of Soul". These compilations feature some of his best songs from his early Atlantic years.

Album: The Ray Charles Story Vol 1
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:06
Size: 105.5 MB
Styles: R&B, Soul
Year: 1962/2005
Art: Front

[2:36] 1. The Sun's Gonna Shine Again
[3:10] 2. Losing Hand
[2:41] 3. Mess Around
[2:38] 4. It Should Have Been Me
[2:54] 5. Don't You Know
[3:03] 6. Come Back Baby
[2:49] 7. I've Got A Woman
[2:59] 8. A Fool For You
[2:31] 9. This Little Girl Of Mine
[2:45] 10. Mary Ann
[2:36] 11. Hallelujah I Love Her So
[2:32] 12. Lonely Avenue
[5:52] 13. Doodlin'
[4:04] 14. Sweet Sixteen Bars
[2:50] 15. Ain't That Love

The Ray Charles Story Vol 1

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Album: The Ray Charles Story Vol 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:30
Size: 108.8 MB
Styles: R&B, Soul
Year: 1962/2005
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. Rockhouse Parts 1 & 2
[2:17] 2. Swanee River Rock (Talkin' 'bout That River)
[2:48] 3. Talkin' About You
[2:47] 4. What Kind Of Man Are You
[2:18] 5. Yes Indeed
[2:49] 6. My Bonnie
[2:00] 7. Tell All The World About You
[3:25] 8. Night Time Is The Right Time
[6:25] 9. What'd I Say, Pt. I & Ii
[3:22] 10. Just For A Thrill
[3:41] 11. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[6:22] 12. Drown In My Own Tears
[2:56] 13. Let The Good Times Roll
[2:19] 14. I'm Movin' On

Discs 3 & 4 tomorrow.
The Ray Charles Story Vol 2

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Ray Charles - The Genius Of Ray Charles

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:53
Size: 86.7 MB
Styles: R&B, Soul, Urban blues
Year: 1959/2005
Art: Front

[2:50] 1. Let The Good Times Roll
[2:41] 2. It Had To Be You
[2:50] 3. Alexander's Ragtime Band
[3:21] 4. Two Years Of Torture
[2:46] 5. When Your Lover Has Gone
[2:24] 6. Deed I Do
[3:22] 7. Just For A Thrill
[3:17] 8. You Won't Let Me Go
[3:21] 9. Tell Me You'll Wait For Me
[3:41] 10. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'
[3:36] 11. Am I Blue
[3:39] 12. Come Rain Or Come Shine

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. ~Scott Yanow

The Genius Of Ray Charles

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Ray Charles & Cleo Laine - Porgy & Bess

Styles: Jazz, Vocal

Year: 1976

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 62:41

Size: 144,1 MB

Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Summertime

(4:43)  2. My Man's Gone Now

(2:45)  3. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing

(3:04)  4. They Pass By Singin'

(2:25)  5. What You Want Wid Bess?

(3:52)  6. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'

(3:24)  7. Buzzard Song

(5:29)  8. Bess, You Is My Woman

(2:13)  9. Oh, Doctor Jesus

(1:44) 10. Crab Man

(1:23) 11. Her Come De Honey Man

(0:55) 12. Strawberry Woman (instrumental)

(1:19) 13. Strawberry Woman

(4:17) 14. It Ain't Necessarily So

(3:24) 15. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York

(5:03) 16. I Loves You, Porgy

(3:23) 17. Oh, Bess, Oh Where's My Bess (instumental)

(3:36) 18. Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess

(3:19) 19. Oh Lord, I'm On My Way

Charles and Cleo Laine duet on the songs from George Gershwin's opera, in a version arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol (who provides extra instrumentals) and produced by Norman Granz. The material is perfect for the performers, and they give it an effective, if unstudied, treatment. ~ William Ruhlmann  http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1519969/a/porgy+%26+bess.htm

Personnel: John Morell, Joe Pass, Lee Ritenour (guitar); Denizel Gail Laughton, Catherine Gotthoffer, Dorothy Remsen (harp); Ronald Folsom, Thelma Beach, Marvin Limonick, Anatol Kaminsky, Paul Lowenkron, Karen Jones , George Kaufman, Charles Veal, Ambrose Russo, Marcia Van Dyke, Daniel Shindaryov, Spiro Stamos, Bernard Kundell, Jacob Krachmalnick, Marshall Sosson, Israel Baker, Nathan Ross, Ralph Schaeffer, Harry Bluestone (violin); Dan Neufeld, Meyer Bello, Rollice Dale, Norman Forrest, Pamela Goldsmith, Allan Harshman (viola); Ron Leonard, David H. Speltz, Ronald Cooper, Anne Goodman, Harry Shlutz, Douglas Davis (cello); Tommy Morgan (harmonica); Ernie Watts, Gary Herbig, William Hood, Jerome Richardson, Sam Most, Bill Perkins, Wilbur Schwartz, Bud Shank (clarinet); Plas Johnson , William Green (saxophone); Harry "Sweets" Edison , Oscar Brashear, Ray Triscari, Bill Berry , Al Aarons, Buddy Childers (trumpet); George Roberts , J.J. Johnson , Jimmy Cleveland, Benny Powell, Britt Woodman (trombone); Joe Sample (piano, organ); Victor Feldman, Paul Smith , Ralph Grierson (piano); Washington Rucker (drums); Alan Estes, Emil Radocchia, Jerry Williams , Larry Bunker (percussion).

Porgy & Bess

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Ray Charles - Genius & Friends

Styles: Vocal, R&B
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:41
Size: 132,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. Ray Charles & Angie Stone - All I Want To Do
(3:48)  2. Ray Charles & Chris Issak - You Are My Sunshine
(5:08)  3. Ray Charles & Mary J. Blige - It All Goes By So Fast
(3:41)  4. Ray Charles & Gladys Knight - You Were There
(4:28)  5. Ray Charles With Ruben Studdard & The Harlem Gospel Singers - Imagine
(3:42)  6. Ray Charles & Leela James - Compared To What
(3:45)  7. Ray Charles & Diana Ross - Big Bad Love
(4:43)  8. Ray Charles & Idina Menzel - I Will Be There
(4:46)  9. Ray Charles & George Michael - Blame It On The Sun
(4:40) 10. Ray Charles & John Legend - Touch
(5:10) 11. Ray Charles & Patti LaBelle & The Andrae Crouch Singers - Shout
(4:13) 12. Ray Charles & Laura Pausini - Surrender To Love
(2:32) 13. Ray Charles & Willie Nelson - Busted [Live]
(2:59) 14. Ray Charles & Alicia Keys - America The Beautiful

Atlantic/Rhino's 2005 Genius & Friends is the end result of a project Ray Charles initiated a few months before his death in June 2004. According to James Austin's liner notes, Charles called Austin in December of 2003, asking if he could find the masters to an unreleased duets record Ray recorded in 1997 and 1998. Austin found the tapes, but Charles was too sick to work on them, so after his passing  and after his final studio album, the duets record Genius Loves Company, became a number one hit in August of 2004 Atlantic/Rhino decided to finish off the project, bringing in producer Phil Ramone to oversee the completion of the album. This included bringing in singers to record their parts, since apart from two tracks  a 1994 duet with Diana Ross on "Big Bad Love" and a live 1991 version of "Busted" with Willie Nelson (taken from the television special Ray Charles: 50 Years in Music) these are all studio constructions, with vocalists duetting with a previously recorded Ray. 

While not quite the monstrosity it could have been posthumous duets albums like this always bear an unsettling ghoulish undertow Genius & Friends is also not a particularly good album either. This isn't because the pairings are ill conceived  apart from the woefully outmatched American Idol winner Ruben Studdard on "Imagine" (which boasts perhaps Ray's best vocal performance on this record), there's nobody here who doesn't hold his or her own, and Ramone has skillfully edited the new recordings with the existing tapes so it sounds like they were recorded at the same time, even if it rarely sounds as if the vocalists were in the same room together. Rather, the problem is that the productions are caught halfway between '90s adult contemporary and modern neo-soul, sounding too slick and polished to really be memorable. It's pleasant enough and it's top-loaded, too, with the duets with Angie Stone, Chris Isaak, and Mary J. Blige being among the best cuts but it's not as relaxed or appealing as Genius Loves Company, which had the feeling of being a real duets album. This feels like what it is a professional studio creation. Not a terrible thing per se, but not something that makes for a good album, either. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine  http://www.allmusic.com/album/genius-friends-mw0000381429

Personnel: Ray Charles (vocals, piano); Chris Isaak, George Michael, Idina Menzel, John Legend, Laura Pausini, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, The Andraé Crouch Singers, Patti LaBelle, Angie Stone, Ruben Studdard, Willie Nelson, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Leela James (vocals); Rodney "Cortada" Alejandro, Darin "Zone" McKinney, Jamshied Sharifi, Aaron Zigman (programming).

Genius & Friends

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Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company (10th Anniversary Edition)

Styles: Vocal, R&B, Soul
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:01
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. Ray Charles & Norah Jones - Here We Go Again
(3:47)  2. Ray Charles & James Taylor - Sweet Potato Pie
(3:56)  3. Ray Charles & Diana Krall - You Don't Know Me
(4:00)  4. Ray Charles & Elton John - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
(3:32)  5. Ray Charles & Natalie Cole - Fever
(4:35)  6. Ray Charles & Bonnie Raitt - Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?
(5:01)  7. Ray Charles & Willie Nelson - It Was A Very Good Year
(5:16)  8. Ray Charles & Michael McDonald - Hey Girl
(4:26)  9. Ray Charles & B.B. King - Sinner's Prayer
(4:33) 10. Ray Charles & Gladys Knight - Heaven Help Us All
(4:55) 11. Ray Charles & Johnny Mathis - Over The Rainbow
(3:44) 12. Ray Charles & Van Morrison - Crazy Love (Live)
(5:04) 13. Ray Charles & Poncho Sanchez - Mary Ann
(4:06) 14. Take 6 - Unchain My Heart

"The way these days just rip along, too fast to last, too vast, too strong..." ~ Jackson Browne

The final recording of Ray Charles, Genius Loves Company, enjoys its tenth anniversary. It is striking to consider that it has been over ten years since the death of Ray Charles, one of the most imposing figures in American music. The music made in the second half of the twentieth century has had a remarkable staying power owing partially to its revolutionary quality and the near frantic dedication of the Post-World War II Baby Boom generation. Charles' contributions to this music are without measure. It is useful to consider the role, or roles, played by Charles in American music. He deftly fused the blues with gospel music forming that offshoot of rhythm and blues: soul music. He then took this new eutectoid and mashed it up with jazz, creating an earthy humus. Once he had done this, he took on country and western music, infusing that mostly-white genre with the same soul music he previously created, resulting in the groundbreaking Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music (ABC, 1962). Charles' reach was long and deep. 

Genius Loves Company is Charles' valedictory. It was recorded between June 2003 and March 2004, with Charles passing away from liver disease on June 10, 2004. While Charles' health was certainly questionable during recording, there is no indication of diminished capacity. His singing is robust and vibrant, overt and assertive. Charles had to have his eye on the end but he was never going to let on. If anything can be said of Charles' singing voice, it is that he "became more himself" as he aged. If Johnny Cash's late voice and appearance were those of an Old Testament prophet, then Ray Charles in autumn was a dying Mozart composing his sunny Clarinet Concerto less in defiance than acceptance.

Duet recordings, pitting old masters with contemporary musicians, are nothing new. Tony Bennett has made a cottage industry of them (and not to any bad effect at that). Time was of the essence for Charles and what better a love letter to his mastery than for him to share the stage with so many like-minded musicians who admired him so. It was because of this programming, the chosen artists and some shrewd marketing that Genius Loves Company was Charles' first top ten recording in 40 years. One of the biggest criticisms of the Charles biopic Ray was that the story ended 40 years early. My argument would be, "what was there left for Ray Charles to do?" This is an album of artists' collaborative praise for a fellow artist. Programming for the original recording was superb as was duet partner and song choice. Norah Jones, a closet country queen masquerading as a jazz artist, is a perfect foil to Charles on "Here We Go Again." Broad country block chords and Jones' creamy voice properly accent Charles' sacred sandpaper tone. 

Charles is most simpatico with his near contemporaries. "Fever" with Natalie Cole and "Heaven Help Us All" with Gladys Knight are love fests. Charles digs deep with BB King (and Lucille) on "Sinner's Prayer" and Bonnie Raitt on "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind." Raitt's signature slide guitar, ever influenced by Lowell George, is captured beautifully sonically. Ray Charles possessed a stylistic depth and breadth with few peers. When considering who could step in and accept the mantle from Charles after his death, I posited two names, both gratefully represented here. Willie Nelson has had as varied a career as Charles, sampling and then mastering every genre attempted. The two duet on a song closely associated with another such kindred spirit, Frank Sinatra. "It was a Very Good Year" is an unexpected luxury of artistic irony and grace). Van Morrison shares and ultimately offers his "Crazy Love" as a gift to Charles, the two crossing traditions with all we have in common.  The present Deluxe Edition sports a piquant "Mary Ann" with percussionist Poncho Sanchez and an awesome "Unchain My Heart" with Take 6. An hour-long DVD detailing the making of Genius Loves Company is a bit of gravy for this Fall class. Happy Birthday, Genius Loves Company... it has been a very good year. ~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/ray-charles-genius-love-company--10th-anniversary-deluxe-edition-by-c-michael-bailey.php
 

Personnel: Ray Charles: vocals, keyboards; Ray Charles-vocals, piano; Norah Jones, James Taylor, Diana Krall, Elton John, Natalie Cole, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, Gladys Knight, Johnny Mathis, Van Morrison-vocal; B.B. King, guitar, vocal; Billy Preston-organ; Poncho Sanchez: percussion; Take 6; 63-piece orchestra; others.

Genius Loves Company (10th Anniversary Edition)

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Ray Charles - All That Jazz Vol. 30 & Vol. 31

Album: All That Jazz Vol. 30: Young Genius Singing The Blues Vol. 1 (Remastered)
Size: 117,0 MB
Time: 49:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Blues
Art: Front

01. Rocking Chair Blues (2:43)
02. Alone In The City (2:52)
03. Can Anyone Ask For More (2:46)
04. C.C. Rider (See, See Rider) (2:31)
05. Walkin' And Talkin' (3:06)
06. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (2:15)
07. Honey, Honey (2:39)
08. I'm Glad For Your Sake (2:37)
09. Baby Won't You Please Come Home (2:51)
10. Let's Have A Ball (2:28)
11. Kissa Me, Baby (3:07)
12. Sitting On Top Of The World (2:14)
13. Hey Now (2:15)
14. This Love Of Mine (2:59)
15. Blues Is My Middle Name (Some Day) (3:05)
16. I'm Going Down To The River And Drown Myself (3:00)
17. Midnight Hour (2:58)
18. If I Give You My Love (2:33)

Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), professionally known as Ray Charles, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and composer, who is sometimes referred to as "The Genius".

He pioneered the genre of soul music during the 1950s by combining rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into the music he recorded for Atlantic Records. He also contributed to the racial integration of country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his two Modern Sounds albums. While he was with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be granted artistic control by a mainstream record company.

Charles was blind from the age of seven. Charles cited Nat King Cole as a primary influence, but his music was also influenced by jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, and country artists of the day, including Art Tatum, Louis Jordan, Charles Brown and Louis Armstrong. Charles' playing reflected influences from country blues, barrelhouse and stride piano styles. He had strong ties to Quincy Jones, who often cared for him and showed him the ropes of the "music club industry."

Frank Sinatra called him "the only true genius in show business", although Charles downplayed this notion.

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Charles at number ten on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", and number two on their November 2008 list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". Billy Joel observed: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley".

All That Jazz Vol. 30

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Album: All That Jazz Vol. 31: Young Genius Playing The Blues Vol. 2 (Remastered)
Size: 170,5 MB
Time: 72:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Blues
Art: Front

01. The Genius After Hours (5:22)
02. Hornful Soul (5:25)
03. Ain't Misbehavin' (5:38)
04. The Man I Love (4:25)
05. Dawn Ray (5:00)
06. Charlesville (4:53)
07. Music! Music! Music! (2:52)
08. Joy Ride (4:36)
09. Rockhouse (4:00)
10. Hard Times (4:43)
11. Sweet Sixteen Bars (4:07)
12. Doodlin' (5:54)
13. How Long, How Long Blues (9:23)
14. Blues Waltz (6:29)

All That Jazz Vol. 31

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Ray Charles - My World

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1993
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 44:44
Size: 82,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. My World
(4:12)  2. A Song For You
(4:59)  3. None Of Us Are Free
(3:59)  4. So Help Me God
(5:25)  5. Let Me Take You Over
(4:22)  6. One Drop Of Love
(4:52)  7. If I Could
(4:06)  8. Love Has A Mind Of Its Own
(3:48)  9. I'll Be There
(4:57) 10. Still Crazy After All These Years

My World marked an attempt to somewhat "modernize" Ray Charles by incorporating elements of hip-hop and New Jack swing into his trademark sound. As a result, the record has aged poorly; the highlights are the songs done in Charles' usual inimitable style, including a reading of Leon Russell's "A Song for You" and a soulful rendition of Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years." ~ Jason Ankeny  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-world-mw0000094264

Personnel: Ray Charles (vocals, guitar, synthesizer); Rose Stone (vocals, background vocals); Randy Waldman (guitar, synthesizer); Tommy Organ, Eric Clapton, Thomas Organ, James Harrah, Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar); Doug Norwine (saxophone, horns); Lee Thornburg (horns); James Cox, Greg Phillinganes, Jimmy Cox (piano); Billy Preston (Clavinet, organ); Shaun LaBelle (Clavinet, keyboards, synthesizer, drums, drum programming); Steve Lindsey, Randy Kerber (organ, synthesizer); Jud J. Friedman (keyboards, synthesizer); Dan Farrow (keyboards); John Levy (synthesizer, drums, percussion, drum programming); Chuckii Booker, Guy Moon, Robert Thiele, Bob Thiele Jr., Khris Kellow, Tom Snow, Barry Mann (synthesizer); Portia Griffin (vibraphone, background vocals); Carl King (drums, percussion, programming); Donny Nguyen (drums, percussion, drum programming); Rob Chiarelli (drums, drum programming); Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd , Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (congas, tambourine); Enrico DePaoli (percussion, drum programming); Maxayn Lewis, Valerie Pinkston-Mayo, Maxine Anderson, Karen Grant, Arnold McCutler, Carmen Twittie, Sharon Wallace, Joey Diggs, June Pointer, Lisa Frazier, Alex Brown, Alfie Silas, Mavis Staples, Maxi Anderson, Monalisa Young, Oren Waters, Phil Perry, Phil Roy, Arnold McCuller, Tata Vega, Terry Young, Billy Valentine, Jean McClain, Yvonne Williams, Brenda Russell , Carmen Twillie (background vocals).

My World

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Ray Charles - Crying Time

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1966
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 40:15
Size: 65,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:53)  1. Crying Time
(3:13)  2. No Use Crying
(2:52)  3. Let's Go Get Stoned
(4:00)  4. Going Down Slow
(2:11)  5. Peace of Mind
(4:34)  6. Tears
(6:18)  7. Drifting Blues
(2:17)  8. We Don't See Eye to Eye
(3:30)  9. You're In for a Big Surpr
(1:53) 10. You're About To Lose Your
(3:02) 11. Don't You Think I Ought T
(3:25) 12. You've Got A Problem

R&B innovator Ray Charles was one of the most important musicians of the 1950s. Despite being blind from childhood, he was hugely successful at fusing elements of blues, country, gospel and doo-wop together to form a kind of proto-soul. Despite losing his sight at an early age, he never let his disability stop him from being a success and scored several R&B chart hits in the early 50s including “It Should Have Been Me”, “Mess Around”, “I Got a Woman” and “Lonely Avenue” all recorded on Atlantic Records. These songs were among the early blueprints for soul music, alongside the work of artists like James Brown and Sam Cooke. In 1959 Charles enjoyed his biggest hit yet, when “What I’d Say” topped the R&B chart and reached No.6 in the main singles chart. After leaving Atlantic for a better contract at ABC Records, Charles enjoyed more crossover successes, including the pained ballad “Georgia on my Mind”, the swinging pop chart-topper “Hit the Road Jack”, and the pleading “Unchain My Heart”. His 1962 record, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, was a smash hit, topping the album charts for 12 weeks. 

It is remembered as one of the greatest albums of the early 60s. In the late 60s and 70s, Charles' fortunes started to wane. He fought personal demons (including drug addiction), and wasn’t able to keep up with the new and modern fashions of music. Although his recent material wasn’t so successful, his earlier songs continued to be popular and musicians continued to cite Charles as an influence. Ray Charles died of liver cancer in 2004; he was 73. Shortly afterwards, a biopic film was released telling his life story, bringing a new wave of posthumous appreciation. Bio ~ http://www.amazon.com/Ray-Charles/e/B000APVW2K/ref=ac_dtp_sa_bio

Crying Time

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David "Fathead' Newman - Fathead: Ray Charles Presents David Newman

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 37:37
Size: 69,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:43)  1. Hard Times
(4:49)  2. Weird Beard
(5:00)  3. Willow Weep For Me
(4:15)  4. Bill For Bennie
(3:46)  5. Sweet Eyes
(5:24)  6. Fathead
(4:17)  7. Mean To Me
(5:18)  8. Tin Tin Deo

The talented David Newman, who alternates on this album between tenor and alto, made his debut as a leader at this session. Since he was in Ray Charles' band at the time, Newman was able to use Charles on piano along with Hank Crawford (here called "Bennie Crawford") on baritone, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, bassist Edgar Willis, and drummer Milt Turner. The music is essentially soulful bebop, with the highlights including "Hard Times," "Fathead," "Mean to Me," and "Tin Tin Deo." Everyone plays well and this was a fine start to David "Fathead" Newman's career. This historic set was issued on CD by Collectables in 2005. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/fathead-ray-charles-presents-david-newman-mw0000140154

Personnel: David "Fathead" Newman (flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); David "Fathead" Newman ; Bennie Hank Crawford, Bennie Crawford (baritone saxophone); Edgar Willis (double bass); Milton Turner, Milt Turner, Milton Turner (drums); Marcus Belgrave (trumpet); Ray Charles (piano).

Fathead: Ray Charles Presents David Newman

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