"Although I don't imagine B&R has any readers unfamiliar with Ray Charles'music, and despite the fact that nearly all of these titles have been reissued many times, I certainly feel able to recommend this release. The three CDs contain material grouped by date or style, but the actual track listing is not strictly chronological, rather presenting tracks in order of release. The result is a very listenable programme. Although the set opens predictably enough with Downbeat and Swingtime material, drawing its inspiration from Ray's contemporaries, Nat King Cole and Charles Brown, the energy level quickly increases with the arrival of the Atlantic material - there is Ray's own take on boogie-woogie with the frenetic "Mess Around", early examples of Ray's mixing of gospel and r&b with "I've Got a Woman"and "This Little Girl Of Mine" (which of course uspet a lot more people than just the often-cited Big Bill Broonzy) and plenty of Brother Ray's impassioned vocals setting the ground for the soul revolution- though this material is firmly in an r&b format, with hints of rock'n'roll cropping up as we move towards 1957.
The second CD finds Mr. Charles branching out even further, and as the CD time-span stretches up to the beginning of the ABC-Paramount contract, yes, we do get "Georgia On My Mind" (though the stage was already set for Ray's incursion into contry with the earlier "I'm Movin'On", a cover of a Hank Snow number). The gospel influence becomes even more pronounced (and "The Right Time" certainly qualifies as "proto-soul" thanks to Margie Hendricks' storming vocal), the big, big hits are there, and there is even a nod to Louis Jordan with "Early In The Morning" (and I definitely would not include Ray's string-laden "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" in this category!). "Worried Life Blues" gets a fine straight blues treatment, but some of those later titles might not be to everyone taste - though "I've Got News For You" is a fine big-band blues with the Genius on organ.
From the mid-1950s onwards, Ray frequently worked in jazz settings, and this is a format for the final CD. Ray's leanings in this direction can sometimes be heard in the r&b and pop material of the previous two CDs, but many of the titles here are out-and-out-jazz, with such names as Horace Silver, Quincy Jones and Milt Jackson (vibes player with intellectual jazz outfit The Modern Jazz Quartet) prominent. Ray can be heard on piano, organ or (on the track recorded live at 1958's Newport Jazz Festival) alto sax, and he also turns up backing tenor saxman David "Fathead" Newman, the two titles coming from 1958's "Fathead: Ray Charles Present David Newman" LP. Ray sings on eight titles on this CD, and of these, "I Want A Little Girl" (did I imagine a shade of Eddie, "Cleanhead" Vinson in there?), the brassy "Let The Good Times Roll", the cool Percy Mayfield penned "Two Years Of Torture" and the minor hit (number 25 in the r&b charts in 1961) of "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town" - could that be Mr. Jordan's influence once more? - should all be of interrest to many readers.
As I said at the strat of this review though, this is certainly a collection that deserves serious consideration if you want a cherry-picked selection of Ray Charles' bluesier material for your collection. Lovely packaging too..."
Norman DARWEN - NEW RELEASES
As I said at the strat of this review though, this is certainly a collection that deserves serious consideration if you want a cherry-picked selection of Ray Charles' bluesier material for your collection. Lovely packaging too..."
Norman DARWEN - NEW RELEASES
