Ray is all the rage these days. Even after the film, the hit comeback album and his widely covered passing last year, people just still can’t seem to get enough of the blind R&B crooner. This colossal set not only commemorates his vital tenure at Atlantic Records, but also what would have been his 75th birthday.
Ray Charles signed with Atlantic in 1952 as an unknown and stayed with the label for seven years, leaving as a “Genius”—the man widely thought of as one of the creators of soul music. And when it comes to Charles’ massive repertoire many consider his early material recorded with the label to be his very best.
This eight-disc set features 164 tracks, totaling over nine hours of music. Included are hits like “Hallelujah I Love Her So,” “Blackjack,” “Greenbacks,” “Come Back Baby,””I’ve Got A Woman,” “Drown In My Own Tears,” “A Fool For You,” “What’d I Say Parts I & II,” and many, many more. There is also a passel of rare live tracks including “(Night Time Is) The Right Time” and the great “I’ve Got A Woman.” Most intriguing is a previously unreleased bit from a historic 1953 rehearsal session with Charles and Atlantic Records boss Ahmet Ertegun. Seated at a piano, Charles and Ertegun run through a lively rendition of the Ertegun-penned “Mess Around.” This rare collaboration would eventually be re-enacted in the feature film RAY (2004).
Aside from the seven discs of music, there is also a DVD featuring a previously unreleased performance at the Newport Jazz Festival from 1960, with Charles accompanied by his back-up singers, The Raeletts. The concert was taped soon after Charles left Atlantic for ABC, and serves as a transitional link between two monumental periods in his colorful career. The DVD also features an interview between Ertegun and Taylor Hackford, the director of RAY.
The packaging of this mega-set is as awe-inspiring as its subject’s staggering career. Sharply dressed up as a vintage record player, the box also includes an 80-page book featuring notes by author by David Ritz, who co-wrote the renowned BROTHER RAY: RAY CHARLES’ OWN STORY. With eight discs of hits and rarities, the linen-bound book and incredible exterior box, this set is the definitive article on Charles’ early years, and a treat for fans old and new.
Also check out Rhino’s new issue of Charles’ GENIUS & FRIENDS, an album’s worth of spirited duets with the likes of Patti LaBelle, George Michael, Angie Stone, Diana Ross and others. Originally started in 1998, GENIUS & FRIENDS was a labor of love for Charles, who sadly didn’t quite make the completion and release of this little gem, but whose spirit is ever pervasive in its soulful grooves.
+ Jim Kaz
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