The Genius of Ray Charles

I mostly know Ray from his Diet Pepsi commercials in the 90’s, so it’s nice to get a better feel for his catalog. Really surprised that I didn’t get a copy of this album when I inherited my grandparents vinyl collection 15 years ago. All in all, an easy listen that I could see myself revisiting under the right circumstances (cocktail hour)

Good to listen to when coming down from a heavy weekend. I do like a big band. And a short punchy album. I did find it difficult to distinguish between some of the songs, but I was driving and concentrating more on the road. Enjoyed it though.

A bunch of jazzy early numbers from the Genius. Solid tunes. Nothing really challenging for the era they were released, but inarguably great performances all.

Love the late 50s vibe on this one, but not so into the big band brassiness. Still excellent though.

Once you get over the fact that every track sounds like the theme from "Police Squad," this is pretty amazing. His voice is absurd. "Let The Good Times Roll" could well make it to my funeral playlist.

Ray Charles and his band are at their best when they reign it in and let their natural talent speak for itself. Too often Ray alters the material to add a little extra flourish, and it changes for the worse. We all know the standards so it’s a bit annoying to hear someone consistently making new inflections and timing decisions here and there that make the songs worse. His talent is in singing not composing. Similarly the band sounds best when they’re playing it straight, but the more they push the bombast or the flourishes, the more strain gets put on the original material. But there is enjoyable musicianship under all of the extra layers.

More big band ray Charles. Not really my thing.

good album 👍

Ray Charles is undeniably the man. I’m not usually a jazz fan, but if I have to listen to jazz, I want it to be him! This album stands out with its rich variety and dynamic sound, making it an easy exception to my usual tastes.

There are some fantastic tracks here—Deed I Do and It Had to Be You were definite highlights for me. You can really hear the foundation being laid for the rock and roll explosion of the ‘60s, which makes this album feel even more influential.

Even if jazz isn’t usually your thing, this album is worth a listen—Charles brings so much soul and style that it’s hard to resist.

Favorite song: Deed I Do
Least favorite song: Just for a Thrill—way too Disney for my taste.
Album artwork: Cool and timeless.

Enjoyed this, but don't ask me when one track ends and another begins, it all seemed to blend into a single stream of good background lounge vibes.

Just the perfect 50s alvum. Gorgeous singing, beautiful piano melodies. Hits right in the feels

I think I liked this a little better than Modern Sounds, especially the faster songs. But I thought the back-half dragged a bit. Not a bad album, but one that will be a while before I revisit.

It’s fine. It’s just so…old sounding.

Beautiful

Ray could sing the phonebook and it would sound amazing. But I didn't love the bombastic horns on side A or the schmaltzy arrangements of side B. The songs have very little room to breathe. They're good songs, and again, Ray does his job, but I won't return to this much.

3.5/5

It’s fine. 2.75

Relaxing soulful and smooth. Vocals and instrumental flawless.

Nice enough album, but not the best of his

Wish it was a bit more upbeat! Sadly a lot of these songs blended into eachother

3 ⭐️

Favourite songs: Deed I Do, Alexander's Ragtime Band, Let The Good Times Roll, It Had to Be You, Just For a Thrill

Least favourite songs: Am I Blue

4/5

Ein sehr schönes Album von Ray Charles. Vielleicht etwas angestaubt. Ich habe es aber gern gehört.
4/5