The Genius Of Ray Charles

Too much big band and strings for me

Love ray charles but this felt like a load of rather boring blues love songs

Enjoyable jazz album, but the big band didn't stand out that much for me

Decent Jazz album, just didnt blow my socks off

I think this album title can only work if you're dead, which he was not when this released. Music is pretty gud tho Will I listen to again: 1%

Penultimate song was beautiful, great vibes

Pretty genius, but not all that exciting either.

Very loungy indeed! Whoever was the drummer for him had a really cush gig!

Good pop jazz, didn't stand out.

Ray Charles is great, but I was hoping for more bangers. The ballads were nice, but felt a bit samey.

Good album overall, can't go wrong with the classics. Jazz is not my cup of tea, but that's not to say that this is a bad album per se. From one point on all songs just merged into one mashed mess in my mind, something that happens often when I listen to many new songs all at once. Overall a 3.4/5 because, even though I don't really listen to jazz, this album is truly a classic and there is no legitimate reason for me to rate it any lower.

It’s fine. 2.75

The soul in his voice is everything.

Gotta love Ray. Great album. Not my favorite album of his, but I was happy to give it a full listen. It’s close to 4 stars, but not quite there.

Sure!

Hard to top the assessment in the album's liner notes (nicely written by Nat Hentoff): "this album presents Ray in two new contexts - as singer and pianist with a big band and as one of the most warmly personal and sensitive ballad singers of this generation." Many reviewers have rightly pointed out the bifurcated approach to this album, but what ties it together is a unique tenderness in Ray Charles' vocals and piano playing that highlights his so-called genius and his versatility. We know that Ray can squeal, shout, and yelp with the urgency of a gospel singer on fire (in fact, that might be where his real talents shine the best), but the romantic sensuality of songs such as "Tell Me You'll Wait For Me" or "It Had To Be You" could not be beat. Still, the languishingly arranged string and brass arrangements lead to attention veering off, so I can't quite say this is the definitive Ray Charles album, even if the title would have you believe that. But it's a great title! As is 'Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music' (also on this list, btw). It sounds like the title of a textbook or a serious, foundational text. As a sidenote: if you are curious as to how the film 'Ray' holds up 20 years after its release, then I can tell you: poorly. In fact, it was never good to begin with. B+

Good stuff, love Ray Charles. Genius is probably a stretch.

I think the in-your-face big band sound only works for the first song, but luckily the middle and end of the album works really nicely with beautiful love ballads and great arrangements behind Ray's voice. 6/10

You can never go wrong with Ray Charles.

I appreciate the quality of the music...but I find it so hard to rate music from other eras. The older stuff just doesn't hit me the same way...

Un poco rollete.

It was fine. It started stronger than it finished.

Favorite: Let the Good Times Roll Least Favorite: Deed I Do

Lovely early stuff, though the genius comes later.

I don't really know how to judge an album where it's covers from front to back. I'm not well versed enough to say if the instrumentation and arrangement are comparable to other versions of the standard. What I can say though, is that I enjoyed listening to this album

Bro can sing.

I like Ray, and many of these tunes, but the big band/strings is too much. Is this meant to broaden his appeal to white audiences? I'd trade all this for "Hit the Road Jack" with his band. I like that big brass sound less and less - it's like an air raid siren. How did it ever become a thing?

good

Pretty good. Big band sound not my style

A bit pretentious to call it that but when you listen all the way through and consider the man and the time period, you’ll allow it

01) Let the Good Times Roll - 7,5 02) It Had to Be You - 7,5 03) Alexander's Ragtime Band - 7,0 04) Two Years of Torture - 7,0 05) When Your Lover Has Gone - 7,0 06) Deed I Do - 7,5 07) Just for a Thrill - 7,0 08) You Won't Let Me Go - 7,0 09) Tell Me You'll Wait for Me - 7,0 10) Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' - 7,5 11) Am I Blue - 7,5 12) Come Rain or Come Shine - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,25 (73/100) Current ranking: 160/272 Ray Charles is a legend, his interpretations are perfect, the songs themselves are enjoyable. But the album as an album is a bit boring. The big band songs on the A side all sound more or less the same, just like the ballads on the B side.

Enjoyed the opener - let the good times roll. It had good energy to it. The rest of the album was chilled, with a big band sound for the most part. Overall pretty good. More of a background album for me though.

Some quality music, especially for the time period. However most songs were very one-note.

This feels like a very safe pick. Inoffensive and unexciting. I don't think it does a great job of really showcasing Ray Charles' skills and energy, but the arrangement and songs are solid throughout.

Decent

Classic Ray Charles

Naja, kann man sich anhören, ist aber halt schon fast 70 Jahre alt, und das hört man ...

Un album sympa, mais je trouve que le côté big band affaiblit la puissance émotionnelle de Ray Charles.

It’s aight

This was just there all day...

"You only live but once/and when you're dead you're done." It's interesting to hear Charles come at these old-school pop standards rather than rhythm and blues, which is what I'm used to hearing. It sounds a lot like other big band albums of its time; the only stand out is Charles himself, who has a great voice, piano chops, and presence. He comes off as less smug than, say, Sinatra. I think he has more interesting work, but this was a pleasant listen. The engineering leaves something to be desired. The horns often sound blown out or over-modulated. Charles' piano sometimes sounds like it's coming out of a broken speaker. Highlights: It Had to Be You, Come Rain or Come Shine

Iconic voice. Great Sunday dinner music.

Three is more my enjoyment. Talent and impact is much higher.

Pretty nice :)

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 ⭐️

With a title like this, the album better deliver. This is a very jazzy Ray Charles. I do like jazz standards, but I don't like this as much as Country and Western Ray Charles. The horns are very prominent for an album by a piano player. Violins>Horns on this album, perfect example: Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'. I like the sad songs the best.

I'm embarrassed to admit, but after 5 attempts, I still have not managed to finish this album. I would have LOOOOVED to see Ray Charles live. I had a few best of compilations I listened to regularly in high school and Genius Loves Company was on all the time with my friends. Sadly, as an album, this feels like something from a bygone era. The performances are phenomenal, but it's just a pile of songs on a record a nothing greater than the sum of the parts. This rating is because I can't, in good contentious go higher on an album I didn't finish.

Big band, crooner Ray. Good enough, but I prefer Georgia and What a Wonderful World Ray.

It's pretty nice. I'll never go too crazy for Frankie Sinatra big band music of this sort, but this was a cute listen.

3/5. A nice dual album, big band on one side and ballads on the other. The horns are very loud yet don't drown out Ray's voice. I think the slower songs are better but the loud ones are still just as good. The album itself is okay, I mean, it's a greatest hits because these are all covers. Ray's voice does keep me interested but the songs themselves don't necessarily make me want to re-listen. It wasn't bad, just okay. Best Song: Am I Blue?, Let The Good Time Roll, Come Rain or Come Shine

128/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

Good album, but I was expecting something better

I can appreciate the quality...but it's so hard to compare music from different eras. The older stuff just doesn't hit me the same way...

Album de Jazz/Soul/Blues sympa, un peu trop de trompette et rien de vraiment marquant selon moi mais après je l'ai écouté en taffant donc bon. Je trouve que la trompette est un peu assourdissante à force... Mais au moins l'album n'est pas trop long et pas vraiment de mauvais son. Franchement il chante bien et les mélodies sont sympa mais on va pas se mentir on se fait un peu chier... Et pas forcément de grosse différence avec les autres musiques du genre. 13/20 (le 28/06/2024)

Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.

Look, Ray is an indisputable genius, but his skill is best displayed when he plays bluesy fuck jamz for sweaty teens.

Auf die Länge Zuviel orchestrale, 40s/50s Hollywood Liebesfilmmässige Balladen. ***

A great blues album, but not my favourite from Ray Charles

I can see why this became a classic, but I wasn't as into it as I thought I would be. I might need to explore more Ray Charles.

'The Genius of' more like 'The Averageness of'. Not bad for a bog-eyed man though I guess.

Very enjoyable. Party time to start followed by ballads. I love a bit of strings.

De eerste helft van het album doet toch even vraagtekens zetten bij de pocherige titel, of die niet een beetje overtrokken is. Door de dominantie van de big band - wat niet mijn favoriete era in de muziek is - komt Ray niet helemaal tot zijn recht. Hij is op zijn sterkst als het heel erg slecht met hem gaat, en hij z'n persoonlijke struggles de wereld in resoneert met die kolossale stem en dat magische pianogevoel. Zonder al te veel poespas eromheen, dan laat hij pas echt z'n genialiteit schijnen. Kantje één kent z'n intieme momenten, maar worden in mijn ogen dan toch wel verstoort door een bombastisch einde zoals in 'When Your Lover Has Gone'. Kant twee is ronduit briljant, en kent een reeks songs wat wellicht z'n beste run in z'n carrière was. 'Just for a Thrill' en 'You Won't Let Me Go' worden direct al wat subtieler bijgestaan door de band, en Ray's emotieve pianospel en vocalen krijgen meer ruimte. Maar 'Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'' en 'Come Rain or Come Shine' zijn de overduidelijke smaakmakers. Wat een krachtige afsluiter, prachtig bijgestaan door de achtergrondzang en de strings. Één van zijn sleutelsongs in een loopbaan gekenmerkt door iconische momenten. 7/10 (was 4 sterren geweest als side A net iets meer Ray, en net iets minder big band was) Highlights: You Won't Let Me Go Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' Come Rain or Come Shine

Ray Charles in town! Heel vet dat Ray zijn RnB vanachter de piano heeft opgeschaald naar een hele big band met strijkers en blazers. Ik vind dan ook vooral side A wel echt genieten. Ondertussen wordt deze muziek al zo uit, 1959, damn. Tuurlijk, timing is alles. En Ray Charles luisteren in een benauwde trein op een maandagavond is toch niet het beste moment in de week. Maar toch, Ray z'n stem is ongeevenaard en het is soms heerlijk om je even in de Amerikaanse jaren 50 te wanen. 7/10 Highlights Let the Good Times Roll Deed I Do

3.5/5

Pretty good background music, smooth, sexy but not captivating enough

Good

yep

Pretty good but would be even better without the loud horns. They're just not my thing.

Old standards played well does not, in my mind, constitute Genius. I'm not sure whether this music is relevant in 2024.

perfect album to start your day with by blaring it from your living room speakers at full volume, opening your curtains, and letting the sunshine hit your face... but then by the time the album ends you're on the floor crying in a ball. awesome record, just not one I felt demanded many further re-listens

This 1959 classic is shows the versatility of Ray Charles, this time on a big band setting. What shouldn’t be forgotten is his earlier blues-based work was thought to be too race-music related so this album was meant to be a bridge to more white audiences. When I think of RC, I tend to lean to more of the Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll rather than Count Basie-esque band leader. “You Won’t Let Me Go” and “Am I Blue” are key tracks for me as each show his bluesy roots. Overall this is a great album, though it is a great album for red wine and love makin’. After 17 years of happy marriage, I’m in the she-goes-to-sleep-and-I’m-drinking-a-beer-on-the-coach-with-headphones phase…

Great and amazing classic voice. Nice old timey jazz and other easy listening. I'll definitely give this one another spin.

just not my kind of music. fail to see the genius I guess, but still somewhat enjoyable

This was fine. I wonder if maybe I didn't get a good listen in on this day? Maybe another listen (or more) would do me some good here? 3 stars for sure, maybe it has another one if I were to learn all the moves.

It's Ray Charles, you know what you're getting. Fantastic voice. But as with the other album of his on this list, the record just doesn't blow me away. I mean I liked it but it just kind of washes over you. 3/5

After Layla and Other Assorted Love songs, now another collection of love songs, quite nice, slower pace. 3.5

This one displays Ray’s great talent and vocal ability. He really could do it all. But what he did here was a little boring. I hope we get some of his rockers on this list.

Of course, it's Ray Charles, so undoutedly a decent set o'pipes. Didn't give me the feelz though.

Woah almost accidentally skipped over this one! It's Ray Charles doing standards nicely. I like the sound of his first couple albums better ('57, '58) so I'm hoping those will show up on the list eventually.

Decent album. I liked the bluesy aspects of it the most; the big band stuff was alright.

Old fashioned. Music has moved on but I realise that it is an evolutionary process and this guy has contributed.

Vocal jazz, soul. Took a bit to get into this album, but Ray has such a great voice and the choir adds a lot. I liked the variety on this album, big band stuff and lovely string filled ballads. Not everything was memorable but it was all enjoyable. Still not familiar enough with the genres to really go in depth, but I had a great time. Probably won't revisit. Light 3.5/5

This is exactly what you’d think Ray Charles is. Fun, catchy and full of energy. I am not excited to listen to it. Not my type of music but it’s not terrible.

Not my favorite work from Ray Charles. Canned and formulaic.

Solid soul woth some catchy songs in there

Really beautiful album to be honest with you, especially the latter half <3 3.5/5

Det lyder rigtig fint, men jeg tror, at jeg har svært ved at tænke på Ray Charles som en albumkunstner. Det lyder rigtig fint, ligesom det sidste Ray Charles album vi havde, men det er også bare en samling random sange

Catchy og god brug af horn! Jeg kunne bedre lide den her end den anden Ray Charles plade vi havde

What a nice, soulful big-band sound. Sometimes I just wanted it to be Ray Charles hammering away on the piano. And I was hoping for a rocker tune.

Mother fucker why aren’t you playing piano?

A lot of the songs sounded very similar. Preferred second half.

I feel like Ray Charles has better albums from this time.

Baladas de Ray Charles. Se me han hecho un poco de bola... Ni fu ni fa.

Viele Klassiker. Tolle Blues Stimme Ich mag Blues nicht sooo gerne...

I'd rate it 3.5 if I could. I'm not too into Big Band sounds with vocals but this is nice album to have in the background at work

It's okay

The kind of music that is fine, but just difficult to listen to after two songs

Nice. Would never have listened to this. Big band and blues

Is it in danger of sounding a bit schmaltzy to modern ears? Maybe. Is it still extremely good? Yes. I'm probably under-rating it a bit here

Remarkable straightforward big band swing, and some ballads thrown in. Some of the big band cuts have some interesting solos and great composition, though Ray's vocal jazz stylings rarely add to these songs and overall everything feels very safe. The ballads are sweet and everything locks together quite well, though nothing stands out and just passes over me as if nothing at all. The background vocals are a nice addition that do add a slight boost of emotion. Overall this is simple and competent vocal jazz and big band swing that plays it close to the chest, it is enjoyable but nothing shines bright here.

3 I saw Ray Charles on this list and smiled to myself, thinking of childhood memories of his music, including his wonderful rendition of America the Beautiful as featured in The Sandlot. Well, unfortunately, this album didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I’ve always known Ray as more of a piano-based soul/jazz artist and didn’t realize he did so much big band stuff - stuff that, honestly, didn’t really work for me. Maybe it’s just the production of this album, but I found the first half to be incredibly brash, to the point where I had to turn down my speaker multiple times while listening. It certainly has an old-timey gala charm to it at times, but it’s hard to get too sucked in. The second half of this album I think does a much better job of highlighting said genius of Ray Charles with its more stripped back, slower tunes, but even then, there still wasn’t anything that quite captured me like his music did for me so many years ago. The last three songs on the album are far and away the best (with Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’ probably being my personal favorite), but it feels like there’s a lot you have to wade through to get to them. So, this one was a little disappointing for me, but I don’t think it’s changed my opinion on Ray as a performer and singer - I just think there’s too much going on in this album to really allow his talent to shine. It’s still a generally enjoyable listen (it’s hard to imagine anything coming from the guy not being), but for better or for worse, what this album mostly succeeded in was making me want to listen to his other stuff.

Un excelente álbum de jazz melódico con influencias de blues, R&B y soul. Para el año en el que se estrenó, el trabajo ya cuenta con tintes de pop, adelantándose unos buenos años a la industria. Sumamente recomendable para quien quiera conocer de historia musical, sin embargo, atención a escucharlo sin sueño (puede ser muy relajante).

2.75

Two minds on this album. Ray Charles is amazing on it. But, I’m not a fan of the overall recording. Something about the mix or engineering makes the band/strings sound rough.

enjoyable

Interesting to hear Ray with a big band, not what I was expecting. Overall a good album, just think I prefer his later work more. 3/5 Might listen again

good songs, sounds pretty similar tho

Lots of talent, but lots of the same soul groove trudging on for far too long.

Not bad. Seemed to start slowly for me, but maybe I just got distracted while working. Probably wouldn't return to it, but not off-putting at all. 3/5

Solid album. I can see why people enjoy it.

hill chilll

Stuff

Classic voice, but only a couple songs from this album really stood out.

For early R&B this is really well made artistically, it’s amazing how well he could make music for the time period. It’s both a slow blues and a fast jazz but the songs almost melt together Ending tracks REALLY wrapped it up Favorite: Alexander’s ragtime band, am I blue Least favorite: none 3.9/5

Classic

Let the good times roll

какая-то негритянская старая херня

HL: “Two Years of Torture”, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”, “Just for a Thrill” Was looking forward to a brassy good time but something about this left me cold. At least there are moments where Ray and his piano aren’t totally lost in the mix

3.5

Not bad but also not the best. So it’s a typical three star rating

I love big band. I dig Ray Charles, but Ray Charles doing standards doesn't belong on this list. His release WHAT'D I SAY is why he belongs on this list and yet it its not included. WTF? These covers are no better or worse than anyone else that the time. Nothing notable here. About the release itself, my only complaint is that I wish the horns weren't distorting so much.

Schmaltzy big band love and romance songs, fine if you like that sort of thing.

Maybe if I was 90 I’d appreciate it more

I'm really not a fan of big band music, but I can't argue against Ray Charles' lyrics and melodies. "Let the Good Times Roll," "It Had to be You," and "Alexander's Ragtime Band" are great if you can get past the big band screeching of instruments.

Siento que es difícil aislar éste tipo de música del contexto de Estados Unidos. No tiene muchos puntos en común con otros territorios, por lo que tal vez es difícil que enganche con otras identidades, con otras culturas. Así y todo, lo siento como un disco para escuchar en pareja, ambos bien lookeados, en un restaurant de noche. Increíble como los símbolos yankees se cuelan en el inconsciente y nos llevan a un viaje al pasado de Hollywood o a una película navideña.

Die man heeft een prachtig geleefde stem. Het album zit vol met vrolijke up-tempo en wat rustigere nummers. Verrassend leuk, al vind ik teveel big-band ook niet heel aantrekkelijk. ***

This is fine and quite nice. Like the other jazz records I've heard on this list, I might have it as background music while I was hosting a dinner party or sipping a cocktail in a bar. Just to listen to, it's alright but not that exciting. He does have a good voice and the strings are nice, the slower songs sound like Sinatra-style swing in places.

Quite a refreshing listen. I enjoy this music although I could not listen to it all day and I do also feel if I was to listen to this music I would listen to something a little softer. The loud brass and the sharp vocals can sometimes be a little much but considering how old it is I think it is great people can still listen to this music. All in all a nice listen that can sit comfortably in a 3/5 slot. I also feel I was maybe a little harsh on Solomon Burke but I don't know much about this music other then some of the greats (Ray Charles included) so it is hard to tell what my go to would be. Always hard to rate after 1 listen. Stand out songs: Let the Good Times Roll You Won't Let Me Go Come Rain or Come Shine

Another man who can play without sight. How do they do it! Wizardry

It’s almost a 4 because Charles is such a great singer and there are some great arrangements here, but it does struggle to engage me at times in the middle. Still a very worthy listen. Shoutouts to the lyric “was I gay… til today?” Best song: It Had to Be You

Wanted to like it more but its just aight

Pure swag

3 - I got a little tired of the album by the end, but it's short enough that that's not too big of an issue. Admittedly, I'm struggling to say much about it, looking back on the album. I did like that it took more of a somber tone in the second half.

perfectly fine, nothing really stands out but nice to listen to

Very pleasant, soothing, and nostalgic. That being said, it’s a little on the saccharine side for me. But definitely an easy listen for background music or dinner party.

Not my style, but can appreciate it for what it is.

Ray Charles was truly a genius. Some great songs here, but unfortunately also some very repetitive backing orchestra arrangements.

let the good times roll- 5 it had to be you- 6 alexanders ragtime band- 6 or 7 two years of torture- seven years of torture seven years of penis. sorry. 6 when your lover has gone- 5 kinda boring deed i do- 5 or 6 just for a thrill- 5 you wont let me go- 5 tell me youll wait for me- 5 dont let the sun catch you crying- 5 am i blue- why are you blue? 6 come rain or come shine- 5 favorite track - alexander ragtime band

While the horns accentuate the passionate nature of songs, the consistent use of them gives a monotonous feel to the record. Ray's vocals are phenomenal but songs didn't impress me too much.

I wasn’t in the mood so I barely listened. The few songs I heard didn’t grab me.

interesting and charming at times, but no real connection to it.

izmedu 3 i 4 al nije mi nes sjeo, mislim da bi mi neki drugi dan bio bolji

Classy and elegant but dated

Beautiful piano arrangements, deep vocal soul but more of an album of its time. Still happy to appreciate today.

Nice as BGM. It has a mood that I like, but not something I would look to actively listen too very often.

This was a bit of a different sound than I expected from Ray Charles. Good, but nothing great, and I like the later albums better.

Good songs. Great singer and player.

Ray Charles was actually incredible. I don't think I resonated with his music while listening to it, but it was still so interesting to get a glimpse into someone so talented. Not something I would put on myself, the mood would have to be just right for it.

Dobra muzika za koju sam bas mislio da ce mi se svidit, al nez zasto ne vajbam bas nesto s njom, tugy. 3.5/4

I wish he did more slow and moody songs

bunyi-bunyian dari masa depan

Big band and swing sound. Performance oriented. Danceable. Excellent voice and delivery style although not what I enjoy the most. Music was more strongly ensemble work--there was a singer, an arranger, song writers, multiple members of the band with highlighted skills and solo opportunities. Everything is well-crafted. Ray puts his own imprint on standards and moves out beyond the styles of Sinatra. "Don't let the sun catch you cryin." and "Let the good times roll" will be re-interpreted by others but this album sits at a crossroads of pop music starting to ascend along with rock, smaller groups becoming common, and a change in energies. A bit of crooning which I find mostly annoying. But overall a solid album--just not something I like.

I had the misfortune of listening to Ray's "Modern Western" album before this and disliked it immensely. This album has much more character, talent and personality. The songs do all suffer from similar themes, but they are distinct enough. The first and last song are great openers and closers. 3/5

Fantastic vocal stylings and band arrangements.

The first half was a lot of light piano with what I would call brass airhorns. I love piano because of its consistency and volume. The second half was more my taste. probably won’t seek this out again because of those horns. 6/10

Ray Charles is a legendary status household name and yet I have never heard any of these songs before. Seemingly two distinct tones in this album: love & sadness. Some of the songs started to meld together and could have possibly just been combined. He had a great voice but It wasn’t amazing or anything. At times I also felt that his voice was sort of jarring against the accompanying instrumentals. Couple pretty good songs with a handful of more forgettable ones. 5/10

3.5

Gear: Fostex TH610 (Lawton) Mix: entspannte und toll lokalisierbare Instrumentierung (insb. Bläser). Stimme teils dröhnend und mit deutlicher Kompression. Musik: kann man gut hören - bestimmt die Hälfte der Songs muss man aber nicht 🤷‍♂️ Wertung: 2-3/5

It's pretty good but, not sure i'll be revisiting this anytime soon

Decent album.

Interesting album. The first half is big band with brass, second half is just strings. It's a fine listen, and showcases the immense talent, but not sure it's something I would come back to very often.

Bracht me meer plezier dan verwacht.

Big band blues with vocals. Not my thing. But this is a seminal album and it is well-done. Three stars

Tontechnisch solala, war aber auch 1959 Musik gut.

Piano playing was very nice and some good songs, but overall felt pretty samey. Probably wouldn't listen again.

First 3 songs were pretty solid, the rest was honestly a bit of a snoozer. Felt very neutral overall on it 5/10

I like it in the sense that it’s nice to have on in background but not really something I’d actively listen to.

Classic.

Great voice.

Such a amazing vocalist really enjoyed album

The better of the Ray Charles albums we’ve done so far

nice old-school music

Not into blues

Iconic

Starts off with quite a bang, much more high energy than I was expecting it to start. Lots of beautiful ballads and performances here. The big band backing is perfectly arranged, lots of crescendos and emotional mirroring between Ray and the band. Back half of the album certainly slows some, but still has beautiful songs. 3/5

The A-side was fast-paced and upbeat but then it got too sappy slow and boring. Stand-out: Alexander's Ragtime Band

Þéttur og góður Ray. Engir hittarar samt en flott plata. 3.5

Lovely, soulful, energetic blue. Great composure and execution.

I have a soft spot for this era of music from my grandparents so this was a super fun listen. Love the contrast between the big band sound and the latter portion of the album.

I'd never heard the two days of torture song before, interesting... The rest is classic after classic.

Klassiker zum Start der Musikreise. Aber mir gerne mal zu aufgergt

Iconic

Ok

Genius indeed

Nice album I liked the contrast between the two sides

Good but a bit samey after a while

Litt masete men også ganske bra 3.5

Certainly an appropriate album title. The man was one of the most prolific artists of his time, and of all time. I don’t find anything super incredible about this album, but mostly because I wouldn’t want it to be someone’s introduction to Ray. For a fan, it’s required listening.

Old, piano heavy. Must have been interesting for the time

It's ok. Not quite my style but I see why it did well at the time it was released.

Genio el Ray Charles en su debut

Buen album, muy tranquilo y esta para relajarte o hacer tarea. A destacar "Come Rain or Come Shine".

56/100 Based on this scale: 1 star - 0 to 19 2 stars - 20 to 39 3 stars - 40 to 59 4 stars - 60 to 79 5 stars - 80 to 100 It's Ray Charles. It's comfy, without offering me the mind trip that so many other musical journeys provide.

Good for the xmas preparations ans being a bit tipsy during baking cookies.

Soul. Jazz.

i like the guy, he's alright

Prima

Love a little grit in my crooners. TBH I don’t love this particular set; Modern Sounds is my favorite. But everyone should give Ray Charles a few listens in several stages of life.

3/5

Idk, I've heard of the genius of Ready Charles, but this sounded kind of bland. I'm sure it's good for someone. I found it pleasant, but that's all.

Not my favourite but it was a decent walk album. Will I listen to it again? Probably not.

60 years ago this was the music people would put on to fuck to.

Pretty easy listening. I enjoyed the big band tracks but I also enjoyed the slower, more harmonious tracks. Nothing special though. 3 stars

Not a fan of the blaring horns, could listen to it in the background though.

Pretty good album. Ray was certainly a great artist.

I thought he was more raucous than this? Maybe he is sometimes. This reminds me of the music my grandparents loved.

jsjajaj no se por que me puse bien triste cuando escuche este disco diosmio no entiendo ?

Yeah, seminal and all that - also music for people who are just old or who have heard this stuff on romcoms

On a quick listen, I thought this had some pretty music and of course great vocals, but I prefer his more upbeat stuff, and not much of that is on here.

Well kinda what I expected

Timeless. Immediate mood booster. 3/5

Episode a million of me not liking vocal jazz as much as instrumental jazz. Its solid tho.

fun but not my current style

Liked the first half better I think

Beetje teleurgesteld, dacht dat ik dit leuker ging vinden.

Nice jazz type deal, I like it. Some songs were bangers whilst others not much so rating is straight down the middle.

bruh it’s all the same song

Louuuuud emphatic horns made it a sometimes rowdy listen. Back half is very chill and soulful

This holds up remarkably well for an album nearly 65 years old. A mix of big band tracks - a sound I'm nonplussed over - and string led easy listening reminiscent of roaring log fires whilst snow flutters down.

Some good tunes. Some mellow tunes. Some forgettable tunes.

Really soild album from one of the early pioneers of popular music. Charles showcases a unique blend of blues, jazz soul and gospel. But in comparison to modern music this does feel a bit dated now. One that’s worth a listen but won’t be making my frequent rotation list.

Brani Preferiti: - "Let the Good Times Roll" Note: Iniziamo con un grande problema, questo album ha la spettacolare voce di Ray Charles, ma non ha il vero Ray... dov'è il ritmo, dov'è il soul, dove sono i cori?! Per carità, questo è un buon album ma il nome scelto non è per niente adatto, ciò che viene mostrato al suo interno è un Ray che sa seguire i trend. Mostrare che sa cantare un jazz lento è parecchio distante dal vero genio di Ray Charles.

Good but too old timey for me

2nd half was more enjoyable for me. Love when ray slows it down

Good classic easy listening music, great for the background

#18. I thought this one wasn't as good as the other Ray Charles one. Either that or the novelty of listening to old timey music wore off. Or maybe it was because I was sober when I listened to this one? Who knows. It was fine, I guess. The album title is a bit pretentious though, no? 3/5: acceptable

Jazz vibes, very appreciated. Little album cohesion, but every track is good individually

Good album. I don't listen to Ray Charles too much so I'm glad I got this album. I'm not likely to revisit this album but I'm still glad I heard it.

Classic Ray Charles music, horns are amazing. Come rain or shine is probably my favorite track.

- Not a bad listen but nothing I'd go back to - Let The Good Times Roll was pretty good - Nothing else stood out too much - 2.5

Favorite Songs: Am I Blue; Let the Good Times Roll; Come Rain or Come Shine Big band and strings. The album is a tale of two sides. I prefer the crooning Ray of the second side. His voice shines, the strings complement. First ever listen and a true show of Rays genius.

Listened Before? No I understand (at least basically) the legacy and impact of Ray Charles, but three songs in, I'm feeling pretty meh. I think a lot of it is my lack of interest in big-band style jazz. Yea, I dunno. This was on in the background and while it is all fine musically with very pretty interplay between the vocals and the backing band, I just really had a hard time caring. Felt like good music for either sipping highballs to and feeling "sophisticated," or shopping for groceries. Giving this a low 3 because it is all fine, but I won't be back. Added to Library? No Songs Added to Playlists:

Legendary album that was nice to listen to but would never choose to put it on. His singing to go along with the jazz is great. This is excellent background music

This was alright. Had it on in the background while working and it sounded good enough, but it also all sounded the same. Enjoyable enough though

Not my taste, but good. Slow songs are nice

Good sound, but most of the songs sound the same. Not many memorable standouts.

Half jazz. Half blues. Piano and horn. Pretty good.

A side big band tracks were fun, but the ballads were a little too slow for my taste. Can appreciate the sound though.

Great ray Charles album, iets te veel ballad voor mijn smaak

Jazz standards and mainstream production. Solid performances all the way around. It's a little over-produced for my liking, but it's still a strong album. If I had my way, I'd prefer a do-over with a four or five piece combo. (I submit the intro of You Won't Let Me Go as evidence for my preference.)

Ok. Good singing..

Pretty bread and butter big band music as far as I can tell. Nothing wrong with that though, it slots in perfectly when you're in a certain mood for that. The listen made me feel happy, which is more than you can say for many albums!

decent, nothing much tbh it was nice to listen to and kinda reminded me of christmas time, the kind of genre of jazz thats popular then

Too many standards. Piano isn’t as loud in the mix as it should be.

Nice

Heerlijk tijdens het studeren

It is what it is!? I wouldn't revisit it anytime soon.

Makes me want to listen to more swing music 3.4

Joda, flere fine spor.

Not bad, but not inspiring.

Very enjoyable, would pop a few on a playlist but unlikely to enter the rotation album-wise

Perfectly competent jazz, though I found it a little boring

Decent jazz / soul but I didn't find it very engaging

Bluesy solid

Not a huge fan of the big band sound. I much more enjoyed the tracks where the piano shined. Love his simple, real lyrics that focus on love and relationships.

Nice album from Ray. The first half are big band numbers which I think work quite well. The second half is more ballad based but also enjoyable. The talent seeps through and is an enjoyable listen. Strong 3

I can respect his genius but not really my thing

Not my cuppa tea. Talented though.

Soulful class

BL: Ray Charles isn’t someone I know much about, so I’ll give it a listen AL: I enjoyed this a lot, some incredibly melancholic tracks on here. I didn’t think it was revolutionary but for the 50s it was pretty good. One of the most soulful voices I’ve ever heard FT: “It Had to be You”, “When your Lover has Gone”, “Am I Blue” 3/5

Pretty nice for jazz

I really don’t get on with big band stuff. All just sounds the same to me. Not arsed. But I liked the second half a lot more.

Fine

Bastante bien.

Oozing humanity and positive vibes, while keeping the themes simple and straight forward. Artists today could benefit from going back to the basics, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. 3 textbooks out of 5 📖📖📖

Good

It wasn't the best produced album, but it wasn't dreadful and I found it quite enjoyable. I also liked the fact that each side sounded so different, which kept my interest going.

Ray Charles is obviously incredibly talented, in songwriting as well as by voice. And it's in a style, soul combined with big band and jazz, that I really normally enjoy. Then why can't I get in this album? It's been baffling me a bit. I find the horn section in the first part of the album annoyingly loud for some reason and I find the second part of the album a bit dreary, even though this normally is also within my style. Maybe Ray Charles himself just doesn't do it for me, but I can't put my finger on it.

liked this way more as it went on; some really nice stuff, tho i think i also just have a soft spot for this kind of romantic blues lol

I have always had mixed feelings about *Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music*, Ray Charles' supposed masterpiece released a few years after this one. It does have great tunes, and I fully respect its "agenda" that saw Charles covering songs from "white" repertoires so as to break unfair race barriers in America. Yet I feel like the charms of this type of this subsequent lush record can't beat the ones of his more grassroots eponymous 1957 debut, which will always sound more "authentic" to me. Plus, neither "Modern Sounds..." nor "The Genius of Ray Charles" have the many timeless hits Charles performed over the first years of his career (mostly for single issues or less relevant albums--hits such as "Hit The Road Jack", "What I'd Say", " Georgia On My Mind" and so on...). So it's a little hard for me to see such albums as "essential" either, Apart from the race-barrier-breaking agenda, "The Genius Of Ray Charles" is indeed very similar to "Modern Sounds...". So much that I wonder why this one is not considered as Ray's magnum opus by all the "critics", given that it was released before it. The only real difference is that this time the brass band and syrupy strings orchestrations are neatly sorted out between side 1 and 2, contrary to the way they mingles in *Modern Sounds*'s tracklisting. Side 1 starts with a bang, with "Let The Good Times Roll", "It Had To be You" and "Alexander's Ragtime Band". But then it's more of the same and my patience wears thin very quickly. Once the slow ballads supported by strings on side 2 come up, the transition feels a little jarring, and for a couple of tunes, the whole thing sounds quite derivative as well. Fortunately, the best ballads start with "Tell Me You'll Wait For Me" in the middle of the second side (what an incredible intro for this one, thanks to that mysterious string section), and that last bunch of tracks right after it saves the day (especially "Am I Blue"). I'm still having mixed feelings, however, at least regarding the status of this album as a so-called "essential" one. This LP offers good music overall, but it never gets me excited enough for me to buy the whole thing (just like I can't get excited enough for *Modern Sounds...* either). Bought a Ray Charles "best of" anthology, however (which incidentally habors both his timeless hits AND the key tracks from those two specific albums highlighted by the "critics" here). And I also purchased that great eponymous debut. All of this is more than enough for my needs, to be honest. 3/5 for the purposes of this list, which translates to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5+3). Number of albums left to review: 508 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 233 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 114 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 143

I didn't think I'd like it, but I did. His flow is amazing. Favorite song: Alexander's ragtime band.

Un poco rollete

Not bad. Not a 4, but definitely a solid 3.

A legend. Was cool to listen and let the good times roll. All I could think about during this record was that it had such Big Brass Energy

Great music but I get a bit sick of it and also Ray Charles was a shit dude

Everything you'd expect from a Ray Charles record. It's not a very modestly titled record, but he WAS a genius, so what can you say??

p41. 1959. 3 stars. A collection of mostly redundant covers, saved only by THAT voice and the arrangements. Not his best work - see 'What'd I Say' for that.

What I expected from Ray Charles

Good ol Ray

Ray's voice is the clear highlight here, soulful, bright, and full of character. The slower numbers really highlight this best, like You Won't Let Me Go (which was a highlight of mine).

Yeah this is nice

A sombre album from Ray Charles with standouts in Let The Good Times Roll and It Had To Be You.

Light 6

Pretty good, but also older stuff. This might grow on me, I could see why it would've been popular in its day. Standout Tracks - Alexander's Ragtime Band - Tell Me You'll Wait For Me

Ray's voice sounds great.

Rating: 6/10

He’s got a beautiful voice and this was enjoyable enough, but a lot lower energy than I was expecting. Didn’t catch me like I was hoping it would.

Good, but too many slow ones. I prefer him when he's more upbeat.

Not without charm but I didn't vibe with it enough to rate it any higher

It's ray Charles. All Ray Charles.

Nice album, easy listening

Not bad, but not my style

This feels like it could be two separate albums. Both sides have their merits but I found myself enjoying the somber side more, if only for the more exposed piano. Sucks that the recording is so hot - I found the distortion and overmodulation distracting. Hard to believe that this was an aesthetic choice, but apparently it's on all of Charles' recordings from this era. 3

I like my Ray Charles to be a little more...rockin'

Undoubtedly a great voice and nice songs, but not really what I’m looking for.

Nice big band jazz arrangements, but I have to admit: none of the songs here light my fire.

Ray Charles is a genius and a stylist. The big band arrangements and the back up singers could have been toned down. Imagine "Come rain or Come Shine" without the Lawrence Welk singers? I would be so much better.

12.04.23. Добротная старая музыка. Есть как динамичные, так и более спокойные композиции. Очень классно, что слепой человек смог стать популярным певцом и великим пианистом.

A big band jazz front, with soulful ballads to end. This album is good. The piano and singing are good obviously, its Ray Charles. But idk, something was just off. It was kinda boring? The couple fast paced songs are great and I always love big sweeping orchestras. But just kinda felt like two different albums. I feel like there has to be better Ray Charles albums. 3/5 Favorites: Let the Good Times Roll, Come Rain or Come Shine, Just for a Thrill Least Favorites: Tell Me You'll Wait for Me,

Bold name for an album... Whatever I consider musical genius, this isn't it. Still, it was pleasant to listen to.