Reviews (page 12 of 12)
Det var fint nok til at bryde stilhed med, men ikke noget som er et aktivt lyt værdigt.
Hvis Ray Charles er et geni, er det godt nok ikke det her album der overbeviser mig om det. Herregud manden har da en flot karismatisk stemme. Men den spildes på en omgang jævnt kedelige Big Band numre og klaverballader.
What kind of name is that? The "Genius"??? And then they drown him out with brass bands and string orchestras?
One of the best voices in recorded music history. But these songs just didn't do it for me. Where's Georgia On My Mind, Drown In My Own Tears, What I'd Say, Night and Day, Hit The Road Jack, I've Got A Woman, Here We Go Again. Love Ray Charles, but he's only got one other album on this list and none of his best songs are represented.
I enjoyed it till the last third when it seemed a bit too consistently a bit depressed. Great voice.
2 1/2. Didn’t totally hate it but I’ll never be excited to hear anything from it
I really didn't care for the first half but the second half had some great ballads
Pretty good from Ray, not as great as his other work. I enjoyed this.
Big band supper club album
I feel as thought I 'appreciate' Ray Charles more thank I 'like' him. He's an important musical figure, but this is not really my kind of music. And since my ratings as based on 'do I like this,' it gets a low rating.
I can tell what this album is going to be like from the first note. I don't normally like blues or whatever this is, but I'll try it. I didn't end up listening to this whole album because I got the point. I didn't hate it, but I don't think I'd want to listen to this again. The instruments were pretty cool, but it was very slow, and because I don't listen to this genre(jazz/blues I think, I don't really know the difference), most of the songs sounded the same. It has a nice sound, I just don't want to hear forty minutes of it. I do like the lettering on the cover though. 3.5/10
Ray Charles position in the pantheon is without question. However this is a real grind to listen to. Low in the mix sometimes with timing issues. Other collections of ray are better.
2/2 with albums absolutely filtering me today
Smooth, but probably not something I would go back and listen to regularly.
Nagyon basic liftzene, egy dal sem maradt meg.
Why does a blind man have 12 children by 10 women? How does he get so many women?
I do not question the the genius of Ray Charles but I do question the choice of listening to The Genius Of Ray Charles by Ray Charles before I die. Ray Charles + Big Band.... no thank you. He is force on his own. this album is crowded and seems to be the wrong format for such an amazing artist. Not for me.
A couple good songs, but too much big band accompaniment for my taste. Not exactly what I think of when I think of Ray Charles. 2.5/5, perfectly average album.
Incredible high note in 'It Had to Be You' that he then goes on to TOP. Mostly pretty samey and dull though, like 'Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music' was.
Meh
Can’t overstate the influence but in today’s context just not very exciting to listen to. If I’m going to listen to Ray it’s his later music.
I only know of Ray Charles from The Blues Brothers so I was expecting an album like Shake Your Tail Feather from the movie. It maybe a tad unfair but since there was nothing like that on here I ended up feeling really disappointed with this one.
Not as good as I was expecting
Jazz, Blues, 1959 -> 2
A few good tunes, definitely talented but not what I'm seeking in music (2.5*)
3/10 Nope. The blasting if the trumpets is like the painful pangs of a migraine. The sickly strings are waves of nausea. I need to listen to it with my head between my knees to try and make it go away. I could probably tolerate it as background music, but then what's the point?
I was excited to hear a Ray Charles album, as my only frame of reference was his appearance in The Blues Brothers. Imagine my surprise when I prefer the more quiet back half of the album over the more lively front half. Charles voice is powerful, and all the moreso when he's playing a heartfelt ballad or a bluesy number. After decades of hearing how important Ray Charles is to R&B, blues, and popular music in general, this album is kind of a letdown. It feels very lukewarm and not a great example of why Charles is so highly regarded. Highlight: "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'"; "Come Rain or Come Shine"
Not horrible, but boring, basically the same song over and over again. Then again this was recorded in 1959, so you can't fault the sound/arrangements. 2/5
Is this the Charles I want to listen to? Not really. Big band arrangements in the first part, which sound corny no matter how good the vocals might be. And even then, what does Charles really bring to 'It Had to Be You' that a jazz singer doesn't? It's so straight and flat. The second side of ballads is much better for showing off his vocal chops and some nice soloing. 'Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying' is a highlight, with some fantastic string harmonies.
Too much trumpet
Eh, I expected more uptempo tracks like I got a woman or What I'd Say. Not that it wasnt pleasant, but I wanted something else and it wasn't this. https://youtube.com/shorts/GoqRYgAzjyE
This was a nice album with a swing feel to it. I really enjoyed the first few songs but the album was a little fatiguing after that. Ray Charles has a really great voice and I enjoyed the arrangements and songs so I think giving it another listen would be worth while. I think I would rate it a 2.5 or 3.
Very much of its time. I suppose this qualifies as then 'popular music' but I can't really relate to it.
Everybody knows Ray Charles, or at least they should do. This album shows why.
Pa ono, kul je on, ali mi je ovaj album dosta dosadnjikav zapravo. 2/5, 4/10
I can see why this album would be on here. It's got great music and Ray Charles is a good singer and lyricist. What I couldn't get behind was that for the first half of the album every song started the same (loud, impactful fanfare) and the second half of the album every song started the same (softer, songs are clearly more solemn). It made the album seem less "Genius" and more repetitive. Same songs, different lyrics.
Did not like. Very dull. Just not my style at all.
American dream, opa’s en oma’s dans muziek
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.
Not my thing
Kinda boring cover album. Not terrible, but I want his hits!
Liked the band, really great. Ray Charles playing and voice were very mid.
OK it's not anything against him, this music is just really boring to me and the lyrics are soo basic. Also hate gospel music
Very much not my jam, but that goes for everything before 1960. Probably fine for what it is.
i'll just start by saying i know absolutely nothing about this guy. i know he's famous and he's blind but that's about it. i also don't have very much interest which is why i put this album off until the end of the day but here we are. let's see if my views are changed TRACK BY TRACK 1 LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL. honestly ahead of its time for 1959 but to me it's still generic big band/soul, albeit like 5 years before its time. i probably wouldn't return to it but it's feelgood big band, nothing bad. 7/10 2 IT HAD TO BE YOU. pretty much the exact same as the first song. this kind of album is my total weakness to writing because it sparks absolutely nothing interesting for me to say. not the music's fault, it's just that kind of music. 7/10, it's fine 3 ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND. it's alright. old-timey composition with slightly newer big band elements. the bad mix is making it slightly noisy in a olatunji kind of way, which makes it unintentionally a bit more enjoyable. still 6/10. 4 TWO YEARS OF TORTURE. personally pretty boring. it's that 50s jazz pop sound. easy listening to my ears, which to my ears isn't easy listening. what? 5/10 5 WHEN YOUR LOVER HAS GONE. i like this one more than the last because instrumentally it sounds like a more restrained mingus, just with charles (different charles) over it. it's literally the same as every track. 5/10 6 DEED I DO. it's incredible how much more generic each song is getting. i understand this guy's impact, i really do, but not only is this incredible inoffensive, it's also the exact same song. 5/10 7 JUST FOR A THRILL. the backing vocals are pretty ethereal so there's that. bumps it up a bit i guess. this definitely helped develop soul but it's still in its primitive state. 5/10 8 YOU WON'T LET ME GO. so inoffensive. so bland. ethereal backing vocals should be at the forefront. 4/10 9 TELL ME YOU'LL WAIT FOR ME. i do see the appeal but this music just really isn't for me. it's loungy, it's soft, it's accessible. i don't know what else to say. 5/10 10 DON'T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYIN'. try developing industrial hip hop instead. 5/10 11 AM I BLUE. i genuinely cannot give these songs a lower score since there's nothing particularly wrong with them, but nothing pushes them in my favour either. i'm sure he's a genius he's just not my kind of genius. 5/10 12 COME RAIN OR COME SHINE. i like this one more because it gave me a picture of it playing during some scene of a movie where everyone dies with this playful soul ballad on top. i don't know 6/10. is he a genius? i don't know but judging by how much i wrote he didn't make me feel like one. it's inoffensive and it's light, i can see the appeal but it really isn't for me. i understand why it's in the list, i'm glad i listened to it. that's the point of the list after all isn't it? i've widened my horizons. 5/10
Sorry...too dated for me
Ray Charles' voice is amazing. Truly one of the all time R&B singers. I just don't really care for the big band sound. That said I can appreciate this as a bridge between the post war big band jazz sound and what Motown would do in the following decade.
It is fine for what it is, but I just don't really care much for the 'big band' sound
I so wanted to like this. Just couldn't get into it at all.
No soy fan de Ray, no puedo dar una reseña objetiva.
To long
To oldie worldy for me
Quite nice, but not something that will make it to may regular listens.
Starts out fast. Ends slow. Ray Charles with a big band. Sounds like an old movie soundtrack that Ray Charles wrote some tunes to go over. It's fine.
I don’t like jazz.
i dont think i like jazz so that much
Not my bag really
Ok 2.5
2 - I like the production of these old albums but after the first two songs it just gets annoying to listen to
Sei lá, não achei muito "genius". Obviamente é o Ray, pica pra caralho, mas meh
More big band ray Charles. Not really my thing.
big band jazz. classic stuff, high quality, not my jam.
Wanted to hear some more blues but this sounded a bit too big band for me.
too jazzy, I prefer the soul or blues Ray
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.
Not a massive jazz fan i think with this one.
Pretty enjoyable but not something I’ll probably come back to.
The relaxed tracks are good, but the trumpet blasts are irritating.
It's just not for me.
1st half I thought the arrangements were terrible..all those horns going to 11..ouch my ears. 2nd half was..slightly..better
Enjoyed bits of it - but some of it left me feeling blehhhhh
would rather listen to him singing the blues than big band
Bored 2/5
too much big band
I prefer a more stripped-down, bluesy Ray Charles instead of this overly produced, big band kerfuffle. Can’t hate on the man too much, though, he was a true icon.
..
There wasn't anything 'genius' in it. Some big band songs and some sweet ballads. Loved 'Am I Blue' and 'Come Rain or Come Shine' . That's it.
# 371 : its ok. You've got to love the big band antics going on here, true to the style of the day for sure. Found myself nodding off a bit throughout this one, with some slow boring numbers.
Okay.
I was hoping for more from this album.
A true master, but a lot of it sounds the same
Not my taste
Exactly what I expected, not my sound.
Well Ray certainly has a lovely voice, doesn't he? It's a bit too croony for my tastes for the most part, but perfectly serviceable light blues. I do think 'Let the Good Times Roll' promised upbeat-party-Ray, and the rest of the album feels a bit like an anticlimax after that, no shakin' of tail feathers here... Fave: Let the Good Times Roll
I was just kind of bored by it. The few songs i know, I know better versions of.
Too old. Even for me. His later stuff slapped harder
great and all, but not my cup of tea
4/10 Next album on my list is called It's A Shame About Ray. Seems appropriate somehow...
The voice is great, but I just find this type of music so very, very boring.
I love Ray Charles but I feel the list has screwed up again. This is not the album with the lasting major impact on soul and popular music. This, even in its day, was a back looking production. I love the big band and Ray's unique style and take on standards. I'm not so keen on the 2nd half of string backed ballads; they do not hold up nearly as well. But its all of the time and as such, its of the period before. There is none of the fresh sounds where he fused gospel with pop and rock and soul to change the direction of music for the next decade. Disappointing choice. 2.4
If you're going to call yourself a genius, your album better be half decent. But oh my, what a pain listening through all of this. The first half is mostly plain bluesy songs, given a Big Band make-over. I hate it with a passion (I'd actively switch this off if it was on the radio) but I appreciate it's a matter of taste, if this is your thing, fine, enjoy! Songwriting skills isn't Charles' saving grace - he didn't write any! He is basically an OK singer and piano player, like many others. The second half initially got on my nerves much less and there are some fine songs (again, not his'), if only that omnipresent background choir had gone for a drink during the recordings. Less can be more, if you have a decent song as a starting point. I can imagine they would actually be quite good if e.g. Elvis Costello would sing them. I'll round it up to a 2* for historical reasons. Phew, I hope it's not Frank Sinatra or so tomorrow!
No doubt that Ray Charles is another mega superstar who deserves all the accolades for his contribution to music. Personally I always thought of him as from a different generation and that the music he made was for the pleasure of the likes of my mum and dad. I am now in my 70’s so where that leaves Ray Charles goodness only knows. To younger listeners he may be as relevant as Bach or Beethoven. To others latching onto his magnitude he is an artist who is extremely cool by modern standards. I have no strong feelings either way and ambivalent to his music. It exists but somewhere outside my consciousness. 2/5 20/9/24
I usually love Ray Charles, but there must be a certain Ray that I like because this and “modern sounds in country music” did nothing for me. The croony Christmas feel leaves something to be desired. I was optimistic after the album kicked off strong with “let the good times roll”, but it quickly dove into banal soundtrack hymns. Here’s hoping I get one of his albums that moves me soon!
It's pretty basic, but damn if it ain't hit me right sometimes. Am I Blue is a beauty.
So Ray Charles' first album was released in 1957, and this was his 7th....released in 1959. That's some work rate. I'd had minimal exposure to Ray Charles, and I was expecting great things from this album. But I really didn't care for the big band arrangements and the old classic songs. I really didn't see this as a particularly great album.
If you’re into jazz, you’ll probably like this album. Personally, I’m not a fan, so it just sounds boring and uninspired to me. 2
man i dont like this genre im so sorry i dont think ill listen to the whole album its just not my thing his singing is very good though my favorite song: /
Good, but didn't do anything amazing for me. I enjoyed the second half more when it was slowed down and simplified, the first half had a lot of big band sounds which I don't really enjoy. Ray is a legend and has a lot of fantastic songs but this album did not wow me
Swingging Pop with Bigband arrangements.
Mid
Meh muzak. Sorry Ray.
Affectionate
Would I listen to it again: no Do I like it: no
Not my cup of tea.🤷
Less good than Modern Sounds. Pretty boring, overall?
This & Frank Sinatra etc are so hard because I just forget I'm listening to them. It's not that they're bad, it's just. It feels like I'm at Macy's at Christmas or something. Unobjectionable. 2.4 stars is my subjective rating (I just don't care for it). Not a bad album. idk.
Ray Charles sings and plays a range of classic standards. Side 1 is big band. Side 2 is orchestra backed ballads. All fine but not very interesting. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Come Rain or Come Shine Date listened: 03/06/24
Obviously a hugely important and talented musician but this style of music just does nothing for me personally.
I really want to like Ray Charles, and I really thought I did! But the albums on this list have been so boring. There’s nothing wrong with this, but that’s kind of the problem. It’s plain and inoffensive. I want there to be some grit, some excitement. These songs just kind of are. Uninteresting, underwhelming.
Can't say that i enjoyed it a lot, "modern sound" gives way more complex experience of jazz and Ray personally
Very good, very few interesting songs though, different genre to bat im used to
Rimelig arrogant titel.. ved godt at det er over 70 år gammelt og det er måske hjulpet lidt på vej af at jeg lige har set Fallout, men det er lidt for old-timey for mig. Svært at vurdere om det burde være på listen, men man kender jo navnet Ray Charles...
I think music like this is reallyyyy hard to rate and critique with modern ears. Does it sound good? Absolutely, and that puts it leagues above other contemporaneous records. But is the music listenable to modern ears? Not particularly. This sort of big band jazz has been regulated to a certain type of cocktail bar/coffee shop/mid-tier Italian restaurant, and unless you’re trying to throw a try-hard dinner party, there’s very little reason to listen to this type of music. It never feels timeless, or even exceptional. It’s just “good for what it is,” and that’s extremely boring and forgettable to my modern ears. And I like it, but I’m not going to go out of my way to ever actively listen to it, either. I wonder if there’s maybe a better Ray Charles album to include on this list, because this is not doing much for me, even if it’s good for what it is.
This is not really my thing. It's pleasant enough and fine as background music in a coffee shop but not something I would sit down and 'listen' to. Musically all the songs sound very similar which doesn't help to hold my attention. 2- stars.
Read the review I gave for his Modern Sounds album. More big band and Ray. He's good but is he really a genius? I'm not sold...
Try a little tenderness
1. let the good timez roll - 1.5 2. it had to be you - 1.5 3. ragtime band - 1 4. torture - 1 5. gone - 1.5 6. deed i do - 1 7. a thrill - 1 8. let me go - 1 9. uuait for me - 1 10. crying - 1 11. blue - 1 12. come zhine - 1.5
Really boring. Fits in a shopping mall in a christmas movie.
What better way to try to get Ray Charles to "cross over" than to orchestrate his voice like Frank Sinatra?
Rating: 5/10 Meh.
I started to get the feeling I was waiting too damn long for a table at an overrated, overpriced restaurant. His voice is soothing at least.
Not my kind of music
Ray Charles voice is great but just not a fan of big band music.
2 nothing really stuck with me. Was mostly ok crooning lounge-y songs
The whole album is fine, but not particularly interesting or engaging in the slightest. Definitely the kind of music I would put on to help me quickly fall asleep.
I expected to love this one but it just wasn’t for me. I’d like to give it another try in the future. I did like one song, and added it to a playlist.
It's okay, a bit boring
I feel conflicted because I do think that the songs are good and I can appreciate them, they just aren't something that I would find myself listening to. Both halves of the album have interesting things to offer with the first half's big band sound and the second half's more downbeat piano. However I am not the biggest fan of big band music. I am going to have to rate this based on my personal preferences so unfortunately it's going to be a 4/10. I think Come Rain or Come Shine was probably my favorite song off the album
Meikäläisen älymystöön kuuluu tasan kolome herara... Eput.... Ja jotkut muutkin suomalais artistit.... Ei tule hyvää arvosanaa jos jo otsikossa yritetään viisastella kuuulijoilta korvat pois.... Kuuntelen itse ja ymmärrän kyllä. Ymmärryksessä ei ole ikinä ollut mitään vaikeuksia tässä on heikohkoa mutta vedenpitävää musiikkia.. Yritin paskaveesä käyttää ... Sovi yksi tähti jo värikkäälle hra:lle..
Curro muito Ray Charles, mas sou mais das musicas agitadas. :/
Surprisingly boring and hokey.
Don't like, not my style
Not Ray's greatest, for sure.
Honestly every song sounds the same but maybe i’m just not used to this style and not a fan of it, yet at least.
Soulful! A little slow and emotional for the moment
What an energy and the great voice and music brings you back in a fifties bar. Great to listen to.
This is probably going to come across way meaner than I intend. But this was generic jazz tunes without any passion. They’re performed competently but without urgency. I’ve heard Judy Garland, and other artists, perform these songs and I become emotional due to her performance. This elicited nothing from me. Ray Charles could do that with other songs that I’ve heard. This was a dud. 2/5
This is kind of a joke right. This record has some fine music on it with one great artist and some other fine ones I'm sure. This is far from ray Charles best work and doesn't even suite him that well. Could've died without listening to this
Wéér Ray Charles en Stevie Wonder in één week. Alsof de duvel ermee speelt. Eigenlijk is het verband tussen die twee niet zo groot, maar ik heb het vorige keer gelegd en nu zit ik er aan vast. De bigband opent luid en duidelijk. Na 30 seconden bronzen getetter begint ome Ray lekker erbij te schreeuwen en is het feest compleet. Dit wordt ondanks de 38 minuten toch weer een hele zit. Dit album bestaat uit oorverdovend getoeter en rustige nummers. Die rustigere nummers kom ik prima doorheen, maar de drukke nummers vind ik amper te doen. Voor mij teveel schel getetter. Geen fan van.
More slow covers. Tho this one is better than the other album
Ray Charles was very accomplished musician, I really liked Ray Charles when he plays blues, but I wouldn't say this album is a representation of the genius of Ray Charles. But let's not be too harsh here, if we consider it was released way way back in 1959... he'll my mum was barely a teenager then... so it's in the hayday of jazz and the big band sound, and fornthat era it's a smooth compilation. Did I enjoy the album, yes, mostly. Would I listen to it again, well yes kinda, if it was already on in the background. What tracks did I like, well none of them really stood out, but I didn't completely hate any of them either.
I have a world of respect for Ray Charles but I just don’t care for his music so this album did nothing for me.
Jazz mäßig. „Swinging Pop“ steht bei Wikipedia. Ohne mich! Hoffe, ich bin schon halb durch. Ne, Lied drei Aber ich denke nicht, dass ich da noch viel von hören muss um zu wissen, was es ist.
Not for me
Bit pretentious to call yourself a genius in your own album, but I respect it. First half is big band music, second half is orchestral. Music was kind of boring to me, but he has a great voice and the album is well composed. Favorite Track: Alexander's Ragtime Band
I prefer rollicking and fun Ray Charles to ballad singing Ray Charles. The first song on the album is amazing but then it goes to snoozetown and never returns.
Like jazz, not a bad artist. Just to old of taste for me.
Not for me. Kinda basic.
I really appreciate what Ray Charles did for soul music, and music in-general. I don't think this is the best album to represent his music. I think the big band backing takes away from him, as they seem to be the focal point of the record. It would be better if it was just Ray and his piano.
I mean it's pleasant to listen to, but after finishing it, I realised how there's nothing really memorable on this album, at least for me. I feel like it lacks of highlights. Great performances overall, and I like his voice. Sadly I'm also not a big fan of the scratchy production. Best song: Let the Good Times Roll
Ray Charles es un gran intérprete pero el disco es un rollo patatero de standards jazz-pop. En la primera cara aparece acompañado por una big band que suena a rayos y la segunda son una serie de baladas bañadas en melosos arreglos orquestales, pero que resulta más tolerable porque en ellas se aprecia mejor la voz y el piano de Charles.
Rating: 2.5
Not really my kind of thing but still good!
Think I just don't like big band stuff. First track was alright, Ray shone through and made it his own. Second track though, along with most of the rest of the album, felt too much like he was being told to try and emulate Sinatra, which is never a good thing. No need to listen to that again.
Smooth but not my cup of tea unless I saw it live
I like Ray Charles, i don’t like big band arrangements. They’re too coordinated. I prefer music to be more loose, especially jazz sounds.
Más o menos entretenido, pero no le he prestado atención. Supongo que darle 2 estrellas es justo por el interés que me ha producido. Buena calidad en el sonido. En este disco solo había una de las canciones más escuchadas de él así que tendré que buscar si hay algo que le haga más justicia.
Was okay but after a while it all sounded like the same
Understand why it can be seen as a timeless classic by jazz fans, but it's not for me.
Interesting to hear the blending old Big Band with R&B stuff. Decent throughout, sadly marred by the likes of Jools Holland pushing his honky tonk stylings on everyone.
Makes for nice background music, but not many noteworthy tracks on this one
His voice was unmistakable. Though I find the arrangements on the record overly bombastic, his voice makes it. I'd love to hear these pared down a bit. We're all here to hear Ray. don't make us wait.
Kinda boring but probably a great album if you're a big Ray Charles head
Jotain neroutta tuolla taustalla on, kun on niin smoothia. Mutta taustaksi menee
Pari hyvää tulkintaa, jotka voisin jatkossakin soittaa. Tuotanto on kuitenkin korvat tappavan hirvittävä (yleensä PIDÄN 50-lukulaisesta kämäisyydestä), ja valtaosa biisivalinnoista oman aikansa tusinamateriaalia.
There’s no denying Ray Charles has a timeless voice and makes some beautiful music. There’s some great songs on here. A lot of it sounds pretty dated (understandably so) and I can only listen to so much of that before it gets stale. Most of it, while good sounding music, was just un memorable to me. Don’t want to take anything away from Ray Charles though, he has some bangers and a pretty crazy life. Bright spot: Don’t let the sun
Iets te big band en jaren 50 voor mij
This is a record where the hallmarks of Ray Charles - the funky piano-playing and up-tempo gospel/swing/R&B/soul - is completely lacking. The result is a snooze fest through and through. Why is this one of only two Ray Charles albums on the list?
Oh no.. Ray Charles, an RnB genious for sure, but not on this album, where he is loosing it. Very boring and disappointing
You can hear the quality but it is totally not my style.
En osu oikeaan kohdeyleisöön. Taustamusaa.
não é meu estilo - basicamente é o tipo de música que vem na minha cabeça quando penso em um lobby/bar de hotel rico, conseguiria apreciar a música em um ambiente desses mas definitivamente não é algo que eu escutaria no meu dia a dia - Música com um feeling nostálgico/emocional, acho que é algo bom para ter como background de um evento/gathering mais chique ou escutar uma que outra música dentro de uma playlist mais diversificada.
It's fine background music. Sorry.
Not much of a jazz fan so I guess I can’t appreciate the genius of Ray Charles
A compilation of rainy weather, slow jazz, not my type of jam instrumentally.
Njae, jag vet inte....
It's OK. It's a mood. More of a "time and place" kind of record.
Big band jazz. Nice... ...for 1 song.
blasty horns made many songs unbearable for me
This is the seventh Ray Charles album since his debut album. It's a swinging pop album backed by a big band and was his first breakout away from pure rhythm and blues music. Although the production of the album was marred by low audio quality, Ray Charles makes up for it with his brash, beautiful piano playing and peppy lyrics. This was a wonderful album, but it is starting to show its age, since the recording never fully captured Ray's amazing quality.
meh, lots of horns, not really me.
Honestly solid but I'd probably never listen on my own
Old ppl music. No BOPPERS dude
Genius schmenius. An album of dull crooning of which, 5 minutes later, I can't even remember one note.
Didn't really love this one. Mostly just not my style of music. It was fine in the background, but I wouldn't listen again by choice.
beurk, too slow
Big Band does me nut in. The ballads washed over me.
not for me
Sure it’s a great example of its genre but this isn’t for me.
nok ray charles no
Meh
Meh, shmaltzy big band swing. Not a patch on Ray's small combo R&B stuff.
I'm sure this is good quality but I really don't like this style of music!
just not my kind of music. but I acknowledge it's good for what it is.
De la musique d'ascenceur, de la soul sympa à écouter en fond 2 étoiles parce que même si rien ne sort du lot, rien n'est merdique non plus
Big band 50s music , not the R&B Ray I’ve come to like .
I’m not the biggest R&B/blues fans but it was nice to hear Ray sing, he’s got a great voice. Preferred the small group pieces on this one to the big band ones.
Contains some good stuff, but I don't think an album of swing standards/crooner ballads is the best use of Ray Charles. Some of his other songs show off his voice better, and have a more distinctive musical style too. Feels like you could sub in a Sinatra or whoever onto this record and the result would be pretty similar. 2.5
MID
You don't get this in Nandos. What a fucking arrogant album title. I don't think this one was great.
Meh Charles
Good old stuff, but is it really what's best from this genre, from this artist? All I'm saying is that's a lot of brass from someone who's known for his piano playing
This album was probably a big hit when it came out, but I really have a hard time getting attached to it. Neither the voice, nor the compositions, nor the brass arrangements or the texts make me experience anything. I'm sorry, I can't pretend and give a good rating.
good but not my thing
Bit disappointed with this, was looking forward to some Ray! Mind you, I only know him from the tour de force that is The Blues Brothers so maybe my sights were aimed too high. Shame really.
Altijd gezellig onze Ray, maar na een paar nummers heb ik het wel gehoord.
Beetje ego-klopperij, om je album 'the genius of Ray Charles' te noemen. En zo tof is het nou ook weer niet.
Boring.
Way ahead of its time.
Pleasant enough but nothing grabbed me on first listen
I love Ray Charles - and kudos for this being the seventh album he put out in three years - but this album is behind it’s time. It sounds like it was recorded in the mid-40s to early 50s. I mean, he’s good - don’t get me wrong. But I don’t think this is near his best work - nor could it have been considered unique in any way at its release in 1959 or at any point since. I’ll consider this a “blip” in an otherwise awesome catalog of albums.
Straightforward big band charts. I like this better than Sinatra-style crooning, but it’s still better for background / theme music than a dedicated listen.
“The Genius of Ray Charles” by Ray Charles (1959) This album is structured not according to theme or development, but by its style of delivery; side one being ‘big band’ instrumentation (brass & saxes), while side two being more fully orchestral with strings, low woodwinds and choral backgrounds. Side one is black tie & dinner jacket; side two is white tie & tails. All of this is deployed in support of Ray Charles’ piano/vocal covers of popular tunes. It’s great music. Very listenable. But it’s not the genius of Ray Charles. The album title is marketable but misleading, in that it uses his well deserved nickname “The Genius” to denote only a small portion of his highly eclectic oeuvre. And it’s his eclecticism (blues, rock, jazz, country, swing, pop) that merits the moniker. This was clear even in 1959, by which time he was well known as a songwriter and composer. But none of the songs on this album were written, composed, or arranged by Ray Charles. The main course of side one is overpowered by the splash & bash garnish. Ray Charles’ signature ‘wandering’ approach in his vocal stylings on well-known melodies is of great interest, giving a fresh take on classics like Cahn/Jones’ “It Had to Be You” and Irving Berlin’s “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”. But the big band/swing arrangements (by others, including Quincy Jones) are simply too overwhelming. It’s like soundtrack bits to B-movies in the detective film noir mode. I don’t want to hear one more diminished chord blast by six trumpets and four trombones. It’s too much. For God’s sake, just let the man sing! The orchestral arrangements on side two (all by Ralph Burns) are not as dominant, but the switch from the bombastic to the pallid is not much of an improvement. One this side we get a better taste of the incomparable vocals of Ray Charles. His wide-ranging baritone is famously rough but expressive, slightly raspy but abundantly sensitive. The penultimate track “Am I Blue?” has the most excellent arrangement on the album, but, sadly, the weakest vocal performance. A much better example of this genre is the retro “A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night” by Harry Nilsson (1973). Ray Charles is among the giants in the history of recorded music. Would that this album had done justice to his extraordinary talent. 2/5
Not a fan at all. I am sure he is a genius, but just not my cup of tea.
I can't say I'm a fan of big band and crooning ballads, which basically describes both sides of this record. I prefer Charles' later material where he gets more rock n' roll
Sorry Ray, just can't get this crooner music. There are some really good songs.....but just not me.
Beautifully performed standards. I can appreciate them, even if they sound a bit old and tired to my ears. The kind of thing I would put on if my parents were coming round and I wanted background music.
I know that Ray Charles is idolized, but just too slow and not what I'm looking for when listening to music.
Seems wrong to not give Ray Charles a larger rating, especially as the album starts with Let The Good Times Roll which is great but after that it's just not my style. A bit too mellow and the string arrangements are for me distracting. Would probably enjoy a simpler remix of this more with emphasis on the jazz trio components. Wouldn't mind if this came on at a restaurant or party but probably would look elsewhere for different Ray.
Only half way through before fatigue set in. Ray Charles is talented for sure but it's all so samey. Feels longer than 38 minutes.
Not my general cup of tea but this actually helped a massive hangover and found it nice running in the background - unlikely to explore again though
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Tell Me You'll Wait for Me Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Similar sentiment that I've had for a lot of the much older albums; good music, important music, but not my thing.
Good, but not classic.
Always got time for a bit of Ray Charles, but this album was a bit too much big band than his usual soul for me. Only so much of that sound I can take before I feel like I’m at some black tie ball full of bankers...in New York. Nice enough, and a good soundtrack to breakfast, but that’s about it.
He may deserve the genius moniker but I’m not in love with the Ray Charles Big Band sound
Undoubtedly good, but not my style and rather forgettable for me.
Not the hugest fan of this, but it was enjoyable and deserved to be on the list.
Good music, but not my specific cup of tea!
Wasnt in mood for r&b
I was so bored with this.
Not my cup of tea tbh. Fav song is ‘Let the Good Times Roll’.
What an odd title. Not my preferred style of his music. Great voice but the over the top orchestration ruins it.
I'm approaching this by viewing the artist as auteur; the album as their creation. So, as well executed and enjoyable as this collection is, I'm going to have to mark it down for those reasons. For a sound that fuses so many other genres, it has to be said this bluesy big band pop sound has a very limited vocabulary. That doesn't really matter though, it is all pulled off with irresistable charismatic energy by Charles and the wealth of musicians assembled - my dad would have loved this record, I'm sure. Charles may himself be an icon, this album - for me - while fun, is not really iconic.
yawn. Sappy music
no l'he acabat d'escoltar perquè és 0 es meu rollo pero s'ha de dir que mola, es animat i molen ses composicions
38 minutes and 32 seconds of shite. Also the dude's name is Ray Charles and he named the fufcking album "The Genius Of Ray Charles"!! Fuck off you arrogant cunt!!
The big band arrangements on side A are off-putting, but the orchestral arrangements of side B suit his vocal style better. This sounds like an attempt to mold him into a standard crooner, but there are much better singers for that. I don't think we get the real Ray Charles on this record.
I was disappointed by his blues. I expected better. I guess I’m used to his older raspy voice. I don’t hear the genius in this album.
Nah
I don't care
Not my type of music
Dnf
Nicht meine Musik!
Not a massive fan of this one. Ray Charles does Frank Sinatra? No thanks. I'm not ashamed to say I listened to about 30 seconds of each song before skipping on. It's really bland.
Dimery you dumb shit. Of all the bad choices you’ve made putting this list together, could this be the most asinine? In the same month that this was released, Ray Charles also released What I’d Say, and which of those two albums did you choose to include? This album is a collection of covers, that could easily be mistaken for any 50s crooner, there’s just nothing special or unique about it. Ray’s voice is good and there’s occasional a tinkle of piano under all the horns. What I’d Say is original compositions showing his style, skill and personality in full force. I get that a lot of this stuff is personal preference, but this one feels like Dimery simply doesn’t know what the fuck he is talking about.
Didn’t realize Ray’s (early) albums were so big band sound. Kinda slow, too. Songs are very similar, no standouts. His voice is rich, but the sound is out of date and not for me. (1.4*s)
How is there already another Ray Charles album in the list? I didn't like the first one and this one is only slightly better. It doesn't age well, this big band stuff will always sound dated. Not for me.
Enjoyed more than prior Ray Charles entry. I'm more into the big band sound than his soul/R&B hits. While it started with a bang it unfortunately slowed down a lot and was pretty mundane. Not sure I would listen to this with any regularity but it serves as a better entry to 1001 than a few of the prior 50s albums. I wasn't there in the 50s but it yet again doesn't sound like anything special. 1.10 stars
Have I heard this album before? No Highlights: Rating: 3/10 I could tell from the start of the album that this one probably wouldn’t be for me. The music in the first half sounds like the introduction to an old 50s talk show. The second half was pretty boring, felt a lot of the songs were very similar.
We all know that Ray Charles is a great singer and can play fun piano. Which is why when this album instead shoves Big Band music in your face it is so perplexing. A lot of musical genres from the last century have survived and thrived after they were the most popular music of their time. Blues and Jazz musicians are still able to build a following and release good new music. Big Band is shit and always was. It is completely abandoned in the zeitgeist and for good reason. This album wastes Ray Charles's talents and is basically a Big Band cover album. A shame.
Not my cup of tea at all. Mostly ballads and slow numbers that were pretty boring and forgettable
Not my bag
Way too “Big Band” from my liking. Sounds like he was trying to be the black Lawrence Welk with this one. There’s no energy to this music. Definitely not my thing.
I’m not really into blues, didn’t love this.
Not good
Damn, he can't see the bullshit like Tokyo’s Revenge. My jaw stuck from yawning and this music wasn't worth it
I don’t like his voice.
Too sentimental to my taste. Seams like a one track minded recording. Did not age well
I’m bored
IDK, not even listen
No
sick
I remember ray charles because when I was a child saw his movie
yeahhh