Reviews (page 13 of 14)
Definitely liked this better than Country and Western. The arrogance of the title of this album feels earned.
Not bad for someone who can't see what he's doing.
Poor recording — the sound regularly breaks up a bit. Could use a lot more piano and a lot less everything else.
not for me
Blissful, classy, the vocals are amazing both in the lead and on rge choruses, the lyrics, not as much, not bad, sometimes pretty good and most of the time they speak about love, not as poetic, pretty straightforward, though th
Loved it
I really enjoyed this! Not my typical music taste but this would be wonderful music to have a relaxing morning to!
Me gustó más la segunda parte. Es que me gusta el blues de Ray Charles. Lo que no quiere decir que la primera parte sea de menor calidad.
quite calming music, all of the songs sounded pretty much the same but overall the experience of this album was very good.
Brilliant
Amazing. Ray Charles’ voice just gets you.
a complete vibe. loved the saxophone
You are hosting for your third date. Get some wine and cheese, maybe you just went to the theatre. You show your record collection and of course play this, after telling some bohemian story about how you found it on some random second hand record store. It has to be on a small central-european city, of course. But it works, and the date is a blast.
Extremely uneven. There are some monster tracks and a whole lot I never want to hear again. Unfortunate. Best track: Deed I Do
8/10 Fave: Don't let the sun catch you crying
One of Soul's progenitors, Ray Charles, did a great job on this album. I wasn't really fascinated with the album's beginning, but it did grow on me as the minutes passed. I particularly enjoyed Ragtime Band and Just for a Thrill. One thing I can say is, although I really appreciate the musicianship here (and Charles is a great pianist for sure), a lot of the songs just didn't capture my attention much. All I can say is; great album, just need to get used to the sounds more.
Great Voice, great album
crazy nigga
Solid album. I liked it more than expected. However, most songs sound pretty similar to me. 3/5
Smooth, catchy jazz, I like it.
Really lovely music. If you don’t like mid-tempo stuff, I can see you getting bored. And I’m usually like that, but I think Ray did it better than nearly anyone. A-
I’m bored
Come Rain or Come Shine by Ray Charles was our wedding waltz so it has a special place in my heart. This is a blend of big band sound and then the B side with some sweet ballads and lush strings. Ray had the ability to hop genres and his voice and fabulous piano are timeless
Great big band moments. I preferred the first half over the string backed ballads on the 2nd half
‘Two Years of Torture’ ‘When Your Lover’s Gone’ ‘You Won’t Let Me Go’. Is it actually possible to ‘like’ an album so lachrymose?
A beautiful album, Brother Ray’s prowess on keys alongside that whisky smoked voice is a transportive, enrapturing experience. Whether ballad or big band, there’s none finer. The arrangements are sublime (including two by Quincy Jones), the band are brilliant.
I know Ray Charles is a genius, and I'll increase my rate here to four-star based on that information. The album itself is ok, a lovely piece of music. Nothing much more
Sure it’s a great example of its genre but this isn’t for me.
This was a surprise and a discovery to listen to. I guess I thought I knew my basic Ray Charles. Big band and orchestra arrangements? Pop standards? But it was pure Ray singing, and while I was at first just a little skeptical, the second time through I just enjoyed the ride and loved his take on some classics. "Let the Good Times Roll" was really a ton of fun and "Am I Blue" was gorgeous. I'm so happy I got to hear this today!
I was not familiar with these Ray Charles tracks, but it was a great listen. Lots of fun and musically interesting.
Sailing smoothly from big band horns to jazzy sax and piano to lush orchestral strings, The Genius of Ray Charles is one glorious ride.
Ray Charles is another of those artists my dad really loved so I heard a lot of him growing up. No sure if I’ve ever heard this album in particular, but I knew some of the songs and very much enjoyed it! Smoking in some places, sumptuous in others, this is a really wonderful addition to the day.
Best Song: Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying. A really beautiful lyrical theme, in a song where Ray Charles is just the right mix of laid back and freewheeling. Also features what is (in my opinion) the best piano solo of the album. Worst Song: Alexander's Ragtime. The backing band is turned up so loud that each of their entries just comes out as a blaring blast of sound. Overall: Surprisingly, I ended up liking the quieter, more subdued tracks on here. Although usually I like the more bombastic additions, I think problems with the mixing caused the quieter songs to stand out more.
This was highly enjoyable. I preferred the first half of this album but the second half was great, too.
Bien fait, très cool.
C'est pas le plus pépé des albums de Ray Charles, mais ce n'est pas mauvais. Faut être dans le mood puisque c'est vraiment smooth comme album. Le big band est cool. Ça ouvre super bien avec Let the Good Times Roll. Pièces préférées: Let the Good Times Roll, Come Rain or Come Shine
nok ray charles no
På tide med et gjenlytt av musikerane til Count Basie. Merke at eg e ein sucker for gode blåserekke
This is such a great mix of what Ray Charles does best. There’s also hints of big band and standards coupled in that give the album a unique spin in Rays discography.
Genius is fair.
Perfection, geniality, superb arrangements, Ray has an unique talent.
Marvelous album. Great jazz in general. A couple of amazing songs, like "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'" and the opening with "Let the Good Times Roll"
Let the Good Times Roll: ok this is blues, I really like the chorus but could do without the verses. his voice is very expressive. ah this mix is hurting my ears by how abrasive the instruments sound. nice sax solo. listening to this music literally feels like time travelling to the time of its release, which is kinda creepy. this track makes sense as an opener. 4/10 It Had to Be You: Ok I know this song. I like this better than the opener for sure. Pretty basic lyrics with basic rhymes but I guess all music back then was like that. the instrumentation is more basic on this track, for sure. more “radio-friendly”. the ending is nice and climactic 6/10 Alexander's Ragtime Band: ok my fav so far. Also it's not about love so that's a plus. Nice and boppy and even dare I say catchy. Also with an important message for the time I'm sure. Love the left-panned female vocals during the hook lol. May actually save this song. Nice sax solo again, really pretty and kinda atmospheric, feels like a jazz club. 9/10 Two Years of Torture: Kinda melodically and arrangemently(?) similar to his other music so far. Major filler track vibes (despite this being a compilation) and also the lyrics aren't as deep as I hoped for such a title. Unless it's about interracial relationships? Ooh the sax solo is nice and rich in this one lol. Love the bluesy piano as well in the calm little breakdown. Still not my fav of the album tho, def not 4/10 When Your Lover Has Gone: nooo this sounds like something Dad would listen to. Also boring subject matter. His voice doesnt sound as on-point in this one either. skimmed through the rest. very boring song 2/10 Deed I Do: so weird to hear outdated terminology that was considered hip back then lol. I like the attitude in his voice in this one. kinda sounds like italian restaurant music somehow, like something they would play at Maggiano LOOOL. It's an ok song, pretty good. Nice charismatic instrumental breakdown, very skilled and fun. Seems like all his songs have the same structure. Ok climactic ending. 6/10 Just For a Thrill: same rhythm as a lot of the other songs on this album. i like the lyrics to this one, especially because you usually don't hear males sing from this perspective. probably one of the better songs on the album so far. a bit monotonous but a nice chill & classy ballad, a small little journey. more female backing vocals, but they don't work as well as in the other track. saving this one as well. nice ending with the female choir. 7/10 You Won't Let Me Go: listening to this in the pouring rain hits different. again kinda simplistic lyrics (that are untrue anyway) a song that doesn't stand out from the others on the album. also the oh yeah at the end is creepy lol but nbd 5/10 Tell Me You'll Wait for Me: instantly a gloomier feeling than the other songs. the intro was interesting. love the strings(?) in the background, they add a lot of drama. despite the melody being kinda basic this song definitely feels darker than the other ones on the compilation because of the little instrument details. wish the lyrics were darker to match. saved this one. 8/10 Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin': Definitely more depressing than the other songs (the title says all). Also finally a bit of a different melody. I like this one a lot. Saved. 8/10 Am I Blue: amazing strings opening. Pretty flute too. but again the same rhythm as always. love the male vulnerability. nice melody, especially in the B-melody. the lyrics could have been better, another song about heartbreak. not gonna save this one, but it's quite pretty and heartbreaking. nevermind i am gonna save it lol, the B-melody is too pretty 7/10 Come Rain or Come Shine: ok, I know this one ofc. But I have never actually actively listening to it. I think it's one of his biggest hits. Definitely the poppiest song on the album, so it makes sense why it was a hit. Really nice B-melody again, with the haunting choir as well (why are his B-melodies way better than his A-ones)? Not the best on the album, tbh. It's nice though. 6/10
Very good. Great summer album. Makes me wanna sit outside somewhere and people watch.
Some nice old timey pop. 50s must be my highest rated genre now for some reason
Meh
Great stuff.
High Energy and swinging as it gets. Classic.
Grayt
I can't say I ever choose to listen to this style of music but it's nice enough. I don't really have a point of reference as to whether this I'd exceptional or not.
Jazzy
Jane (3/5) Shannah (2/5) Conor (3/5) Bill (3.5/5) (2.875/5)
Like listening to an old time radio.
I was surprised how jazzy this album is. I actually liked the second half better than the first, even though it was more laden with strings and 50s style pop production which I don't usually like. The songwriting in the second half (side) seems stronger to me. A quality album. 4 🌟
Vanha soul ja rythm and blues kyllä iskee meikäläiseen. Enää ku olis loputun määrä röökii 4/5
Super miellyttävää mut en missään vaiheessa oikein kokenut mitään sen suurempaa elämystä. Tosin tein samalla asioita. Pitää kuunnella joskus uusiks.
Mestari. Eipä paljon muuta sanottavaa kuin todellinen klassikko, 4/5.
GRAND RAY FUCKING CHARLES
Good album. Some great big band swing songs, but likely won’t be a frequent listening partner
4/5 genius indeed.
I didn’t have anything against this but it seemed like an odd selection to represent Ray Charles. I’m not sure that showcasing Charles as a vocalist was all that necessary of a goal. This is all solid but at the end of the day it’s just an album of standards, competently but not remarkably performed.
10/10 my man Ray out here makin the best hits of the century
The two sides of this album are very distinct but I dig both. His piano playing really shines on the back half. The mix is somewhat subpar but otherwise this is really enjoyable.
I could listen to this all day.
Highlights: Let the Good Times Roll Two Years of Torture Deed I Do Just For A Thrill Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' Artwork: 4 / 10 Rating: 9 / 10
Meh, shmaltzy big band swing. Not a patch on Ray's small combo R&B stuff.
It was fun to listen to and very mood setting. I think “deed i do“ was my favorite song in this album
Absolutely fantastic (8/10) FT: Come Rain or Come Shine, Tell Me You'll Wait for Me
One of my all time favorite albums is Ella and Basie which was released about four years after this album. The 'Deed I Do' track on E&B is far superior to the Ray Charles original on this album. The tempo is slow but enjoy the southern draw and soft rasp of Charles' voice. However, my advice is to listen to the Ella and Basie album first before you embark on this one.
It takes a pair to call your album "The Genius Of"... yourself. But for Ray Charles it is well deserved. His voice is wonderful, and the songs are timeless.
I love his voice but found myself getting bored
The album started out with a bang and I wish the whole thing were like Let The Good Times Roll. There is a noticeable dichotomy between up tempo tracks and slower ones. The up tempo tracks are more fun although they tend to have a bit too much of a big band feel. The slower tracks are nice. Ray Charles’s voice shines through, but I want more up tempo stuff.
I'm sure this is good quality but I really don't like this style of music!
Awesome stuff. It loses one star because the blaring horns really started grating on me.
The album has a nice split of brassy to string with Ray Charles holding it together. He’s talented and the music is full. Not sure I’d self appoint the genius title if I was Ray Charles buy that is maybe because Ray doesn’t feel as relevant to today.
The ballads were good. The big band stuff was not the best.
Anytime I hear an older album like this, it reminds me of Christmas music. This is probably good. I just don't need to listen to it.
Ray Charles is always amazing. Doesn't matter what he does. I didn't give it five stars because of the lack of hits. But I could certainly listen to him all day.
real musical genius
Greatly preferred the latter half...
Really nice mix of classical Ray Charles, top music with some really smooth lyrics. Love it!
Really harsh trumpets that seem to overpower what is trying to be accomplished on this album. It's jarring every single time. Without them I'd probably rate this one star higher. Love the mood and feel of Ray Charles on this album and we really don't need blaring trumpets to compete with him.
Opinions are based off first listen, notes are in order of tracks. Track 1, Let the Good Times Roll, had a very good backtrack and vocal performance. It’s definitely from the late 50’s, given that the trumpet is so present in the mix. The lyrics have a good message, and I overall enjoyed the song quiet a bit. Track 2, It Had to Be You, was a very pretty baller type of track. You can hear the Sinatra influence, but it has its on flair of uniqueness. This track had an even stronger vocal performance and the back track was much more to my liking. Track 3, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, was a very lively track. Not much to say lyrically, but the music makes up for it 2 times over. It’s very basic 50’s music, definitely above average, but it’s something I’m not used to. The new change is very welcomed and appreciated. Track 4, Two Years of Torture, once again followed the same formula. However, the formula works for this style if music. I’ve yet to get bored of the blaring trumpets and bellowing of low notes. I enjoyed the pause near the end of the track and the last verse, it was a nice way to wrap up the track. The lyric performance also took a step up in this track, but still not amazing. Track 5, When Your Lover Has Gone, was a beautiful track. Although I can’t relate to the lyrics of my lover being gone, it’s a basic message that anyone can relate to. The trumpets continue on in the background, and the vocals continue to stay strong. The vocal performance on this track however, was much more soft, which was a nice change. Track 6, Deed I Do, had a nice transition from the last track. The instrumental and vocal performance didn’t stand out much. Overall a good track, and it continues to show the artists talent. Track 7, Just For a Thrill, was another quieter song. Good vocals, instruments and lyrics. Overall brings the same energy as the last tracks, but adds the first incorporation of something new. The use of piano and a choir in the background was a nice touch. It made the track stand out in a sea of trumpet. Track 8, You Won’t Let Me Go, continued with the piano and back choir. Another balled type piece with a strong vocal performance. Very enjoyable listen, but nothing stand out about this track. Track 9, Tell Me You’ll Wait for Me, had nothing too special about it. Not much more variation from the last 2 piano incorporated tracks. Overall another good track, showing the artists consistency on this lp. Track 10, Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’, once again followed the pattern observed in the last couple of tracks. How we this track had much more use of a string instrument, likely harp or violin. This made the track a little more interesting, but still not much of a standout. Track 11, Am I Blue, once again was the same thing. It’s starting to get a little bit repetitive, and I’m enjoying the pattern less and less. I would not be able to tell the last 5 or so tracks apart from one another. That could be because my ears aren’t trained to the sound, but it’s the way I feel about them. Track 12, Come Rain or Come Shine, was Boring. It sounded the same as the last tracks. Good way to close the track, but ruined by the respective nature of the tail end of the lp. The second half of the lp started off strong, but didn’t change much of anything as it went on. This caused the album to get very boring. However, the change from the first half to second half made the lp quite dynamic and interesting. Overall, the album was a fun listening experience, it just left much to be desired. I’d give this album a 7.5/10.
Pretty decent album. Ray Charles is a legend and his music is all around good. I felt this album was easy to listen to and it was entertaining. It didn’t blow me away or make me replay any specific song but it was good. 6.7/10
The seventh album from Ray Charles. Ray sings standard songs from The Great Amercian Songbook (early 20th American jazz standards, popular songs and show tunes). Apparently, this is his breakout from Rhythm & Blues to a bigger, broader musical stage. The songs on Side 1 are backed by a Big Band and are more of that style. Side 2 songs are backed by a string arrangement with more emphasis on Ray's piano. The singing of Ray is outstanding throughout. I liked the Side 2 songs better with the string arrangement background since the focus was more on Ray's voice and the songs seemed more soulful. Not that the big band style completely buried Ray's voice though. For sure, the highlights of this album are the last three songs, "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'," "Am I Blue?," and "Come Rain or Come Shine," where he takes his soulful voice to a whole other level. I thought this album might sound too dated for me to completely like but with repeated listens, I really enjoyed it and appreciated the music and the genius of Ray.
Ray Charles is definitely a genius, but this is not really the album I'd use to demonstrate that. This is great music for listening to while wallowing in a nice hot bath. Not something that rewards close listening.
Awesome -- great music all around. I'm not sure I realized what a big band musician he was. I always kinda figured more of his stuff was kinda stripped down, but it really sounds like classic 50's-60's big band music. Great for weddings, dinner, and cooking.
Love songs,
..and to think he accomplished it all without a sense of smell.
Grandma and grandpa’s house.
Really good. But, it is just a bunch of already well-known standards that he's singing. Nothing original here. It's good, but I can't give it more than 3/5.
just not my kind of music. but I acknowledge it's good for what it is.
Låtarna på slutet var bättre än de i början
Yep, genius is right
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
um meio-termo q extrapola 💯
This one was nice. The songs themselves are pretty basic, but there’s some nice instrumentation here, such as on “Alexander’s ragtime band”. I’m gonna slap a 3 stars on this one. The most impressive and interesting thing I’ve heard on this in a little bit.
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.
Listened to it a day late on a Sunday and glad I did. Perfect lazy Sunday listening. Completely forgettable though...
Just a good album. I think this might be the first full Ray Charles album I've heard and I am slightly ashamed by that fact.
MUSIC FROM WAY BACK. GOOD ALBUM
what a lovely listen! i so enjoyed listening to this album. i enjoy a good album containing covers of classics! it wasn't perfect sounding, but that's the beauty of it. the second half of the album hit me hard. “am i blue” is going to stay with me for a while. charles’ voice really shines in the last few songs!
I liked how this album was divided in half between a "big band" jazz sound, and a more "stripped down" piano ballad sound. Between these two parts, this album clocks in as pretty short, and yet Ray commands each track, giving them his all and lending his full-bodied soulful voice to these old standards! He sounds golden and he makes it seem so effortless. In addition, despite the fact that this album's recording is such poor quality, his playing of the piano comes through so nicely and effortlessly, especially on the second half. Jazz is not a favorite of mine, but Ray makes this so easy to listen to.
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
Cracking voice. The whole album merged into one long track for me, but I did enjoy it.
Coule.
MID
This was an excellent album! It is the only record I received so far that I actually listened to twice in one day because I enjoyed it so much. Ray Charles is always fantastic, and his performance here is top notch. I have heard what feels like a lot of his work over the years, but I did not recognize any of the tracks on this particular album. For what I know about him, this was a perfect representation of what he is capable of. The first half features more upbeat, big band music (my favorites being Alexander's Ragtime Band, Let the Good Times Roll, and Deed I Do) while the second half features some great orchestral ballads (the highlights being Just for a Thrill and the last three song stretch which is definitely the brightest spot of this record). I found this division between styles super interesting as this was obviously originally intended to be listened to as "Side A and Side B". Some might find this a bit repetitive as there is not much instrumental diversity throughout the two different types of songs, but that didn't really hurt it at all for me as the music and performance from Charles were both very strong. This album is absolutely timeless and nearly perfect. I will definitely come back to this one in the future (maybe I can even find an original pressing for my collection). 4.5/5.
Oldschool, swingy big band, blown out horns, badass.
One of the better singers of the history. Great to hear him. Hope to listen more of his works soon
Interesting to hear the big band sound, but nothing jumped out at me. Perhaps a bit of its time?
Okay to me. Not my favorite sounds
nice. smooth.
You don't get this in Nandos. What a fucking arrogant album title. I don't think this one was great.
Loving both Ray and Louis Jordan, as I do, I have to admit I couldn't wait to hear this album again. some classics on here but Ray's original voice and these different arrangements are classics in themselves. Love "Let the Good Times Roll" and "It Had To Be You" (Which I first heard on "A Little Touch Of Schmillson In The Night" A great Album that should also be on this List!) But I don't think there is a bad track on this album in my honest opinion. Rightfully on the list I say!
pretty slow but so smooth 3.5
smooth and pleasant
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
Not the best from Ray Charles, but still a great album. Incredible voice !
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.
To chill and relax! Melhor música: Come Rain or Come Shine
It's Ray Charles doing the crooner thing with an orchestra, not Ray Charles Shakin a tail feather in the Blues Brothers. It's good but requires the right setting.
Charles is top-tier in this album, and some of the beautiful performances I've heard from him are on this album! Especially "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Am I Blue"!
Wasn't expecting to bump into Ray again after the goodness that was Modern Sounds but I can't complain. This is a fine collection of songs assembled here, not exactly genius level as portrayed in the title of the album but it's still Ray Charles in his element and that's always a good thing. Favorites: It Had to Be You, Alexander's Ragtime Band, Deed I Do, Just for a Thrill, Am I Blue.
Timeless
elegant
good but not my thing
Nice soulful voice. The album was an enjoyable listen. Not my usual genre of music bit did enjoy the album. Will most likely listen to some more of his work
Man, if you title an album the genius of your own self(!) you best bring the goods. And Ray sure did. ‘Course he had had six LPs before this to practice, close to a decade in the making for a lot of artists, some even longer. But Ray’s debut LP was released in 1957, a mere two years before this, his seventh! That’s Beatles’ territory. Except that Ray was there first. So, technically, the Beatles were in Ray’s territory. One of the things most noticeable about Ray Charles is his ability to make any song- no, any genre- his own. Give him a standard, and it’ll swing before Ray’s done with it. Give him a torch song, he’ll cook with it. Give him a country & western song, for God’s sake, and he’ll serve it as chicken fried soul food. And Ray opens right up with his signature swing on ‘Let The Good Times Roll,’ his anecdote to the blues, and with a number of options open, honey, including… you know. Rocking and rolling was originally a 17th century expression used by seamen to describe the motion of a ship on the sea. Eventually, though, it grew into a way of referring to a rhythmic movement of any kind. And if some of you young bloods have not yet learned this, there’s a time for rockin’ and then a time for rollin’. You’ll end up rockin’ if you begin by rollin.’ Doesn’t work the other way. Ray knows that. Now you do, too. Swinger . But these more upbeat, good time numbers are only supporting actors in this cast. The lead is the blues. We’ve swung a bit on side one, dipped our toes a bit in the blues already (but even ‘Two Years Of Torture,’ despite the title, was loaded with plenty of big band sparkle), and ended with a celebration of love, the answer to the question, ‘Do I need you, honey?’ ’Deed I Do.’ But by the time side two opens, lord have mercy. Ray must have known that by side two we’d be 2-3 drinks in, prepared emotionally for where the blues will take us. But again, not just any blues, but Ray’s special blend. When were the blues ever so smooth, so… delicious? God, if my blues could feel like ‘Am I Blue?’ sounds! On ‘Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Cryin’,’ have you ever heard someone dissed and dismissed, but served so scrumptiously, like a rich chocolate eclaire with a cup of silky French roast coffee. Luther Ingram had a big hit in 1972 with ‘If Lovin’ You Is Wrong, I Don’t Want To Be Right.’ Well, if being blue, the Ray Charles way, is wrong, than I don’t wanna be right either. And finally, the piece de resistance. Whereas the opening number offered the anecdote to the blues in the quest for a good time, he ends with another solution, and one that will ultimately conquer the blues altogether: Love. The genius of unconditional love, come rain or come shine.
Buen álbum de Jazz
Incredible!
2/7/2022 Today's Album: "The Genius of Ray Charles" by Ray Charles - Going back to the first artist I reviewed, this album is another stellar work by the great Ray Charles. This might be a compilation album of some of his best work, which would make sense given the bangers on this album, but I think it still flows well as a traditional album. I don't think I need to say too much more about this one. Its Ray fucking Charles. If you like country western albums, he is the best and his talent is not to be understated. The best track on here is the super hit "Let the Good Times Roll" and the momentum pretty much keeps up from there. It Had to Be You makes me sad because my now passed grandmother sang it a lot before I ever heard this version, so I think this album hits extra hard for me. No other track quite grabs my attention like the first 2, but they don't have to. This is the kind of album you have playing in the background during dinner or something and it is some of the best there is for country western music. Give it a listen if you like this sort of thing, or just listen to the first 2 tracks to hear some great lyricism and artistry. Score: 7 Another great classic Highlights: Let the Good Times Roll, It Had to Be You, Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'
Some great big band blues standards - my top pick is 'It Had To Be You'.
Not the Ray Charles I was expecting. Much more of a big band, orchestral sound than his bluesy, R&B big hits I'm familiar with. I prefer the latter but this was still good.
album ranged from a piano chuck berry to a songs similar to frank sinatra, decent 60s album
Great album
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.
Fun, and a nice listen, but otherwise standard crooner fare - nothing really stands out from the whole.
far better than I was expecting.
IDK, not even listen
Legend!
Le genie de ray charles, evidemment. 5* merci pour cet album.
Love the big band jazz upbeat songs. The slower crooners are pedestrian, but quite lovely (eg. Don't let the sun catch you cryin'). A high 3 because the slots are too slow.
Piano man
Good stuff.
Sentimental Beim spazieren gehört, 02.01.2022
Good classic Ray Charles. Album does not disappoint.
More mellow than expected. A great listen on a Bank Holiday Monday morning.
Nice and easy vocal jazz for your mornings. Ray Charles always sits well.
Georgia
ist musikalisch sicher ein sehr hochwertiges album und irgendwie auch lustig zum nebenbei hören. werde es aber vermutlich nicht bewusst nochmal hören, ist einfach nicht meine musikrichtung
Eh cool :) keine Ahnung, mehr fällt mir gad noch hat ein. Gestern war Silvester...
Classic und schon echt gut
6/10
Fairly pleasant to listen to, but all the songs sound the same.
Everyone knows ray charles but I feel like there isn’t any single song or album anyone points to when referencing him. However, this album was great from start to finish. Loved the trumpets and rays voice. Fav: just for a thrill
There was a lot of talent on display for what turned out to be a very average album. Didn't care too much for the songs and there wasn't enough of an interesting twist on the standards for me to enjoy.
Best aardig eigenlijk!
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.
This is a good handful of songs. It helped Charles to popularize his name. Excellent orchestra and sound. I cannot hear a lot of his “get the road Jack” R&B in this thou… Enjoyable, for sure
Ray Charles is brilliant.
Nice little bit of easy listening style jazz. Fave track - toss up between "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "Come Rain or Come Shine"
5/5. Ray Charles’s singing is pretty dynamic actually. Lowkey better than Sinatra 🤭🤫
No
Ray Charles delivers an excellent vocal performance. However, in the wake of what was happening in jazz at the time, his big band backed vocals sound a little dated. His piano playing is bluesy and is often subtle. Overall, a wonderfully coherent album if not a bit samey.
3 1/2
good but not what i'm angling for today
Incomparably classy.
Classic
Way ahead of its time.
With most of my knowledge of Ray Charles having been gleaned from watching him in The Blues Brothers, I wasn’t expecting an album of swinging big band American jazz numbers backed with a selection of seductive, smoky ballads. I wasn’t disappointed though.
Very enjoyable album with some great classics.
Enjoyable album, I especially liked the first few songs. Unfortunately his version of Come Rain or Come Shine does not come close to Billie Holiday's version, so I almost docked some points for that, but in the end I still really enjoyed almost all of the album.
A ten out of ten
Classic Ray. Easy listening.
Just a fun album to listen to.
While Ray Charles was a genius, his amazing voice was overwhelmed by the big band horn section.
I've been getting into "older person" music more recently (because I am becoming an old person) and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Maybe a little much in the horns and strings department, but this seems to be the norm in the day, and I'm actually getting use to it and enjoy it. Anyways, a classic record from old Ray!
This was good. Easy listening. Sounded like most music from the 50s
Surprised by this. Really nice and mellow tunes
I was aware of Ray Charles, but I couldn't have named a single song of his. The first half of this album was big band music and the second half was orchestral ballads. As a modern listener, I found Charles to be an amazing vocal talent but the orchestra and lyrical themes didn't age as well (10/12 songs are about romantic relationships and most of those are about failed relationships). The cover photo is a bit misleading as this is not a piano-focused album.
9/10
Feels very New York Christmas. Very cool and boozy
Loved it. Good background dinner jazz/swing music.
Classic blues-inspired R&B. Not a lot of variation to be found, but Charles does one thing and he does it well.
More of a 3.5. Few great song but the second half was a slow for my taste
Quintessential example of Big Band music although the recording quality is really poor. Very sudden but welcome transition to ballads in the second half.
Really smooth album to listen to, amazing vocals, happily have it on as background music whenever. Solid 4/5
Classic, big band feel. Great holiday album.
Who am I to rate the musical genius of Ray Charles? Seriously though, this album was my very definition of a 3/5 - started well, with let the good times roll being an absolute classic, and I was enjoying the listen through the cover of Alexander's ragtime band - after that point though, it slides into a series of interchangeable ballads where Ray moans about people dumping his sorry ass, only picking up for the final track come rain or shine, where he keeps to the subject matter but at least does it in a slightly more upbeat fashion. Would I choose to listen to this again? Probably not, but I wouldn't immediately leave the venue if someone played this to me.
I enjoyed this, though it does get a bit samey after a while. Absolute legend though, and makes me imagine being at a big party in the 60s. Feels weird not to give him 5/5 but there we go
Never heard anything but his huge hits and the songs from the movie. Enjoyed this album a lot.
Ray's music always works
I didn't realize how long ago this came out. The mix on my laptop wasn't great but that's noones fault. I didn't quite get into it but I enjoyed what I heard. Especially the "simpler" tunes I was surprised by.
Loved the big band stuff from the first half, and the ballads were really nice as well. Favorites: Let the Good Times Roll, It Had to Be You, Am I Blue
great album
Baladas de Ray Charles. Se me han hecho un poco de bola...
Un poco rollete
Pleasant enough but nothing grabbed me on first listen
I like the rock/blues vocals over the Lawrence Welk arrangements. Ha. I really mean that as a compliment. How can a person hear this and not love it. I'm giving it a 4/5 because being a teen in 1959 would have been awful without music like this. Hold on kids, 1964 is just a few short years away and you'll be in college, better understood, and very stoned soon...
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.
I mean, it’s Ray Charles and a big band…how great is that!?
The B side is unfortunately sameier than the A. Ray Charles's voice is consistent and compelling, but there was little more on the bones in the first half. The transition to slower tunes is very nice, but the rest of them blur together a bit. This is a nice sampler record, especially if you like the genre. No jazz edge, sadly.
This feels like a pretty forgettable big band record. Am I Blue is a great song
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.
jazz music! big, brassy intense. digigng it. great listen. easy 4 or 5!
Great album, especially if you want an overall slower paced R&B style. Pretty easy 5 stars.
JazzSoulGospel með pínu blús. Klassík.
I would hope that there is more to the genius of Ray Charles than singing a couple of big band standards. The ballads at the end are nice but overall I find this very meh. 5/10
It’s alright. No complaints.
fínt
20. The Genius of Ray Charles - Ray Charles 12 tracks. It's foot-tappingly, nod-along in the background decent. I can imagine that loads of these tracks were used in films back in the day. It doesn't make me pay attention though & definitely won't make me listen again. 3/5.
Ray Charles is just a delight. It's a bit big-band over the top for me as an album but the songs are great and man can Ray sing. Pretty fun album top to bottom.
Silky smooth voice. Soaring instrumentals. I have a very specific love of Ray Charles that is entirely cultivated from the film soundtrack. This doesn't have most of my faves on it, but it's a good place for me to start delving deeper. Some wonderful moments in here. You won't let me go and Am I Blue really got me weeping invisible but very real tears.
A real RAY of sunshine. It’s just delightful, effortless, blissful, and makes me wonder why I’ve not given Ray Charles more than a cursory look before.
Knocked me for a doozy the first time so I went back for round two, when it didn't pack the same punch. It's in the same mode as the fabulous Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, but unlike that one it doesn't have as cute a concept to tuck the edges in other than the big band side A/ivory tickling side B split. Mostly, that highlights how much more Charles adds to these standards with soulful tinkling. Even though he's an incredible arranger, the big band treatment a) is more typical for these songs, and b) drowns out his primary grift, which is his generosity of spirit. The evidence is Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying and Come Rain or Come Shine (side B). They're the nailed-on A pluses; gorgeous examples of his genius for climbing up and down the scales so tenderly and subtly that you don't realise he's put a lump in your throat and a butterfly in your tummy until you try to swallow.
Great tunes. Great voice
Boy is this album named correctly! Genius!!! Whether he’s partying, romancing, breaking up or heartbroken, I want to listen to Ray telling the story. My kind of music.
“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
4.5 - I feel like I'm enjoying Sunday brunch at a medium upscale restaurant on a sunny day, waiting in relaxed anticipation of that first cocktail. This record starts with peppy big band tracks and then gradually mellows into tender ballads. Ray Charles' voice sounds like gravelly honey.
Sweet, sweet jazz
Gute Platte.
Oh yeah. Big Band feel? All about this.
Pretty fun!! Cool arrangements and Ray Charles’s voice and performances are so iconic. Still, a lot of these tunes fell kind of flat for me, but that might’ve been bc I was listening in the car on crappy earbuds. 7/10
Okay, a little boring. 7
8/10. Enjoyable, quick songs. Rather samey, but doesn't drag on.
Fun to listen to but the last couple songs got slow. Also there are some production issues that are a product of time. 7/10
Pure gold
Not a fan at all. I am sure he is a genius, but just not my cup of tea.
It had that old jazz and blues feel to it... almost put me to sleep....
Loved every minute! Timeless classic!
What an amazing sound! A well titled album.
Jazz, big band, r&b, blues... una mica de tot i tot bó... no és la meva música preferida, però cal reconèixer un gran disc quan t'hi trobes amb ell...
Genius!
Always thought I'd listened to Rau Charles but I haven't....turns out it's exactly how I imagined it
Wiki notes say his debut album was released in 1957 and this 1959 record was his seventh. He's pumping out a lot of music. I am not a fan of the orchestration since I'd prefer if his piano playing was front and centre rather than buried. Two Years of Torture is typical of this. I can't really hear any piano until the solo which is more than halfway through the song. Yeah the trumpet solo is good but if I'm spinning Ray C I'm spinning it for the piano. Just for a Thrill also has excellent keyboards outside of the solo but the orchestra tries to hide them. I wrote the above after my first listen. The second time through was more enjoyable since I knew what to expect and really appreciated the piano and his vocals when they came. Come Rain or Shine is a wonderful way to end the album as he shows excellent control of his velvety voice. Coin toss for 3 or 4
So, Ray Charles still gets played a lot today because of the way he fused Jazz, Gospel & R&B. The LP What’d I Say, which came out in the same year as this, I would expect to see on the 1001 list (it isn’t). Instead you get covers of jazz-pop standards. They’re well delivered and I guess he won over members of the Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett crowd but the modern musicians/stars who cite him as an influence aren’t doing so because of stuff like this. It appears the only other RC album put forth by 1001 (1st ed.) is Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (?)
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
Not my favourite genre but Ray Charles is an excellent singer and has some catchy songs - 6/10
First album here. This was a good album. Wasn't anything super special, just a solid blues album. The audio quality was surprisingly good for an album from 1959. 3.7/5
Great one, very solid recording, that production is just amazing!
Nice to hear, what a voice! Lots of good songs. Some of the content of his songs haven't aged very well but these are pretty good for the most part.
I love Ray Charles and was obsessed with him for awhile. I love his phrasing on nearly everything. His music is like a comfort food to me. The Atlantic years are definitely my favorite period but the recording on this album is kinda harsh, especially when listened to on headphones. Wish I had this on vinyl. Definitely prefer side B with the more low key arrangements that allow you to hear his piano playing more clearly. Kinda wish the whole album was in that more restrained style but "Let The Good Times Roll" from Side A really swings.
I don't know a lot of Ray Charles, and I didn't know a single track from this album. It's all good and fine, but I think there are other albums/tracks I enjoy more. 3.5 to 3.
What a joy! Just right up my alley. When you think of the ten most known Ray Charles songs, I'm guessing not a one of them are included on this album. And yet this comes as close to a perfect Ray Charles album as you're going to find, especially from this era. I expected to hear Ol' Ray's version of "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" to be the one I only knew by Gerry and the Pacemakers, so this version was new to me. I'm sure Ray would have nailed that version, too. Look, it goes without saying Ray's a legend and both albums on this list deserve placement in the upper echelon. But after hearing Ray's version of "Come Rain Or Come Shine", I have a hot take. I prefer Don Henley's version. If you knew my appreciation of Henley's work that wouldn't be surprising at all. I could listen to Don Henley and Ray Charles sing the phone book.
Sorry Ray, just can't get this crooner music. There are some really good songs.....but just not me.
It’s classic Ray Charles. You either like it or you don’t.
sick
Ok
Big band Ray Charles, not his best work tho
I remember ray charles because when I was a child saw his movie
Yep
I really liked this album mainly because I'm a sucker for oldie-pop with the piano and orchestra in the background. His voice is soothing in the slow song and great in the louder songs. Overall it was a great album that exemplified that time. Favorite track: Just for a Thrill
Amazing album!
Good, but a little to slow fir the mood I was in. Some classics though.
A bit to much swing for my taste. But some great tracks
For an album this old, the recording quality is very surprising. The horns at times can sound a little squished, but the mix is actually quite nice with nothing mixed too low. I've never been well versed in music before about the 70's, but this album makes me want to change that. The Genius of Ray Charles was much more enjoyable than I expected; however, I much prefer the first half to the second. Highlights: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 12.
Pretty dated. I really liked the mellower b-side.
Won a game of tft to this :)
not the most upbeat and my style but incredibly influential and he has a great voice and music overall.
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.
I like the big band side but it kind of loses me on the back half with all of the ballads.
not my cup of tea but he has a great voice
Stellar from front to back. Didn't expect so many string and chorus harmonies throughout. Plenty of classics I've heard before
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.
Wonderful to hear Ray with a full orchestra! A legend
Ne znam, osjećam da je ovo u nekom ranku sa Frank Sinatrom. Takva glazba, kao za gospodu. Uživanje uz viski pokraj kamina dok vani krpa snijeg ili pada kiša dok puše hladan vjetar - govoreći za drugi dio albuma.
Gledao sam film o tebi care kao mali na DVD-u imao original tako da sam neke i prepoznao, no zaboravio sam sve te utvrdim gradivo ponovno zbog ovog super albuma.
a masterpiece
An artist stepping outside the box and doing that creative thing....Swing and Pop...sure. Why not!
Holy horns, Ray! The production on this record really elevates these songs. I felt like reaching for my non-existent Old Fashioned the second "Let the Good Times Roll" started playing. Even if Ray Charles has objectively better songs from different albums, the first half of this record put a smile on my face. The latter half is mostly slowed down piano ballads, but honestly, he earned it. Time to dive deeper into Ray's lengthy discography. 3.5/5 Fav Tracks: Just For A Thrill, Let the Good Times Roll, Come Rain or Come Shine
A compelling mix of late period big band and piano ballads tied together by Ray Charles' soulful delivery. Not everything lands perfectly, but it leaves a warm impression. Ultimately, I think some of his strongest work is elsewhere. Rating: 3.5/5 Favourite tracks: Let the Good Times Roll, Come Rain or Come Shine
While Ray Charles was undoubtedly a very gifted musician, calling one of your own albums "the genius of myself" really seems like too much. That said, despite the undeniable musicianship, the songs were just not interesting enough to me. Add to that the production which sounds even older than the album itself.
An easy listen, enjoyed from start to finish and would definitely put it on again for another listen
Took me back to grade 8. The big band feel was a nice change.
Storbandsjazz. Rätt bra.
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
old saxy tunes. slow and boring
Fuck Ray Charles
Great talent but the album feels a little too similar at times, which brought this down a score from 4 to 3. Still very enjoyable and calming Saved: Let the Good Times Roll
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.
GREAT Jazz
Mooi.
Goeie uptempo bigband muziek
A classic, reminded me of my parents
I like it - but it is a bit too big-band for my tastes
Really enjoyed this, definitely deserves the acclaim
Quality, Ray Charles is an OG baller
Enjoyable. No stand out songs for me. But I like the style.
Jazzy
This was a good one. All classic songs and very mellow as we read our books before bed. ****
Good, but not classic.
Album name says it all. Don’t think this is his finest work but still deserving of top marks
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.