Reviews (page 6 of 13)
First song( let the good times roll ) The sharp and gritty sound in the trumpets and his voice immediately hooked me in a refreshing way, I don’t hear that type of engineering in most of what I listen I too. I didn’t mind the the upbeat style unlike I usually do. I can tell this will be a good list and this is gonna be a good first album. Second song( it had to be you) feels great having a slower tempo to take a break from the action in the first song and I felt more at home with the riviera paradise-ish tempo, good song for sure With the third song( Alexander’s ragtime band) I really get that feeling like I’m in the 50s-60s, downtown listening to ray exciting the crowd Two years of torture feels like a snazzy masterpiece In the class of blues about your woman and the the slower tasty licks from the trumpets, drums, saxophone and piano are what make this song my favourite of the album so far. (When your lover has gone)Uh oh we have another another song about a love lost, that’s alright with me though because this side of the love lust is the wholesome one, not the ratchet songs talking about infidelity. Anyway this song is much similar to the third in the album. Deed I do , indeed I do! This song feels like a medium tempo between the other songs on the album and it’s good and once again I like to hear the wholesome lyrics and might be cheesy to someone who hasn’t been in love. But I liked this song I’d say 2nd best I’ve heard so far (Just for a thrill) is about being used just for the other persons enjoyment. I like the serenading drums and this is the first song that that showcased a couple more noticeable piano licks. This has to be the favourite of the album so far and feels like it’s gonna be hard to beat. (You won’t let me go) I really like the the lyrics and the sound quality is the best I’ve heard on the project this song will have to be up there with just for a thrill
Quite old, but also quite good.
Not my fave but like yea its good but i think im gonna start being less generous with my stars idk why my middle is at 4 naturally i just think everything is pretty good? Maybe its only good music on this list that does make sense i guess i can givem 4 whatever its good
Very nice music 😎
hmmm hmmm hmmm, on se régale en compagnie de Charles
Ray Charles man
If there's an 'album for making Sunday breakfast' this is it. I grew up on Ray Charles, hard to be objective on this one.
Oh, this music is soft as silk.
Classic for a reason. Just nice to listen to.
Thoroughly enjoyed! Unfortunate that record companies forced artists to pump out albums! What these songs would sound like if the had some time to breathe is something to ponder
way jazzier than i expected. less blues. pretty fun album, slightly cinematic.
Ah, Ray Charles. What is there to say about him? I've listened to so much of his music but never this album all the way through. It's a pretty classic Ray Charles album and an enjoyable listen.
I think that "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" is a better album, but this is still a solid 4.
Superb.
Great mix of half of the album being arranged by a Big Band Orchestra and the second half more soulful and relaxing songs. Amazing record, will listen to it again in the future
i suppose having the A side be All firey swinging pop songs and having the B side be All silky orchestrated ballads counts as impressively Intentional album construction in 1959 but its fairly wonky as a listening experience for obvious reasons. otherwise uhhhh cant rly fault this HFJFHSJSF ray charles was a rare combination of a once-in-a-lifetime creative innovator and a once-in-a-liftime magnetic and multifaceted capital p Performer. this record shows him venturing into songbook-style pop with a ton of verve...despite the unideal listening experience i love both halves almost equally somehow. A side btw features arrangements by quincy fucking jones, which kind of illustrates ray's boundryless approach to music...he didnt totally leave jazz behind for greener commercial pastures, he just reconfigured it into a new series of strengths. should be no surprise that despite the huge arrangements, his piano always rings out the most powerfully. the record on the whole feels like a minor miracle, but the more i think about it perhaps its a major one instead...
Ray Charles was an excellent piano player, and that's illustrated throughout this album. I only wish it had a little more variety. Favorite Track: "It Had To Be You".
Hell yeah
Great listen, very accessible, just a good time.
Great album. I enjoyed both the first more big band leaning first side and the more mellow ballad side. I bet this would be amazing to hear live!
Listened in the car. Easy listening!
Ray Charles is a gift, and his talents are in full display here
My first full album from Ray. I enjoy the bombastic first half and the slower second half equally, and both conjur vivid moods. I can imagine reaching for this quite regularly. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Simpatico, convincente.
Love it. Favourite track is Let The Good Times Roll 4/5
The record sounded somewhat old and dated, but how can it not, as it was released 1959, more than 60 years ago. I do like the Big Band sound though, that Ray Charles provides, and his singing and playing. So despite the age issue, this record was quite enjoyable.
Good album, not really my style but a nice listen all the way through.
This album is split into two distinct sides: the first half features Charles backed by a swinging big band, while the second half leans into orchestral ballads with string arrangements. The more familiar I become with Ray Charles, the more I realize I really enjoy his orchestral ballads, where he leans deeper into soul and R&B. I know his big band side deserves just as much credit, but to be honest, big band and swing music have never really been my thing. It’s not that I dislike it—it’s just there for the sake of existing.
I like how different the two sides are but they still work together. Love some Ray
Fun, full o classics would recommend
It's Ray Charles!
Genius is right. What a pleasure to listen to. 4/5.
Ray could sing a grocery list to me and I’d be enraptured. Last half of this album is gorgeous.
Love the big band horns here. Great tunes. Reminds me of high school.
this was a fine listen 4/5
Good stuff, very easy listening
Good vibes. Simpsons: Yes
Nice and relaxed album, enjoyed it.
Solid stuff Ray, close to a 5 but not quite
This album made me feel beautiful inside
Easy listening to a tee.
Nice horns and big-band sound.
This was a great listen!
Easy listening. For the time and place I see why he got so big. Good grooves. Me likey
Honestly when I hear his name, this is the kind of music I associate with him... In fact most of the material I've heard sounds like this... I think the movie Ray highlighted the more daring aspects of his singles, but not the balladeer that he actually was. I like his style and I love hus phrasing, but it's not as exciting as the single "Hit The Road Jack", "Hallelujah, I Love Her So", "I've Got A Woman" or "What'd I Say?". The opener "Let The Good Roll" is about the only track on here to capture that magic. The more up beat side one is more to my liking than the ballad laden side two. But there are few nice touches on that side especially the closer "Come Rain or Come Shine" 7.9 ★★★½
Very nice, but has a strong easy listening vibe that is a bit too strong. BUT, it is Ray Charles so it’s highly tolerable. 3.5 stars but I’m bumping it to 4 on this site because I’m a nice person.
Good fun!
Day404 - there’s not enough big band jazzy albums on here so it’s a treat to hear ray charles
Classic tunes from a classic artist.
Hell yeah
Ray Charles - The Genius Of Ray Charles This album has some of the most beautiful lyrics I have seen in a long time. It's a coincidence that I got to listen to this days before valentine's. Combining that with jazz and blues, which is a heavenly combo, makes this a great album, something that a 2000's pixar movie would put on as a soundtrack. Honestly, this is great! 1.- Let the Good Times Roll = 8/10 2.- It Had to Be You = 8/10 3.- Alexander's Ragtime Band = 7/10 4.- Two Years of Torture = 9/10 5.- When Your Lover Has Gone = 8/10 6.- Deed I Do = 6/10 7.- Just for a Thrill = 8/10 8.- You Won't Let Me Go = 8/10 9.- Tell Me You'll Wait for Me = 10/10 10.- Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' = 10/10 11.- Am I Blue = 8/10 12.- Come Rain or Come Shine = 9/10 FINAL SCORE: 8.2/10
Pretty standard swing. I enjoyed it but liked his other albums more
Shortly before he finally transformed rhythm & blues into soul, Ray Charles appeared in 1959 with this crossover hit repertoire, half in full big band regalia and the other half embedded in Hollywood-esque string arrangements. Maybe not Charles' best or most relevant album, but a relic of an era when Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee still ruled the so-called pop charts and Atlantic Records contributed to the de-segregation of American society with records like this. What remains today is the recognition that Ray Charles could make any music his own.
Good background music
3.5
Ehh I'm not that big on jazz Edit: changing to a 4 on Oct 5 2025, I like jazz a bit more now
Me likey le jazz when le man sing
I mean, the title speaks the truth. It's goddamn Ray Charles, motherfucker. Whaddaya need, a road map?
It was fine! a little too poppy
His playing is excellent and singing is iconic. I didn’t love all the song selections and the big band sound covered his actual genius at times. All in all very good tho
The first half is great. Exciting songs with incredible vocal range. Let the Good Times Roll is an all-timer, but maybe not as good as some of the other Ray hits. The second half takes on a sleepy/romantic lounge vibe, which is pleasant but unremarkable.
Good Ray Charles album. Wish I could have paid more attention to it. Willing to give it another listen.
Marvelous
Ovo je vrhunski iako nikako nije moj đir načelno
Excellent.
not my cup of tea but a good album
Front half big band stuff is decent, albeit outdated . The ballads are phenomenal, especially the final number
Favorite track: Just For a Thrill Saved songs: It Had To Be You, Just For a Thrill, You Won’t Let Me Go
good album
acho que tem músicas dele mais marcantes; bom de ouvir, mas não é tão "rock'n'roll" como outras músicas dele posteriores
good
Impressive, but I tired of this album about 2/3 of the way in.
Some good jazz
Il genio di Raggio Carli di Raggio Carli
There's definitely better Ray Charles albums out there, but this was pretty damn good. It's hard to find a Ray Charles song that isn't a grand time.
What does it say about an artist when something as beautiful can exist and it's not considered one of their best albums? Maybe not his most memorable tracks but still a wonderful time nonetheless. The 2nd half has an immense bittersweet feel to it
https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbnk2NDYyd3FtdHhsYzJ3d2dlODN3Z2szNnYweGhyemh6a3owN3YzZCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/DyYdtGo72J0zq8erhj/giphy.gif Great time with Ray Charles. Heroin users really do make some bangers. Album flew by and had such good variety of songs and sounds. Am I blue is a stand out for me out of all the songs on the album, first time hearing it outside of batman singing it in the Justice league show. 4/5
Maybe it's major depressive disorder, but I find the second side of this album goes a lot harder than the objectively more upbeat and lively first side. While the first side isn't bad by any means, it just does feel to me like a very talented artist (and supporting musicians!) going through the motions. Charles' voice shines in the slower songs, the lyrics hit hard with his vocal style, the instrumentation has more of a dreamlike atmosphere that gels a lot better with me than the bombastic-ness of the first side. Very pleasant to also have an artist know when to cut a song and how to tightly pack an album. This is a lean album with a lot of personality on both sides, a joy to listen to. Highlights: When Your Lover Has Gone, Just For A Thrill, You Won't Let Me Go, Am I Blue, Come Rain or Come Shine
What a wonderful album, and honestly, shame on me for not knowing let the good times roll came from Ray Charles (or before). NOT a great album for walking, but going to put it on the list for relaxing at night. What a vibe.
Clásico
Really good top quality album
Great to hear.
Really enjoyed Ray’s big band Nola jazzy style album. I’m adding Let the Good Times Roll to the playlist next time I’m heading to New Orleans
Good and enjoyable, if rather one note. It’s a good note, but still.
Always feels like a party when Ray Charles sing.
Was I Blue?
Closest I came to giving a 5. Really good but the slow ones were a little short of 5 territory for me.
Not sure if this is a R&B or a Big Band album, but if you can’t feel the soul oozing out of every track then something is wrong with you. I’ll bet this album would have been an even better listen in a dimly lit room, with a 7 & 7, and a fresh pack of unfiltered smokes instead of behind a desk, looking at insurance claims, and drinking a cup of coffee.
Fucking awesome
Nice album
The Genius of Ray Charles Not massively au fait with Ray Charles, but I know he has a bit of a peripatetic back catalogue, and even though he was right at the vanguard of soulifying jazz I wasn’t expecting the very pop big band swing of the first side, but there’s something really interesting about the very Sinatra-esque arrangements with his raspy soul voice and phrasing, particularly on It Had to be You. The ballady second side is also full of charm, and feels like a dfifferent album, but is equally successful and an equally great listen. He might be the epitome of ‘he could sing the phone book and it would sound great, there’s just something ineffably fantastic about the timbre of his voice, that elevates eveything on here, just slipping it into a 4. 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ Playlist submission: Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’
Ah Ray Charles! Ça s’écoute comme un charme. Quelle voix! Et quelles orchestrations avec les trompettes, puis les violons, dans la grande classe! Bien que je connaissais un peu son répertoire, surtout ses nombreux succès populaires, je n’avais jamais entendu aucunes des chansons de ce disque. C’était donc un beau cadeau, car j’aime beaucoup tout ce qu’il a fait. Tout est beau et bon goût, mais j’ai eu quelques petits coups de cœur: les douces « Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’ » et « Come Rain or Come Shine » et les plus rythmées style big band « Let the Good Times Roll » et « Alexander’s Ragtime Band ».
Enjoyed on a dark night in December with a fire.
Good Christmas tree decorating music. Very laid back and very enjoyable.
Good party background!
A perfect wake up call - big band jazz with a bluesy twist centered around the voice and piano of Ray Charles. He was just 25 years old when this was released and this was his seventh album in just two years. Side one is bright and brassy, and the flip side is laid back and cool. My highlight is the reflective Am I Blue. Genius? Yes, I think so
Oh yeah, after a series of meh albums, it's cool to hear some good quality big band/blues. The first half is upbeat and really entertaining, the second half is more laid back but rather pleasant and not boring at all.
This album is a mix of the pop swing music and some soulful piano ballads. I do wish the album did a better job of mixing those track styles up, so it didn’t feel like a tale of two halves. The album gets you grooving, but soon relaxes it down and never comes back to the initial energy. I felt like this caused the album to start blending together at the end. Overall a great album.
I'm not sure that this is his best album, but his worst album is twice as better as most everybody's best. It's a great introduction to the man for sure and would probably send people off to explore his catalog. So go do it already.
Mir gefällt der zweite Teil des Albums besser (Swing ist dann doch irgendwie too much), und ich mag die Stimme von Ray Charles sehr.
Der grosse Meister zeigt wie es geht. Grossartig!
I like the high at the beginning and half way in it shows the blues influence. His Smokey voice is really whiskey/ cigar vibe
It’s a very bold album title but it’s not undeserved. Charles is a ridiculously strong performer and just sounds amazing all over this
Tremendo el arranque, un poder la voz de Charles. Un blues sincopadeadito con frases de negro excelente. El segundo un jazz más melódico, cantado, orquestal, sinatresco y toques de blues en el piano (se le escapaba el blues por las manos a Ray). La tercera canción la más movida y bailable, un rag para mover las cachas con una sección de trompetas muy muy buena. La orquestación excelente, sacás a bailar a tu novia con esto sí o sí. Two Years of Torture, arranca genial, lamento por una mujer y sensualidad de la orquesta y uf tiene una sección de instrumentos muy buena con impro de Ray, papáaa! Deed I Do es el más intenso volumétricamente y orquestísticamente, está bien. A esta altura ya se captaron los giros del disco, son algo contantes no hay tanta variación es más de lo mismo. Just for a Thrill es más melosa y melódica, muy linda. Se escucha la típica voz de Ray como en "Georgia on my mind", la siguiente sigue la misma línea pero más melancólicamente. La siguiente también va en la línea, con aportes mucho menores de la orquesta. Las últimas siguen una línea más balanceada entre solo de Ray (voz y piano) y orquesta. Excelentísimo álbum, aunque no es un 10 porque tiene eso de la repetición, le pongo cuatro estrellas.
Classic sound and voice. Incredible for his time. Easy listening today
When this popped up today I had a slight trepidation as wasn't in the mood for what I imagined a whole album of Ray Charles would sound like. I was in for a lovely surprise. Gorgeous orchestration dancing around beautiful piano and a velvety voice. The second side was extremely string heavy which caused the eyelids to drop which is both a plus and minus. Easy 4
Big band crooner delight. Too bad the album doesn’t end as bold as it starts, it gets a little sleepy. Overall it’s a nice listen.
This album is cool, some good Ray Charles. It doesn't have any of my favorite songs on it, but it's a solid R&B album 4/5
Yeah! The groove tails off into sentimentality too quickly, but what a groove!
Enjoyed this, but don't ask me when one track ends and another begins, it all seemed to blend into a single stream of good background lounge vibes.
Very nice.
I really love this music. It makes me feel good. The horns are amazing on the first half and the piano ballads are nice on the back half.
Classic sound. It's all the elements of modern music. Blues, jazz, soul, classical, rhythm & blues. Interestingly though, it's not really *any* of those things. At the time, it was kind of something else. This sound is essentially the sound of any old movie that I grew up, its the sound of every classic Christmas song, its kind of that classic old time American sound.
Genius he was. This is an enjoyable album, with lots of classics, and Ray's music and arrangements.
An excellent record from Ray. Just pay attention to his vocals: he was such a soulful and skilled vocalist. The record sounds great for its time, and captures Ray’s playing and singing clearly.
Solid album. Good songs and good energy. I enjoyed the listen.
Smooth and great for background music while cooking
Let the good times roll~ A solid jazz album for when you wanna let the good times roll~ Just don't listen to it too loudly with in-ears or you'll be surprised by the burst of horns 🎺
Very nice listen.
Amazing stuff
Just the perfect 50s alvum. Gorgeous singing, beautiful piano melodies. Hits right in the feels
The big band side is fantastic—those swinging horns really bring the energy. While the string-backed side does highlight Ray's voice beautifully, the background singing at times just doesn’t work for me. I wish I could remix this album. My father loved Ray Charles so it get's an extra bump.
Indeed pure genius
Big band Jazz classic
Classic Ray Charles album. Very good of course.
A combination of big band and ballads, both very convincing. What a singer and musician!
great album, deep lyrics and amazing piano playing. Best Song: Don’t let the sun catch you crying
Class,very mellow and easy listening and “am I blue “ is on that album so I enjoyed it
I definitely agree with others that this is a lovely chilled out listen - 50s albums have a timeless, yet 'of the time' feel that maybe boosts their rating a bit on here. That, and the fact that there aren't about 300 albums included from this decade. I've realised I enjoy albums with distinct halves in terms of style, having just had two of these in a row.
What a classic artist. I truly dig listening to 50's soul r&B. This album is so good.
This was absolutely delightful. First half was rowdy and exciting R&B Soul with wonderfully blaring horns. The second half was soulfully peaceful piano ballads. A fantastic listen.
Great album from Ray. Much more enjoyable than the country one on this list.
This is definitely split into two halves, and I have separate thoughts on both. The first half is definitely higher energy, big band, and very fun. These hep cats were surely outta sight. Musically I really enjoyed this section, but from a production standpoint I found it left a lot to be desired. The horns were often clipping so bad that they distorted, and the vocals suffered from a similar problem. “‘Deed I Do” stood out as my favourite groovy track here. The second half of this record was really something else. Half a dozen truly beautiful piano ballads. Sonically I felt this half was much more enjoyable, and from a production standpoint it was far better. I struggle to pick a specific favourite track on this half, but “Tell Me You’ll Wait For Me” stood out for a lot of reasons. I enjoyed this album, and it was a fun switch once the second half started. If I could rate them separately I’d give the first half a 3 and the second half a 5, so I think the mean of the two is an accurate rating. 4* will be listening to the second half again.
As the sun set on the 1950's - the decade that birthed rock and roll - one of the new breed rose up to honour the past while reaching gently toward the future. "The Genius of Ray Charles" ties together jazz and swing standards with traditional pop ballads, all connected by a magnetic vocal presence: it's not a revelation by today's standards, but it has remained infinitely listenable. The only album of Ray Charles' that I'd heard before was his landmark recording "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music". Released three years earlier, "The Genius of Ray Charles" is lighter and pithier, finding Charles embracing his roots as a big band performer. It's his seventh album in a little over two years, and now seen as his breakout recording. While "Modern Sounds" is sequenced so its differing styles alternate track-by-track, this one's a distinct album of two halves: six tracks with the "Ray Charles Band" on the first side, and six more with a string orchestra on the second. The big band accompanying Charles in the first half are a real treat, used to the strongest effect in rollicking tracks like "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (tremendous fun) or when showcasing individual instrumentalists (the saxophone in "Two Years of Torture" is superb). The worthy arrangements here were actually written by young upstart Quincy Jones: he and Charles had been close friends from the ages of 14 and 16, and were frequent collaborators throughout their careers. By comparison, the second half does sink slightly into a drowsy syrup, with lagging tempos and some pacing issues. That's not to say the overall effect suffers, though: individual numbers like "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" are stunning, and the arrangements remain gently moving. All in all, it's an engaging listen if not an essential one.
Such smooth, easy listening. Great music for a rainy fall day, love it
Very good album
Not bad by any means but that is just Ray Charles for ya. Sounds like his "big band" album. It doesn't have any of the songs that would jump out as his stand out hits but makes for just generally nice easy listening if you like big orchestrated jazz style songs.
Loved this, I only usually listen to this kind of music around Christmas-time so it was giving me nice cosy festive vibes, very relaxing but also moving music. Super skilled as well. Very enjoyable.
I thought this was excellent. Beautiful music. Very moving
Yeah it was cool, really enjoyed it. Was exactly what I thought it was be but nothing wrong with that!
Good had some hits on it. Big band type pop for first half. Recording quality was bad for first half of album.
I like
Pure genius for sure. An easy four stars. Why not five? Only because this is not a music genre I typically engage with, I am unlikely to listen to it again, and I won't be adding it to my Tidal collection. But nobody can deny the magic of Mr. Charles' voice and genius on the ivories.
What's not to like!
Rich and full, solid use of piano and vocal accompaniment.
Could listen to this all day
Not my favorite of his, but really good.
Great opening track! Let the good times roll! They rolled for while but slowed as the song turned from jazz to blues.
Ray Charles is just legendary! Great listen!
I listened to it while on the way to the city for a meeting. Whimsical and cathartic at times. Gave me a lot of nostalgia, and the songs were strangely applicable to issues and feelings I currently have at this stage in my life.
The algorithm fed me two Ray Carles albums in one week, and I've got absolutely no problem with this.
It Ray Charles man, homies a legend and will always be a legend
Ray Charles singing jazz standards - what could possibly be bad about that?
The big band sounds of Brother Ray! The guy can play anything. Outstanding
I love the confidence/arrogance of somebody naming an album “The Genius of…” followed by their own name. I’m certain that there must be some Ray Charles songs that I know, but none were found on today’s album. The sound reminded me a lot of cosy nights playing Fallout, as this music is exactly the type used in those games. I do love a bit of big band, so the tracks that allow this side to flourish would be my personal favourites here. The music definitely sounds dated, but that just adds an extra charm for me.
I will always be in love with Ray Charles and his music. I usually listen to his quieter tracks not featured on this album, so the contrast pleasantly surprised me. This album is full of big bands, brass and vocals which you can't NOT love when Ray Charles is in the mix. He is him.
banqué 👏 me gustaron mas los temas lentos (la segunda mitad del disco) q los mas movidos pq eran... todos iguales. q se yo. igualmente estos tipos tienen ese no se que en las venas que es tremendo!!! aunq sospecho q la mitad de las canciones estaban todas en la misma tonalidad #LAM jeje. pero la instrumentación? los coros? 10/10 very demure. mi top 3 es just for the thrill, am i blue y let the good times roll. la abuela yeta tiene taste (lastima q le pegaba a la mujer) (creo) (seguramente). 3.5(4)/5 ☆
didn't think ray Charles sounded like this, kinda Sinatra like. silly me.
Classic and a master!
fine album highlighting Ray Charles great voice and some classic tunes. I prefer the songs that have a bit more r'n'b about them than the smoother numbers and ballads
Recently listened to this, and rated it a "3". Listening to it again I'm enjoying this a lot more. His unique vocals, subtle piano, and the backing (big) band works for these classics.
let the good times roll! Mix of a few big band tunes and a lot of nice slow dance love songs. Especially lovely orchestration in the last track "Come Rain or Come Shine". I can picture a million black and white first dance wedding scenes. Not an album I would seek out but clearly an influential classic. 4/5.
7/10 very jazzy i liked it!
He might be famous for influencing later piano men (Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Harry Connick Jr) but none of the instruments sound virtuosic here. It is Charles' soulful voice that surpasses the piano, big band, and string orchestra on this album and turns the blues a bright sunny yellow. Three-and-a-half octaves vocal range: 3.5
Okay so the only reason this isn’t getting a 5 is because of the big band stuff in the first half of the album. I’m just not a big band fan. It’s too much, too many instruments clashing together. Also it completely overshadows Ray’s voice which is kinda the whole point of the album. His voice is just so, so good. He sings with his soul. He makes every song sound achingly beautiful (at least for the second half). The slower stuff is where he really shines. Really great album.
Ray Charles is always a solid pick.
A Genius he is! Beautiful classic R&B, Country Western tinged pop tunes. Mostly ballads, which Ray always excelled with, because every tune continues to mount energy higher and higher until the bottom falls out and the statement made leaves you awe struck. Hard to hate on this album, but its dated and slow pace wouldn’t make it a mainstay in my rotation. But in the right mood, in the right lighting, in the correct moment this album is a perfect collection of tunes that I have no criticisms of !!!
The strings and orchestra impede the looseness of Ray Charles and makes the album feel more like background music. Not his best album but it’s still the genius at work.
неплохое начало когда все надоело
Crazy horn arrangements. I'm not super familiar with Ray Charles's music, so I don't know if he's the one doing the arranging – but man, it's good. Dramatic, thick vibratos, particularly in the trumpets, punctuate Charles's soulful vocal with jazzy, big-band-style hits. This is particularly prevalent in the first half of the album with tracks like Let the Good Times Roll and It Had to Be You (which are, coincidentally, my two favourite songs in the set). And Charles is just about the most likeable singer you can get, even with the steep 50s competition of Little Richard, Buddy Holly, and Ella Fitzgerald (among countless others). This is about as good of an album as you can get without committing to any sense of album-esque "adventure". In other words, I reckon you could rearrange the songs on this album in pretty much any order and get the same experience. It did feel at times that the songs were slight variants of each other, what with the identical arrangements, commitment to the big-band swing-pop genre, and so on. 4/5 Key tracks: Let the Good Times Roll, It Had to Be You, Alexander's Ragtime Band, Come Rain or Come Shine
Delightful album. Slow, calm swing. Probably timeless. I should pay more attention to this album and listening to it while not working.
The title didn't lie. I love the mood switch right in the middle - it goes from lovely upbeat swing to soulful blues.
This was very please to listen to. He has such an amazing voice and vocal style.
hugo
Great album.
8/10
Enjoyed it although it was more show band than I expected
Back when music was GOOD.
Loved it.
Genius indeed
This was very relaxing to listen to. 10/10 would listen again
Nice smooth music
I really enjoyed this album. My fav: Maybe “Am I Blue” but all the song were good.
Favourite songs: Deed I Do, Alexander's Ragtime Band, Let The Good Times Roll, It Had to Be You, Just For a Thrill Least favourite songs: Am I Blue 4/5
Some good big band music. Not my favorite genre, mostly find it boring, but there were some good songs and it's hard to deny the quality of musicianship. I rather enjoyed the lyrics.
Very good but not great.
Aptly named album. The voice and piano. Beautiful. Would be a higher rating, but it reached my limit of listening to big band sounds.
I didn't realize Ray Charles was "big band" as I haven't listened to much variety from him. This was a nice listen, and has some well known songs as well as some good new ones. "Daddy's done turn salty, Baby, you made him so sore. You done your daddy dirty." Slow dance only, good voice, but singing register too low.
Classic, but not something I'd go out of my way to listen to.
A title that only Ray could have gotten away with
Now thats what i call music
Ray Charles truly is a genius! Loved having this album pop up.
Ein sehr schönes Album von Ray Charles. Vielleicht etwas angestaubt. Ich habe es aber gern gehört. 4/5
4.0
9/10 Fav track: Let The Good Times Roll
Very solid. Rays vocals mix well with both the big band and the more string focused sections to make a something worth listening.
- liked the slower songs especially - brash horns are interesting - very old timey so needs repeat listens 3.5/5 atm
Smooth, powerful, pretty great.
Lots of horns. Big band feel. Not your typical Ray Charles.
If you must have jazz, this is the jazz to have. So much fun.
Love this album. Definitely a jazz album. Simply wonderful.
"Dont Let The Sun Catch You Criying" es una belleza, por sí sola vale todo el disco, pero, eso no significa que sea un mal disco. Nada que ver. Es un disco sólido, capaz un poco... no sé, se siente como una misma larga canción.
Pretty soothing and chill. It's nice as both background music or a focused listening
I really like these old loungey albums that essentially amount to a recording of the live show, although you can see the beginnings of studio experimentation here, especially on side 2. Side one is a total banger, and if you're in the right mood for side 2, it hits hard.
Delightful. Almost a little too much on the easy listening side of things, but it works for me on this album.
Beautiful, kind of need to be in the mood for it but great loungey vibes.
"Genius" is always a hard word to put into a title. You start throwing it into things, it really makes you look at the work and think "is it REALLY?" My first reaction to a number of the songs was "where is the piano?" But looking at the wikipedia, I see there was a reason for the lack of it in the first half. It did how up very tastefully in a number of pieces at the end, like "Tell Me You'll Wait for Me". I wish that the pieces with backup singers didn't have the older sound to it. That vocal singing screams very old-timey. Aside from that, a lot of the songs do not sound like they were done almost 70 years ago. But that chorus, ugh. I had heard "Alexander's Ragtime Band" before, and I had always felt part of his singing was a little off. I think it's just his coming in on the off beat on that last line of the chorus, it just always seems a little jarring to me. I dug this a lot, the jazz and orchestra coming together, I just wanted the backing vocals to be more modern. Top tracks: "Let The Good Times Roll," "Am I Blue," "Come Rain Or Come Shine"
I just crapped all over the Stones for a debut album full of covers (except one). And now here comes Ray Charles with 100% covers. But this feels different. Maybe because taking a bunch of R&B or jazz standards and doing in them in your own style is typical in that genre (and seen as last innovative in rock). Or maybe because Ray just brings it, at least on side one, and then changes the tempo on side two. I think he does the big band side one better, maybe because it matches his powerful voice, but the strings-oriented arrangements on side two are solid too. Yep, genius. Not perfect but very good.
Obviously Ray Charles was a hugely seminal artist, but I'm not sure if this album does a ton to demonstrate what set his music apart from similar jazz singers at the time. Still solid, even if I would have liked it to be a little funkier.
Great album. Don't really have much else to say.
Hey, everybody Let's have some fun You only live but once And when you're dead you're done So let the good times roll I said let the good times roll I don't care if you're young or old You ought to get together and let the good times roll
Just a really classy player and singer
He’s the master. Everything he touches is gold. Incredible sound.
Let The Good Times Roll // It Had To Be You // Just For A Thrill // Come Rain or Come Shine // 4.5/5
pretty good. it's got that typical recorded "big band" sound, when the blare of a dozen trumpets gets flattened down until it can be background music to a single vocalist. A surprising number of sad wistful "why'd my baby leave me" songs. As always I get bored when every song is a love song.
Great classic album, enjoyed almost every song here. Low 4.
Well yeah I guess he was
Classic Ray Charles
Ray charles, very listenable. Im not dressed well enough for this though
Great album to listen to while loitering around Target. I know from experience.
Cracking album with some great tunes
The guy's a magician. Don't love every song but it's got soul.
Great through and through. Subjectively, Ray sounds at his best on the second half of the album where we are treated to more intimate string-backed arrangements rather than the sudden bombastic blasts of big band brass. While recognizing their merit, I find those swing big bands personally a bit jarring and overwhelming but that said, if anyone can pull it off, it's Ray Charles. He has a way of grounding his environment where anything off-putting in one's world or even on his own record, fades out of view. When an artist is this talented and has this much presence, the smaller the ensemble the better, in my opinion. This one resonates through and through, however, just providing a tonal shift as the evening winds down and as universal an appeal as Ray holds, something for everyone.
Amazing musician, awful person.
This album had a rough start but it got better. The second half is what makes "The Genius of Ray Charles" shine. The ballads on that half are great. I'm usually not a fan of big band music but I like it. Ray Charles's voice is nice throughout. I'll give this record 4 stars.
Really enjoyed this album - so interesting that the first half was happy and jubuliant, and the second half was sad - I've not come across this before. First half was my fave!
It's hard to vote against this, an absolute masterpiece in the genre, his career, and the history of music in general. Sounds amazing, and the session players are as tight as a decades old group.
I should probably read more about these albums before I listen and make notes. I was surprised at the heavy big band sound and crooner style songs, but obviously that was his intent. I can't say I'm the biggest fan of big band sound, but damn, how can you not listen to this and picture yourself in a smoke filled, darkened club just absorbing the music. I do prefer the rock n roller/blues Ray, but I did think this was a wonderful album to hear. I've listened last couple days, then just the genre play out. This is just good, fun music that is a joy to hear all day long. Different than I use to when I think of Ray Charles, but the beautiful all the same. A very good album. 4
First half is big band; second half if string ballads. Let The Good Times Roll It Had To Be You Alexander's Ragtime Band Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' Am I Blue Come Rain or Come Shine
Just one of the best. It’s interesting that this album came out close to the same time as Sinatra’s “Songs for Swingin’ Lovers.” I just find this so much more interesting. Great songs realized by…well, a genius.
Yes! 4.
Ray Charles er en av musikerne eg har hørt mye på i mange år, selv om jeg ikke har satt meg ned og hørt på et helt album. Når jeg hører på hele albumet blir jeg imponert over hvor god han var på å produsere for storband. Voicingen i trompet- og saksofonkora sitter som et skudd. Og selv om mye av dette er Tin Pan Alley-musikk, så er det fortsatt en grunn til at det er Ray Charles som huskes. Senere kom selvfølgelig Ray Charles til å være toneangivende for helt andre musikksjangre, men allerede her så viser han seg som den fantastiske musikeren han er.
This is a super jazzy, bluesy, crooner style album. I really enjoyed listening to this album, but it's definitely a style that i need to be in the mood for. Maybe an evening with a cigar and a sunset. I'll play this one when i'm looking for an album that starts out like a fire an burns down to a cozy warm cuddle session. 4 ⭐️
3.5
At this point in my life, I need big band music that I'm listening to for the first to do something interesting, and there's nothing that stands out about the first half of the album to me. I would listen to it again, but I'm not going to go seek it out. Now, the ballads on the second half of the album are a completely different story. I'm a big sucker for slow jazz ballads, and these songs are killing me.
Gr8
Such a classic voice and excellent musicianship/arrangements
Side 1, with Brother Ray swinging with an impeccable group of jazz musicians (and arrangements by one Quincy Jones) stands in contrast to the orchestrated ballads on Side 2. Thing is, Charles handles it all with complete ease. Class.
I love this. The orchestration may be a bit much, but it is of the time. Quincy Jones did the orchestration. Great sax. 4*
I found this album enjoyable, but it's not really my kind of music, and I don't see myself going back to it. However, there is no denying it is well written, well performed, and just generally good music.
Þvílíkur snillingur. Ég elska big band tónlist. Ray tekur þarna góð lög og setur upp í big banda tónlistarveislu sem ég mun hlusta á aftur og aftur. Það er ekki hægt að biðja um mikið meira en þetta. Ray er einhver sem ég hef ekkert svo mikið hlustað á en hann er bara kominn í topp-tónlistarmenn hjá mér.
Great songs all around (those trumpets can get quite tedious)
Beautiful album. Nice soul. And I can’t believe he had such an incredible voice for so long.
Kort maar krachtig 👍🏻
I love jazz
Ray Charles was a gift to us all, and I almost wanted to give this album a five just for being him. That said, it’s big band Ray, not blues-y Ray, which I think is a shame. There were several ballads on here that I feel didn’t show him off at his best, so I’m downgrading it by one star and praying that there is a five star Ray album on this list.
Soothing jazzy, bluesy love songs
Great bluesy album
Similar to Ella Fitzgerald, when I play Ray Charles my life just becomes a movie. It's actually difficult to just listen vs start to daydream.
I so often think of Ray Charles as his more modern hits, but this is much more old school than I realized. Lots and lots of soul and yearning in his songs, and I love the big band support throughout.
frightening closing doors and screeching grinders, the thought passes like a bird, mind her widening blinders, flattening imposing foes and friendly outsiders, allies squandered. cohersing yours truly to share words kinder, couldnt find them in my core, an enlightening reminder. albums great but needs some spice imo
I liked this album a lot, but not as much as I thought I would. I've never listened to Ray Charles before. It was a little too much crooning and some of the songs got a little too slow for me. I found a few of the most popular songs like 'Come Rain or Come Shine' a little boring, but loved 'Alexander's Ragtime Band'. These thoughts are a little negative, but that's only because I went into this anticipating a possible 10/10. 8/10. Great album, I want to hear more.
4/5 Really beautiful album.
Ah - ear bleach after yesterday’s crap. Great stuff here. What’s not to like.
Not quite what I expected from one of the progenitors of rock and roll. Besides “Let The Good Times Roll” this is mostly Charles as a crooner, which isn’t a bad thing. I especially enjoyed the string-accompanied second half of the record.
The first half is big and bold but sometimes woozy and swoony brass band full of glorious horns just bubbling up. RC delivers a hot vocal performance that brings it to a boil. It's big band jazz arrangments of classic blues. The second half is piano ballads with string adornment that cool it all the way down. This verges more into schmaltz, but the depth and range of the vocals overcomes the corny studio treatment its subjected to.
Objectively good and I enjoyed it, but I don't see myself returning to this on a regular basis. Faves: When Your Lover Has Gone, Just for a Thrill
Album 342 of 1001 Ray Charles - The Genius Of Ray Charles Rating : 4.5 / 5 Hard not to enjoy this album. Great talent, great songs. Guess this is more a record label's release rather than Ray Charles' release as I can't see him calling himself a "genius". Either way, it is a great listen.
Ray Charles is a master of the craft. Ragtime piano, raspy vocals. Great album.
Very relaxing. Great for a quiet morning. I may keep it on deck for mornings or nights when I want something a bit softer. No stand out songs, but I enjoyed it for what it was. My dad was a big fan of Ray Charles so it made me think of him a lot which was nice
I enjoyed this album and would listen to it again
Really gets the fingers snapping and toes a tap'n.
Good album, warrants a re-listen
8/10 Liked this one - really well sequenced and produced First half: uptempo, more playful, brass loaded Then the brass is just outstaying its welcome and boom Second half: strings, introspective, brilliant Amazing voice, amazing emotion in second half
Bigger fan of the second half, but this album is a winner because of the vocals and the overall feel.
Great
Songs were good, each one was shorter than I thought it would be, a quick under 40 min album!
Really great music, can tell why he’s so revered although I’d never choose to listen of my own volition.
Ray Charles knocks you off your seat and makes you pay attention. The abrasive horns attack your senses and lead you directly into Charles' sensational voice. The force of side 1 flows into the smooth ballads of side 2, with the incredible singing still with you. As another reviewer said, he exudes pure class.
Some classic tunes but it got a little same same after a while
There are two types of jazz musicians, those on coke and those on dope. Ray Charles falls into the later camp and it shows. My personal taste is for those in the former but that doesn't take away from the fact that this is one of the best jazz albums I've ever heard. Ray Charles on the piano and vocals are stunning but every instrument in the ensemble gets a moment to shine. It feels like a very complete album, lots of different melodies, lots of different instruments taking the musical lead...I still like my coked out jazz musicians though.
lijepo
cozy
Not bad
Such a smooth vocal and great backing from the band. The brass is big and loud and isn't compressed down like it might be in future recordings. The arrangements are fun, it's not pushing crazy boundaries but I don't feel it needs to too much. There could have been slightly more diverse song choices tbh, but hey.
Great classic I really enjoyed it
Ray Charles never disappoints!
Good. Not me
I did not know this is what I needed today. Feeling groovy.
An amazing voice. Some fun big band backing to go along with it.
Beautiful. The voice, the arrangements. chefs kisses all round
J'ai de beaucoup préféré cet album au précédent de Ray Charles que j'ai entendu. Moins plaignard, plus énergique, j'ai pu apprécier la texture de la voix et l'interprétation
History.
Enjoyable listen to an iconic singer. Lots of standards but missing some Oomf. Decent record from an amazing talent.
Awesome album. Big band music and the genius of Ray Charles!
Ray Charles demonstrates his genius in every song of this engaging recording. Most, if not all, of the songs are standards and Charles makes them his own.
I really enjoyed listening to this album. Ray Charles was truly a musical genius.
Hard not to like Brother Ray
•Not owned: Streaming •Just a great album that highlights just what a wonderful vocalist Ray Charles was—while still retaining great instrumentation and arrangements. •4/5
4,8
3,8
The Genius! I love that it has been said Ray Charles was more influential than Elvis. I agree.
I had not heard before. Nicely orchestrated and executed.
Class
Brought back memories
Fantastic album. RC's vocals and piano are wonderful. The only drawback are the 1950s strings arrangements, which date it a bit.
First time really listening to his music. Not my typical style but very enjoyable. Great stuff.
pretty easy listening. 3.7.
A pretty damn good early pop record. Not my style of music at all, but I still found it a good, enjoyable listen. Much better than the hyper-polished Vegas crooner stuff.