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Ray Charles - any suggestions?

post #1 of 12
11/30/09 at 11:39pm
Thread Starter 
Hello,
I was wondering if you could recommend a couple of good Ray Charles albums? Good audio quality also?

Thanks so much.

todd
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post #2 of 12
12/1/09 at 12:30am

Ray Charles - any suggestions?

Hello: If you are looking for good compilations, I can recommend a couple:

The Birth of Soul - This is a three cd set containing Brother Ray's Atlantic hits and more - this is a very good box set.

Uh Huh His Greatest Hits - This is a good two cd set from DCC/Sandstone containing a lot of Ray's better songs after he left Atlantic in the early 60s.

Both, especially the Birth of Soul are usually easily available through Ebay/Half/Amazon.

Hope this helps,
Slim
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post #3 of 12
12/1/09 at 3:03am
If you are looking for an overview of his entire career in good quality................ The 50th Anniversary boxed set is perfect...........the man was a genius!
I've been talking headphones with you for years. Now I can help you with your purchase:) Sales Specialist & Headphone Guru @ Headphones.com
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post #4 of 12
12/1/09 at 12:34pm
DMahler's right…Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection is as much as many of us need (though not me, I also have Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings 1952-1959), but if you're looking for a cool single-disc thing, search out the live album Berlin, 1962. He had the greatest touring band in the world at that time; it's recorded beautifully and the band is on fire.
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post #5 of 12
12/2/09 at 12:31am
"What'd I Say" Original Recording Album at 1959.
If it wants to know his heyday, it is this.

1. What'd I Say, Pts. 1 & 2
2. Jumpin' in the Morning
3. You Be My Baby [Single/LP Version]
4. Tell Me How Do You Feel
5. What Kind of Man Are You [Single/LP Version]
6. Rockhouse, Pts. 1 & 2 [Single/LP Version]
7. Roll with My Baby
8. Tell All the World About You [Single/LP Version]
9. My Bonnie [Single/LP Version]
10. That's Enough [Single/LP Version]

Ray [Soundtrack]
If it wants to know his tune variously,it is this.



Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952-1959)
If it wants to know more deeply, BOX SET in the ATLANTIC age is recommended.
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post #6 of 12
12/5/09 at 9:05pm

This is a great box set but I'd augment it with the Alantic album What'd I Say & the Impulse album Genius+Soul=Jazz
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post #7 of 12
12/6/09 at 5:49pm
I really enjoy the compilation of Ray and Count Basie, despite the sometimes glaring audio seams..
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post #8 of 12
12/8/09 at 1:02am
Cying Time circa 1966

Big ups for the track "lets go get stoned".
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post #9 of 12
12/8/09 at 1:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by crossmd View Post
I really enjoy the compilation of Ray and Count Basie, despite the sometimes glaring audio seams..
you do realize that it's a complete studio concoction? Ray's vocals lifted from various sources put on top of more contemporary Basie band recordings.

I can't stand it personally because it's so artificial. That's not a knock against your tastes, probably says more about me.

Ray had two very distinct period, his Atlantic R&B stuff and then the range of stuff he did on ABC.

I think ALL of the Atlantic stuff is stellar and the ABC is more hit and miss. If I had to pick one original album (not a compilation) from each period though.....

What''d I Say form the Atlantic Stuff
Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music from the ABC stuff
Both landmark albums

EDIT: Ray was also superb live performer and some of his best songs best performances were live. Ray Charles Live on atlantic collects two performances from that period and contains IMHO the best version of two of his best songs, "drown in my own tears" and "the night time is the right time"

Yeah I'm a big fan
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post #10 of 12
12/21/09 at 8:17am
I love his country stuff too.

Amazon.com: Ray Charles: The Complete Country & Western Recordings 1959-1986: Ray Charles: Music
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post #11 of 12
1/20/10 at 4:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnwmclean View Post
Thanks for that. I'll have to check it out.
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post #12 of 12
1/25/10 at 4:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sno1man View Post
you do realize that it's a complete studio concoction? Ray's vocals lifted from various sources put on top of more contemporary Basie band recordings.

I can't stand it personally because it's so artificial. That's not a knock against your tastes, probably says more about me.
Sorry, I was totally aware of this, I thought that was implied in "audio seams" before, my apologies if it wasn't!

To be honest, I think Ray would have been pretty proud of whatever compilation could be had between he and Basie. He was constantly tinkering with the technology available to him at the time, and I think that he would have been impressed at what had been done, warts and all.

And to be honest, I'm not such a purist to the extent that I'd let the minor imperfections that are fated to accompany an engineering feat of this nature affect me from appreciating,(or at the very least, evaluating) in and of it's own right.
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