The music of the genius
Ray Charles
The latest
Ray Charles was commissioned to perform the theme song for the 1967 movie In The Heat Of The Night. The result was the first song on the soundtrack LP, and a single was released on ABC Records as well. But fans will need both discs, for they are two completely different versions of “In The Heat Of The Night”. The Movie In The Heat Of The Night The movie starred Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. The film, a pissed-off and in-your-face exploration of race in America, won five... [read all]
Ray Charles and Ginie Line duet on the French-language "Ensemble" from 2002. It was released in France as a CD single and the duo performed it live on TV.
"A Bit Of Soul" is a Ray Charles tune recorded in 1955 and released in 1961. Split into two halves, it shows Ray's versatility with a unique arrangement.
"The Sun's Gonna Shine Again" finds Ray Charles in an unconvincingly hopeful mood. It was the A-side of an Atlantic single in 1953, his second-ever.
"Mississippi Mud" is a fun, jaunty singalong that Ray Charles covered on his first album for ABC Records, The Genius Hits The Road, in 1960.
Album of the day
Ray Charles released the album Ain’t It So in September 1979, an astounding collection of varied recordings that ended Ray’s 1970s career on a decided high note. Having tried his hand at disco on much of 1978’s Love And Peace album, here Ray dials down the disco (though not all the way) and goes back to the grab-bag of styles that he always loved. Nothing is too old or arcane or unexpected for him: if it resonated with him, and he thought he could do it justice, any... [read all]
Song of the day
“Love Has A Mind Of Its Own” is a beautifully mixed, modern-sounding song from Ray’s 1993 album My World, which was released on vinyl in Germany but is most readily found on CD. The song has an insistent beat, and a gorgeous, crisp mix of instruments. The overall feel is that of cheerful early 1990s R&B. The instrumental star of “Love Has A Mind Of Its Own” may be the thin, unprocessed guitar playing mostly single notes that keeps itself busy but unobtrusive... [read all]