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
The first-ever album of new Ray Charles music was also the first time he released straight-up jazz: Atlantic released The Great Ray Charles, modest title and all, just two months after the Ray Charles R&B compilation. It introduced a completely different Ray to the world. Because Ray’s fame rested on those R&B singles, The Great Ray Charles became a way for the master to explore his heretofore hidden love of modern jazz. Art for art’s sake, with... [read all]
Song of the day
“I’d Walk A Little More For You”
The Doc Pomus/Ken Hirsch song “I’d Walk A Little More For You” appears as the third song on Side 2 of Ray Charles’ excellent 1988 LP Just Between Us. “I’d Walk A Little More For You” was arranged by Ray’s longtime collaborator Ralph Burns, and features Ray playing electric piano over a fun, brassy band. The song’s lyrics are that hoariest of old clichés: a list of the Herculean tasks the singer “would” perform if the target... [read all]