The Genius of Ray Charles

BUYER BEWARE: To date (June 2008), this is the only review for this particular product. The other reviews pasted in here by Amazon refer to the original version of this CD. If you want to spend more for an inferior product, then by all means, purchase this !This is vintage Ray Charles, recorded at age 27. The music itself gets 5 stars for sure. It's clearly oriented toward the jazz/blues side of things, rather than Ray's better known R & B side. The first 6 songs are big band arrangements, with a nice variety of tempos (including a couple of wonderful ballads). The last 6 songs are all ballads, with simple, but lush orchestral arrangements with strings and background vocals. Naturally, Ray's vocals are featured throughout, and he's in top form. I love most of these songs, especially the ballads.I've owned the original 1990 Atlantic CD for several years, but always thought the album could really benefit from re-mastering. Thus, I ordered this 2005 import, which turned out to be in the Atlantic Masters series (made in Europe). I own a few other CDs in this series, and have been quite pleased with the audio quality. I WISH I could say the same about this one, but IT AIN'T SO. While there IS improved detail and clarity, some of the dynamics and warmth has somehow been lost. Overall, I like the original CD version better than this new one. Hopefully someday this classic recording will undergo a better re-mastering.

This album boldly declares Ray Charles' genius. I've never heard anybody argue with the appelation. When this came out, he was established as a brilliant R&B singer, songwriter and performer. Here he hooks up (on what was side one) with an all-star jazz big band, featuring players from both Basie and Ellington, to make music that is hard to categorize as anything other than Ray. His piano envelopes the whole group in his R&B style, so while it's a lot of jazz players displaying their jazz chops, the result is something else. Then, on what was side 2, he takes another turn, playing with a small combo and a huge orchestra--pointing the way, with cuts like "You Won't Let Me Go" toward his brilliant take on country & western, and toward his (recently-unearthed) collaboration with Jimmy Scott on his timeless version of "Come Rain or Come Shine."You can't really review this album, because it puts to shame all the other 5-star ratings I've given on Amazon. Every cut on here is a classic, a pathbreaker, a rich emotional experience, and a swinging time will be had by all.

I needed this mans style to add to my collection. He is the great one and better with age.

Charles spent the Fifties working hard to pioneer his own sound: fusing jazz,gospel and the blues into the new soul style that reshaped American music. But on Genius he relaxes for some easy-swinging pop, with big-band arrangements.

Genius says it all.

always enjoyed listen to Mr Charles

I can't really say more than I am so happy with this CD. It sounds great, the music is great and of course, the Genius is great.

One of the best cds ever made. I bought this as a gift for my daughter, I already owned it.

Per quanto ascolti principalmente Jazz, questo album è immancabile in una collezione di vinili che si rispetti!Acquisto spesso vinili con Amazon e vi assicuro che si può stare tranquilli, prodotti sempre al top e con un ottimo imballaggio, risparmiando rispetto alla concorrenza.

Having heard all of his songs many times this was the first time I had heard them as they should be, on an album. Calling anyone else a Genius would be a real mistake. But not in this case.I am so glad I have it in my collection.

it was a gift for my husband at christmas and he was thrilled, some tracks we have never heard of before

Great singer backed by a big band.

Hasta los rumanos -sin despreciar a nadie, OJO!!!- se han apuntado ya a las reediciciones de vinilos. Particularmente éste, está lanzado por una casa que se llama vinylogy con sede en Rumanía pero que plagian peor que los chinos. La foto de la portada está desenfocada y aunque especifica que el vinilo es de 180 gramos, por lo visto allí los pesos están trucados, porque lo comparas con otro vinilo cualquiera del mismo espesor y en cierta forma, te queda la duda.Menos mal que tiene autorippeo y escuchandolo en un buen equipo, suena bastante bien.Para quien tenga la consideración de leer esto, la editora se llama: -DOL- ????

Bien que publié par un label prestigieux (Mobile Fidelity), et bien qu'il s'agisse d'un très bon album de Ray Charles dans sa période Atlantic... ce SACD est catastrophique. Pour une raison étrange, MoFi a choisi de publier une version mono, un choix qui est parfois judicieux lorsque le label ne maitrisait pas la stéréo (c'est le cas des rééditions d'Aretha Franklin en mono par Rhino), mais qui se révèle désastreux dans ce cas précis. Sur les 100 ou plus SACD que je possède, celui-ci est tout simplement le pire : saturations, aigus criards, tout y passe, surtout sur la première partie (la première face du disque d'origine) avec le big band. Les choses sont moins catastrophiques sur la seconde partie, moins chargée, mais le son n'a rien d'extraordinaire - On a l'impression d'entendre un des tout premiers CD, lorsque les labels sortaient des CD réalisés à la va-vite, parfois à partir de masters douteux. Il y a quelques chansons qui échappent à peu près au massacre, mais c'est très (trop) peu.Bref... à éviter.C'est d'autant plus navrant qu'à la base ce disque est bon - comme en atteste la réédition vinyle publiée par Rhino (HQ 180g pressé par RTI), et qui a quelques passages saturés, mais beaucoup moins que ce SACD. Donc pour ceux qui ont une platine vinyle, la version de Rhino est nettement supérieure (et moins chère). Pour ceux qui veulent une version numérique, l'édition CD, ou la version HD sur Qobuz ou Tidal, me semblent meilleures que ce SACD.Dans la même série des SACD de Ray Charles chez MoFi j'avais acheté "Genius After Hours", un disque plus intimiste de jazz et de ballades sur lequel Ray Charles ne chante pas, le son est nettement supérieur à celui-ci, et on apprécie le jeu de piano de Ray Charles, mais il ne conviendra pas à tous les goûts. (Il existe un troisième disque dans la série, Genius sings the Blues, mais je crois que je vais m'abstenir.)

A bit of a disappointing MFSL hybrid SACD. I was expecting more from this mono reissue of a classic album. The overall packaging is excellent as with all MFSL reissues but I find most reissues are hit and miss. There was a recent full reissue review of this album on HiFi + magazine and it appears the stereo version on vinyl would be a better choice.

This is one of the first two Ray Charles SACD's I have bought off Amazon. This album is nothing short of perfect. Great selection of songs. Stunning arrangments and a beautifully warm SACD mastering job. The SACD is in Mono so heads up those that don't care for mono recordings. In this case the record was released originally in Mono so you are getting it the way it sounded when it came out (I don't know if these recordings were multi track mix down to mono or just straight mono at time of recording). The only down side is , like all records of that time, the SACD has a short running time (still longer then your average Van Halen record but short). Overall very happy with this purchase and I will be checking out more!!

per gli amanti del jazz è un disco che non può mancare alla propria collezzione o raccolta di vinili. l'articolo è arrivato integro, l'ho ascoltato subito e sono rimasto pienamente soddisfatto......da acquistare

It is OK but the band is too loud and overshadows the vocals and piano. Get The Ultimate Collection instead.

Great

Excellent album and brings back many happy memories as the original vinyl was one of my first records bought as a teenager.

I am happy withe my purchase and the quick delivery.

Everthing ok.

Les deux parties du CD, celle ou Ray Charles est accompagné par un big band puis celle où il est accompagné par une rythmique et un orchestre avec cordes, bois, etc.. sont aussi enthousiasmantes l'une que l'autre. Les ballades romantiques qui constituent l'essentiel de la 2ème partie sont d'ailleurs également représentées dans la 1ère partie (When your lover has gone) et interprétées avec autant de bonheur. Et certains morceaux en big band (Let the good times roll) laissent pantois par l'énergie déployée. Bref, un CD... trop court!