Label: Rhino Records.
Release Date: 1993.
Releases: March 22, 1994.
Recording Time: 147 minutes.
Recording Date: May 26, 1950 - June 26, 1959.
Release Info: Compilation Studio & Live.
Styles: Early R&B, Jazz Blues, Piano Blues, Soul, Soul Jazz, Urban Blues.
Another easy access point for Charles' seminal Atlantic catalog. This two-disc set is evenly split between his bluesiest sides on the first disc and a selection of his greatest jazz sides on disc two (gorgeously showcasing the sax work of David "Fathead" Newman on several pieces). Charles was a masterful blues purveyor; his "I Believe to My Soul" is simultaneously invested with heartbreak and humor, while the earlier "Sinner's Prayer," "The Sun's Gonna Shine Again," and the gospel-based "A Fool for You" emanate both hope and deep pain.
by Bill Dahl
Combining Charles's earliest and most blues-oriented work for Atlantic with some of his best jazz-oriented work in a 2 CD package, this set shows us both that Ray Charles could function admirably in either of two worlds. Or maybe it says that, no matter what the style, Ray Charles was always his own category. Either way, he shows his greatness pays no mind to categories. The blues disc offers up true classics like "The Sun's Gonna Shine", and the jazz disc shows off both Charles and alto saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman as fantastic, bluesy soloists of the first water.
by Skip Heller
Blues + Jazz features 40 tracks recorded between 1950 and 1959. This release also includes a 34-page booklet with a discography, historic photographs and liner notes by Billy Vera.
Comprising sides recorded between 1950 and 1959, Blues + Jazz shows the affinity Ray Charles had early in his career for the idioms that helped make up the bedrock of American pop music. Charles' musical range throughout these two discs inspires awe. He mixes swinging horn arrangements with a sanctified stride-piano approach reminiscent of James P. Johnson and a soulful vocal style that consistently hits the hot button of emotion. The influence of such pianists as Charles Brown and Nat "King" Cole can be heard on earlier numbers like "Someday" and "Funny (But I Still Love You)." Brother Ray's reputation as a crack pianist led to sessions backing up Lowell Fulson and Guitar Slim. Oftentimes, he'd end up covering their songs. Slim's "Feelin' Sad" and Fulson's "Low Society" are both featured here.
Charles' jazz chops are also solid. As a result, he has surrounded himself with such talented sideman as David Newman, Hank Crawford, and Milt Jackson. Brother Ray's forays into jazz are as varied as his blues or soul excursions, and Blues + Jazz's includes interpretations ranging from Bing Crosby ("I Surrender Dear") and Teresa Brewer ("Music, Music, Music") to Horace Silver ("Doodlin'") and Fats Waller ("Ain't Misbehavin'").
Art Direction: Geoff Gans; Compiled By, Producer: Billy Vera; Cover: Lee Friedlander; Design: N. Kellerhouse; Executive Producer: James Austin; Remastered By: Bob Fisher; Research: Gary Peterson, Michael Mazzarella.
Compilation producer: Billy Vera.
Producers include: Ahmet Ertegun, Herb Abramson, Jerry Wexler, Nesuhi Ertegun, Zenas Sears.
Notes: 36 page booklet; Standard size jewel case with flip center for 2 discs.
Personnel includes: Ray Charles (vocals, piano, electric piano); Margie Hendrix (vocals); Louis Speiginer, Wesley Jackson, Freddie Green, Mickey Baker (guitar); Paul West, Edgar Willis, Roosevelt Sheffield, Billy Hadnott, Oscar Pettiford, Percy Heath (bass); Glenn Brooks, Oscar Moore, Milt Turner, Connie Kay, Rudy Pitts, Art Taylor, Charlie Persip, Panama Francis (drums); Candido Camero, Mongo Santamaria (congas); The Raeletts, The Cookies (background vocals).
Credits: Herb Abramson - producer; John "Johnny" Adriano Acea - arranger; James Austin - executive producer; Mickey Baker - guitar; Harry Barris - composer; Dallas Bartley - composer; Bernie Baum - composer; Marcus Belgrave - trumpet; James Bell - bass; Jimmy Bell - bass; Warren Bell - sax (baritone); Edgar Blanchard - guitar; Joe Bridgewater - trumpet; Glenn Brooks - drums; Harry Brooks - composer; Teddy Buckner - trumpet; Kenny Burrell - guest artist, guitar; Ozzie Cadena - composer; Chuck Calhoun - composer; Candido Camero - congas; Ray Charles - celeste, composer; , piano, piano (electric), primary artist, sax (alto), vocals, vocals (background); Gordon Clifford - composer; The Cookies - vocals (background); Bennie Hank Crawford - sax (alto), sax (baritone); Hank Crawford - composer; , guest artist; Wallace Davenport - trumpet; Emmett Dennis - sax (baritone); Jesse Drakes - trumpet; Auguste Dimes DuPont - sax (alto); Ahmet Ertegun - producer; Nesuhi Ertegun - producer; Frank Fields - bass; Bob Fisher - remastering; Teagle Fleming - drums; Charlie Fowlkes - sax (baritone); Panama Francis - drums; Lee Friedlander - photography; Lowell Fulson - composer; Geoff Gans - artwork; O'Neil Gerald - sax (alto); George Gershwin - composer; Ira Gershwin - composer; Lloyd Glenn - composer, producer; Henry Glover - composer; Paul Gonsalves - sax (tenor); Freddie Green - guitar; Al Grey - trombone; William K. "Billy" Hadnott - bass; Lee Harper - trumpet; Ricky Harper - trumpet; Joe Harris - drums; Percy Heath - bass; Warren Hebrew - sax (tenor); Margie Hendrix - vocals; Lew Herman - composer; Leo Hickman - composer; John Hunt - trumpet; Milt Jackson - composer, guest artist, performer, primary artist, vibraphone; Quentin Jackson - trombone; Wesley Jackson - guitar; Ed Jones - bass; Eddie Jones - bass, composer; Quincy Jones - arranger, guest artist; Louis Jordan - composer; Connie Kay - drums; Neil Kellerhouse - design; Lloyd Lambert - bass; Melba Liston - trombone; Percy Mayfield - composer; Michael Mazzarella - research; Dave McRae - sax (baritone); Jack McVea - sax (tenor); Murray Mencher - composer; Big Maceo Merriweather - composer; Billy Mitchell - sax (tenor); Frank Mitchell - trumpet; Freddie Mitchell - sax (tenor); Paul Mitchell - composer; Thomas Mitchell - trombone; Billy Moll - composer; Oscar Moore - drums; Charles Morris - composer; David "Fathead" Newman - composer; , guest artist, performer, primary artist, sax (alto), sax (baritone), sax (tenor); Joe Newman - guest artist, trumpet; Cecil Payne - sax (baritone); William Peeples - drums; Charlie Persip - drums; Gary Peterson - research; Oscar Pettiford - bass; Rudy Pitts - drums; The Raelettes - vocals (background); Andy Razaf - composer; Sydney Robin - composer; Ann Ronell - composer; Ernie Royal - trumpet; Marshall Royal - sax (alto); Mongo Santamaria - congas; Zenas Sears - producer; Charlie Shavers - composer; Roosevelt Sheffield - bass; Horace Silver - composer; Louis Speiginer - guitar; Alonzo Stewart - drums; Jesse Stone - arranger; Sam Sweet - composer; Art Taylor - drums; Sam "The Man" Taylor - sax (tenor); Clark Terry - guest artist, trumpet; Joe Tillman - sax (tenor); Lloyd Trotman - bass; Milt Turner - drums; Billy Vera - compilation producer, liner notes, producer; Charles Waller - sax (baritone); Charlie Waller - sax (baritone); Fats Waller - composer; Riley Webb - trumpet; Stephen Weiss - composer; Frank Wess - sax (alto); Paul E. West - bass; Jerry Wexler - producer; Leroy Snake White - arranger; Charles Whitley - trumpet; Don Wilkerson - sax (tenor); Ernie Wilkins - arranger; Pinky Williams - sax (tenor); Edgar Willis - bass; Joshua Willis - trumpet; Snooky Young - trumpet.
Tracks, Disc 1: 1) Someday; 2) The Sun's Gonna Shine Again; 3) The Midnight Hour; 4) Worried Life Blues; 5) Low Society; 6) Losing Hand; 7) Sinner's Prayer; 8) Funny (But I Still Love You); 9) Feelin' Sad; 10) I Wonder Who; 11) Nobody Cares; 12) Ray's Blues; 13) Mr. Charles' Blues; 14) Blackjack; 15) Come Back; 16) A Fool For You; 17) Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I); 18) Drown In My Own Tears; 19) What Would I Do Without You; 20) I Want A Little Girl; 21) Early In The Mornin'; 22) (Night Time Is) The Right Time; 23) Two Years Of Torture; 24) I Believe To My Soul.
Tracks, Disc 2: 1) The Man I Love; 2) Music, Music, Music; 3) I Surrender Dear; 4) Hornful Soul; 5) Ain't Misbehavin'; 6) Doodlin'; 7) Sweet Sixteen Bars; 8) Undecided; 9) Rockhouse, Parts 1 & 2; 10) X-Ray Blues; 11) Love On My Mind; 12) Fathead; 13) Bill For Bennie; 14) Hard Times; 15) Willow Weep For Me; 16) The Spirit-Feel.