Ray Charles Live CD

Recorded live at The Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island on July 5, 1958 and Herndon Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia on May 28, 1959. Includes liner notes by Gary Giddins.

There are plenty of live Ray Charles recordings available, all supporting the theory that the man never gave a bad performance, but this one is something special. Recorded in 1958 and '59 (prime time in the Charles timeline), this album fully captures the fire and fury of Charles' Gospel/blues/jazz/R&B amalgam in all its churning, gut-punching glory. Things kick off with a couple of tunes that show Charles and band's instrumental might, the horns punctuating and sparring with Charles' soulful piano runs. Hits such as "I Got a Woman" and What'd I Say" are presented in near-definitive versions, complete with Brother Ray's lascivious call-and-response with his indefatigable Raylettes. Elsewhere, Charles gives a glimpse of his vision's breadth via "In a Little Spanish Town" and "Swanee River Rock." A key moment occurs in "Drown in My Own Tears," when Charles, testifying like an ecstatic preacher over the Raylettes' backing, finds the exact meeting place of emotional turmoil and very visceral catharsis. In short, this is the live Ray Charles album to get.

Previously released as a 2 LP set.

Personnel: Ray Charles (vocals, alto saxophone, piano, electric piano); Marjorie Hendricks (vocals); David Newman (tenor saxophone); Hank Crawford (baritone saxophone); Lee Harper, Marcus Belgrave, John Hunt (trumpet); Edgar Willis (bass); Richie Goldberg, Teagle Fleming (drums); The Raylettes (background vocals).

Engineers: Harold Chapman, Tom Dowd, Ivan Miles.

Q (10/93, p.118) - 3 Stars - Good - "...a single listen to either 'A Fool For You' or 'Drown In My Own Tears' is enough to heal the sick, raise the dead and make the little women fall outta their beds..."