Lil’ Darlin’ (With The Ray Charles Septet)

Compilation album: Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings, Atlantic/WEA, 20 September 2005 (DVD with Newport 1960 concert).

“An unusually slow instrumental from the Basie Book”, warned Willis Connover in his introduction to the 1960 performance of the tune.

With Ray Charles – piano; Phil Guilbeau – trumpet, John Hunt – flugelhorn; Hank Crawford – alto saxophone; David Fathead Newman – tenor saxophone; Leroy Cooper – baritone saxophone; Edgar Willis – bass; Milton Turner – drums.
Solos by Ray Charles – p, John Hunt – flh, Phil Guilbeau – tp, David Newman – ts, Hank Crawford – as.

The same line-up (with only Milt Turner replaced by Brono Carr) performed the tune as brilliantly at all four concerts in Antibes, in July 1961. It’s still a riddle to me how the camera men succeeded in missing it all four times.

Live:
’60 LC Newport – Released
’61 LC Antibes – 4x