Collaborations
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October 22, 2014
Project S (The Ray Charles Orchestra)
Read moreAlbum: The Ray Charles Orchestra, My Kind Of Jazz Part 3, Crossover 9007, October 1975. Ray recorded his Orchestra in late 1974 and early 1975 at RPM International in Los Angeles. Solos: James Clay, Andy Ennis – ts; Johnny Coles – flh. Arranged by Jimmy Heath. Ray didn’t play. Johnny Coles (flh), Jack Evans, Phil Guilbeau, […]
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October 22, 2014
Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (By Rita Graham, Ray Charles On Piano)
Read moreAlbum3: Rita Graham, Vibrations, Tangerine TRCS 1507, 1969. The bossa nova song Corcovado by Antônio Carlos Jobim got this title when Gene Lees added his lyrics. Recorded at RPM International in Los Angeles, with uncredited musicians.
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October 21, 2014
Ray Minor Ray (Ray Charles Orchestra)
Read moreAlbum: The Ray Charles Orchestra, My Kind Of Jazz Part 3, Crossover 9007, October 1975. The album was recorded by the Ray Charles Orchestra in late 1974 and early 1975 at RPM International in Los Angeles. Ray did not play on this one. Solos: James Clay, Andy Ennis – ts; Johnny Coles, Phil Guilbeau – tp; […]
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October 21, 2014
Ray’s Blues (With Michel Legrand A.O. Keyboardists)
Read moreUnreleased. Recorded on 30 March 1982 in Paris at the taping of the TV show Pianistes from the series Le Grand Studio, hosted by Jean Bardin and Michel Legrand. The tune was obviously written – and titled – for the occasion. The keyboard battle was fought out between Ray Charles (p), Maurice Vander (p), Michel Legrand (p), Georges […]
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October 21, 2014
Ray’s Boogie (With The Ray Charles Septet)
Read moreThis instrumental, a Ray Charles composition, was never recorded. Ray Charles established his first “small big band” in 1954. Renald Richard was the first band leader. In an interview with Joël Dufour (published in Soul Bag, January 2004, #176 & 177) he recalled, “One of [Ray’s] first band arrangements was Ray’s Boogie. So what he’d do, he […]
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October 21, 2014
Ray’s Collard Greens (With Steve Turre) (Ray Charles On Piano)
Read moreAlbum3: Steve Turre, In The Spur Of The Moment, Telarc B00004TUOZ, 1999. The album was recorded at the Avatar Studios, and the Studios A & C in New York City on August 14 and October 8, 1999. With Steve Turre – shells, trombone; Ray Charles – piano; Peter Washington – bass; Peter Turre – drums. First tune:
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October 21, 2014
Release Me (With Engelbert Humperdinck)
Read moreUnreleased. When Ray guested in The Engelbert Humperdinck Show, recorded on 9 February 1970 in London, he an the host did a duet on the song. He returned the favor 13 years later, when he invited Humperdinck to sing the same duet at A Man And His Soul, A 40th Anniversary Celebration, taped at the Cocoanut Grove […]
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October 21, 2014
Rhythm
Read moreAlbum3 (DVD): Blues Clues: Blue’s Big Musical Movie, Paramount, 3 October 2000. Album3 (CD + Book): Rhino/WEA, 17 October 2000. I’ve also seen VHS and Playstation versions. Performed by Ray Charles (in his audio-only role as G-Clef) and The Persuasions. The tracks Notes, Rhythm, and Tempo (and Dynamics, to which Ray didn’t contribute) each represent a basic element of music, […]
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October 21, 2014
River’s Invitation (By Percy Mayfield, Ray Charles On Piano)
Read moreSingle (A): Tangerine 931, 1963, b/w Baby Please. Album3: Percy Mayfield, My Jug And I, Tangerine TRCS 1505, 1966. Recorded in Los Angeles on February 21, 1963. Brother Ray replaced Maxwell Davis’ sax break from Mayfield’s 1952 version with a pretty piano solo. With Percy Mayfield – vocals; Marcus Belgrave – trumpet; Hank Crawford – alto saxophone; […]
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October 21, 2014
Road Rats (The Ray Charles Orchestra)
Read moreUnreleased. This tune, penned by Roger Neumann, was only captured once, during the concert on 16 July 1978 in Antibes/Juan-les-Pins. Solos by Bob Harris – p, Johnny Coles – tp, Don Wilkerson ts, Peter Turre – d, Steve Beskrone – b. Full line-up of the band: Johnny Coles, Mark Hatch (or James Smith?), David Hines, […]
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October 21, 2014
Rock Steady (With The Raelettes, Ft. Estella Yarbrough)
Read moreUnreleased. This Aretha Franklin song from 1971 was immediately adopted by Raelette Estella Yarbrough. She kept on performing it until the end. Leverkusen 1993: Live: ’72 LC Copenhagen ’72 LC San Carlos ’75 LC Madrid ’75 LC LatinCasino ’81 LC Prague ’81 LC Rome ’93 LC Leverkusen ’94 LC Moscow 02 LC Pasadena
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October 21, 2014
Rockin’ Chair Blues
Read moreSwing “Beat” as label name. Single (B): Swing Beat 212. B/w Let’s Have A Ball. Compilation album: The Way I Feel, Proper, 22 Oct 2007. Recorded in Seattle, February 1949. Ray Charles – voc, p; Gosady McKee – g; Milton S. Garred – b. Review in Billboard on November 12, 1949. Note “Maxim” Trio.