With Ray Charles Band

• October 21, 2014

  Ray’s Boogie (With The Ray Charles Septet)

  This 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

  Road Rats (The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Unreleased. 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 20, 2014

  Roll In G (The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Unreleased. This simple (and not overly brilliant) rock tune was probably written by Ray Charles (the author’s rights have never been claimed). During the October 1961 series at the Palais des Sports in Paris, it got two lengthy performaces, starring the members of Ray’s old ‘small band’. The full line-up was: Marcus Belgrave, Wallace Davenport, […]

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• October 20, 2014

  Samba De Elencia (The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Album: The Ray Charles Orchestra, My Kind Of Jazz Part 3, Crossover 9007, October 1975. Recorded by the Orchestra in late 1974 and early 1975 at RPM International in Los Angeles. Ray didn’t play. Andy Ennis played the tenor solo. Arranged by Alf Clausen. With Johnny Coles, Jack Evans, Phil Guilbeau, Bob Coassin – trumpets; Ken Tussing, […]

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• October 20, 2014

  Satin Doll (Solo/By The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Unreleased. Ray played Satin Doll during Duke Ellington’s Sold On Soul Tribute, on 23 February 1970 at Madison Square Garden in New York. It’s highly uncertain if any recording of this performance has survived. In these years Satin Doll was also on the repertoire of the band (i.e. as one of the show openers, without Ray). One low quality […]

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• October 20, 2014

  Satisfaction (I Can’t Get No) (The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Album3 (VHS): The Big T.N.T. Show, Anchor Bay, 1988. Album3 (DVD): The Big T.N.T. Show, March 2011. For most of 1965 Ray Charles limited his public appearances to a few high profile TV shows and films, such as Murray The K’s It’s What’s Happening, Shindig! and The Big T.N.T. Show. The latter was shot before a live audience at the Moulin Rouge […]

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• October 19, 2014

  Senor Blues (With The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Album: My Kind Of Jazz, Tangerine 1512, April 1970. The album was recorded with the Ray Charles Orchestra at RPM International in Los Angeles, from January 1 to 10, 1970. Bobby Bryant, Bill King, Marshall Hunt, Blue Mitchell, trumpets; Glen Childress, Henry Coker, Joe Randazzo, (+ Edward Comegys? or Fred Murrell? or David Phelps?) – trombones; J. Lloyd […]

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• October 19, 2014

  Sherry (aka Sherri) (With The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Album: Ray Charles At Newport, Atlantic 1289, October 1958. Original tune by Hank Crawford. Ray Charles – piano; Marcus Belgrave, Lee Harper – trumpets; David Newman – tenor saxophone; Hank Crawford – baritone saxophone; Edgar Willis – bass; Richie Goldberg – drums. 1958 Live: In 1962 Crawford recorded it again – this time in the Atlantic studio […]

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  October 18, 2014

  Sidewinder (With The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Billboard trade ad for Ray Charles, Orchestra, Raelettes – April 3. Album: My Kind Of Jazz, Tangerine 1512, April 1970. Single (B): Tangerine 1015, March 1971, b/w Booty Butt. This Lee Morgan composition (fully known as The Sidewinder) was recorded with the band at RPM International in Los Angeles, between January 1 to 10, 1970. More than […]

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• October 17, 2014

  Sister Sadie (The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Album: The Ray Charles Orchestra, My Kind Of Jazz Part 3, Crossover 9007, October 1975. Recorded with the Ray Charles Orchestra in late 1974 and early 1975 at RPM International in Los Angeles. Johnny Coles, Jack Evans, Phil Guilbeau, Bob Coassin – trumpets; Ken Tussing, Glenn Childress, Steve Davis, Wally Huff – trombones; Eddie Pratt, Clifford […]

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• October 17, 2014

  Smokin’ At Hungry Joe’s (The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Unreleased. Only known from concerts. Written and arranged by Billy Baker. Live: ’82 LC Antibes ’86 LC Lugano ’88 LC Saratoga

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• October 17, 2014

  Soft Winds (With The Ray Charles Orchestra)

  Unreleased. This Benny Goodman tune is known from six concerts: ’67 LC Pleyel ’67 LC Berlin ’67 LC Frankfurt ’68 LC Bakersfield ’68 LC Paris ’68 LC Fresno

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