The Story (With Ray Charles Septet)

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


The tune was written by tenor saxophonist James Moody and arranged by Ray Charles. The small band first played it at the 1960 Newport Festival. Hank Crawford played it on his first album, More Soul, played with the small band ex Ray. In 1961 they showcased it twice during the Antibes festival.
Much later, they performed it again with the reunited small band for the Saturday Night Live special in 1977, Ray taking the solo on alto sax.

Newport July 1960 line-up (not on Pure Genius DVD!):
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; Milt Turner – drums.

More Soul October 1960 line-up:
Phil Guilbeau; John Hunt – trumpets; Hank Crawford – alto saxophone, piano; David Fathead Newman – tenor saxophone; Leroy Cooper – baritone saxophone; Edgar Willis – bass; Milt Turner – drums.

Antibes 1961 line-up:
Ray Charles – piano; Phil Guilbeau; John Hunt – trumpets; Hank Crawford – alto saxophone;  David Fathead Newman – tenor saxophone; Leroy Cooper – baritone saxophone; Edgar Willis – bass; Bruno Carr – drums.

SNL 1977 line-up:
Ray Charles – piano, alto saxophone; Phil Guilbeau; Marcus Belgrave – trumpets; Hank Crawford – alto saxophone; David Newman – tenor saxophone; Leroy Cooper – baritone saxophone; Unidentified player nicknamed “Hounddog” – guitar; Steve Beskrone – bass, Gregg Field – drums;

From Hank Crawford, More Soul, Atlantic 1356, 1961; recorded on 7 October 1960:

Antibes 1961 (first version starts at 0:56):

Live:
’60 LC Newport
‘61 LC Antibes – 2x
’77 TV Saturday