Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Ray Sings, Basie Swings, huh? Hmm, well, yes and no. You see, the story goes something like this. In 2005, Concord Records exec John Burk, who produced Ray Charles' superb late-career, Grammy-winning Genius Loves Company, found a reel of tape simply labeled "Ray/Basie." Upon further analysis, it was determined that the 1973 recording featured Ray Charles backed by his own band -- Count Basie and his band had actually recorded earlier that day. Charles' vocal was exceptionally prominent in the mix and at first it was thought that this potentially momentous discovery would prove unable to bear fruit. But then Burk brainstormed and decided to bring the current Count Basie Orchestra -- whose leader died in 1984 -- into the studio to lay tracks behind Charles' vocals. So there's no Basie on Ray Sings, Basie Swings, but that's merely a technicality, because there is some great music. Charles was in fine form vocally on this mix of remakes of his early ABC-Paramount-era hits and then-recent material. The consecutive reworkings of "Busted," "Cryin' Time," and "I Can't Stop Loving You," three of his defining Top Ten hits of the early '60s, are given brassy, bluesy treatments here, and standards ranging from Oscar Hammerstein II's "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" to the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road" are transformed in Charles' hands. The set-closing "Georgia on My Mind," as close to a signature song as Charles had, is given a tender, minimalist reading, but the track preceding it, "Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma," picked up from the folk-pop singer Melanie, is quite possibly the album's highlight. It's appeared on other Ray Charles compilations before, but the gospelized, testifyin' version featured here has got to be the liveliest take on that song anyone's ever devised. So, yeah, there's no Count Basie to be found here, but his namesake orchestra does him proud. For one of those postmortem studio patch jobs that owes as much to technology as talent, it's a fine addition to the Ray Charles oeuvre, as long as one can get past the semi-false advertising of its title.
© Jeff Tamarkin /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From 13,50€/month
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Tom Scott, Arranger - Roger Neumann, Arranger - Williamson Music Co (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - Oscar Hammerstein II (ASCAP), Composer - Richard Rodgers (ASCAP), Composer
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Quincy Jones, Arranger - Joey DeFrancesco, Soloist - Rytvoc Inc (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - Scotty Barn, Soloist - Fleecie Moore (BMI), Composer - Sam Theard (ASCAP), Composer - Theard Swanson Publishing (ASCAP), MusicPublisher
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Shelly Berg, Arranger - Larry Muhoberac, Arranger - Mike Williams, Soloist - WB Music Corp (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - George Gershwin (ASCAP), Composer - Ira Gershwin (GMR), Composer
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Patti Austin, Arranger - Shelly Berg, Arranger - Aaron Collins (ASCAP), Composer - RAY CHARLES ENTERPRISES INC (RACER MUSIC CO DIV) (ASCAP), MusicPublisher
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Shelly Berg, Arranger - Harlan Howard (BMI), Composer - Good Ol Harlan Songs (BMI), MusicPublisher - Legacy Of Harlan Perry Howard LLC (BMI), MusicPublisher
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Patti Austin, Arranger - Shelly Berg, Arranger - Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), MusicPublisher - Buck Owens (BMI), Composer - BEACHAVEN MUSIC CORPORATION (ASCAP), MusicPublisher
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Quincy Jones, Arranger - Joey DeFrancesco, Soloist - Gregg Field, Arranger - Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (BMI), MusicPublisher - Tony Suggs, Soloist - Don Gibson (BMI), Composer
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Shelly Berg, Arranger - House of Bryant Publications LLC (BMI), MusicPublisher - Boudleaux Bryant (BMI), Composer - Felice Bryant (BMI), Composer
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Shelly Berg, Arranger - Arc Music (BMI), Composer - Doug Lawrence, Soloist - James Johnson (BMI), Composer - Leslie Temple (BMI), Composer
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Shelly Berg, Arranger - Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - Northern Songs Ltd (PRS), MusicPublisher - Paul McCartney (PRS), Composer - John Lennon (PRS), Composer
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Patti Austin, Arranger - Shelly Berg, Arranger - Quartet Music Ascap, MusicPublisher - Melanie Safka NS, Composer - BIENSTOCK PUBLISHING COMPANY ASCAP, MusicPublisher
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Ray Charles, MainArtist - Patti Austin, Arranger - Tom Scott, Arranger - Gregg Field, Arranger - PEERMUSIC III LTD (BMI), Composer - Hoagy Carmichael (ASCAP), Composer - Stuart Gorrell (BMI), Composer
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records
Albumbeschreibung
Ray Sings, Basie Swings, huh? Hmm, well, yes and no. You see, the story goes something like this. In 2005, Concord Records exec John Burk, who produced Ray Charles' superb late-career, Grammy-winning Genius Loves Company, found a reel of tape simply labeled "Ray/Basie." Upon further analysis, it was determined that the 1973 recording featured Ray Charles backed by his own band -- Count Basie and his band had actually recorded earlier that day. Charles' vocal was exceptionally prominent in the mix and at first it was thought that this potentially momentous discovery would prove unable to bear fruit. But then Burk brainstormed and decided to bring the current Count Basie Orchestra -- whose leader died in 1984 -- into the studio to lay tracks behind Charles' vocals. So there's no Basie on Ray Sings, Basie Swings, but that's merely a technicality, because there is some great music. Charles was in fine form vocally on this mix of remakes of his early ABC-Paramount-era hits and then-recent material. The consecutive reworkings of "Busted," "Cryin' Time," and "I Can't Stop Loving You," three of his defining Top Ten hits of the early '60s, are given brassy, bluesy treatments here, and standards ranging from Oscar Hammerstein II's "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" to the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road" are transformed in Charles' hands. The set-closing "Georgia on My Mind," as close to a signature song as Charles had, is given a tender, minimalist reading, but the track preceding it, "Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma," picked up from the folk-pop singer Melanie, is quite possibly the album's highlight. It's appeared on other Ray Charles compilations before, but the gospelized, testifyin' version featured here has got to be the liveliest take on that song anyone's ever devised. So, yeah, there's no Count Basie to be found here, but his namesake orchestra does him proud. For one of those postmortem studio patch jobs that owes as much to technology as talent, it's a fine addition to the Ray Charles oeuvre, as long as one can get past the semi-false advertising of its title.
© Jeff Tamarkin /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:48:34
- Main artists: Ray Charles The Count Basie Orchestra
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Tangerine Records
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Soul
2022 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC 2006 Tangerine Records, Released Under Exclusive License to Exceleration Music Partners, LLC
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.