Ray Charles – Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters [78/100]
Released yesterday, this album is a set of 10 never-before-heard songs that cover the whole range of the Genius’s abilities, from country-western to blues to funk. It was a bit of a sentimental rollercoaster to listen to, but I enjoyed it very much. Below are my notes and scores for the album.
Notes: Sound quality is exceptional given the age of the material, some of which dates back to the 1970s. From track to track you’re reminded of Ray’s ability to shine in any genre. “It Hurts To Be In Love” has tons of emotion over a funky swing sound, with little stabs of electronic piano placing it firmly in the 1980s. “Wheel of Fortune” feels like two songs in one, the swelling strings of orchestral soul on one side of the coin and a more syncopated big band sound with subtle two-part harmony that gives the song tons of character. An early favorite in this album. “I’m Gonna Keep On Singin'” Opens with tasty funk licks on bass and takes you on a trip that feels largely improvised and delightfully so, like you could feel privileged to sit in for a jam session with the Genius hard at work. Even though the whole band seems to be in attendance, for most of the song it feels quite minimal and intimate, transitioning with a bridge featuring marimbas that places the track firmly in funk. “There’ll Be Some Changes Made” is slow blues that is soulful, but with a solo that feels about 8 bars too long. His vocals seem forced but still beautiful. “Isn’t It Wonderful” doesn’t categorize well but bass and electric guitar pluck out a simple 4/4, Charles’ vocals are spot-on but the track feels very roughed-in, and in fact several of these tracks were finished posthumously by the producers. I’d bet dollars to donuts this was one of them. “I Don’t Want No One But You” uses a gospel chorus over a love song characterized mainly by the horns and bass with tasteful melodic riffs on electric guitar that saves the song from being simply okay. “A Little Bitty Tear” takes you back to the heady days of Charles’ country-and-western albums, and is a masterfully done cover. Ray’s vision in country music is so evocative of a time gone by, when the stories were heart-breaking and eloquent. Charles didn’t pen these lyrics as the song covers a work by Hank Cochran. “She’s Gone” reminds me that it’s either a rare gift or a life’s work to sing the blues over a track that feels largely upbeat and it not feel out-of-place. It’s slightly jarring but not bad. “Why Me Lord?” is a duet with Johnny Cash that seems decades overdue, but hearing the two legends together, you feel privileged for the opportunity to hear it. Cash is lead vocals with Charles providing backup vocals and keyboard, and it’s primarily a Johnny Cash song, but even for the brief time you hear them together the sheer talent is evident.
Tone/Overall Sound: 16/20 Points. These master tracks have both unrealized potential and tons of polish. The unrealized potential stems from some of the recordings actually being unfinished and the producers later finished them. The sound is clear, and Charles’ style has confounded obsessive categorizing types for years.
Melody and Harmony: 16/20 Points. Both are effectively used throughout the album but when the songs don’t pop, it really seems to be because the melody doesn’t carry the song. Given these are almost all the remaining unreleased masters it’s understandable that sometimes the quality isn’t there compared to the other works we tend to associate with him.
Rhythmic Qualities: 12/20 Points. Even though we cover a lot of ground with regard to genre, the rhythm and percussion are weak through all but a handful of tracks. It’s understandable given what genres we /are/ in that there’s not a lot of room for originality, but just the same this is one area that seems to be given short shrift.
Mixing and Production: 20/20 Points. This was a tremendous undertaking by John Burk, who also produced Charles’ final studio album, Genius Loves Company, and the effort is both evident and worth it. On one front you have some masters that are nearly 40 years old, and on the other you have tracks that aren’t completed. Many producers would’ve simply left those out, but out of love for Charles’ work, he set about hiring an orchestra and finishing the tracks as closely to Ray’s vision as he could. The sound quality of the tracks is perfect, and given the age of the tapes that’s no mean trick. Completely exceeded expectations.
Theme and Concept: 8/10 Points. Given that this is a collection of unreleased songs I’m not looking for an overarching theme to the album, but instead looking at themes within songs and lyrical qualities. I’ve always been a fan of Ray’s understated, poignant lyrics, he has the true bluesman’s gift for storytelling. He can be repetitive with regards to song themes, but that’s an effect of the genres he dabbles in, and does quite well at branching out within those genres.
Presentation: 6/10 Points. A simple black and white photo of the Genius, with three fonts used in two colors. The front cover honestly looks a bit cramped, even though it seems they were trying to avoid exactly that.
Total: 78/100. If you liked the man’s prior work there’s a good chance something in this grab bag will appeal to you, and any time there’s a chance to hear something new from artists dead and gone there’s a rather unique feeling of unearthing a precious resource. Totally listen-worthy.
Setup:
Scoring Method: http://is.gd/gnNWc [pdf]
Sennheiser HD25-1 II
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
MOG 320kbps MP3 Stream
