Ray Charles - Genius + Soul = Jazz
Ray Charles - piano, vocals [click here to see more vinyl featuring Ray Charles]
December 26, 1960, session (A1-3, B2-4) :
Clark Terry, Phillip Guilbeau, Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Snooky Young – trumpets
Urbie Green, Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell – trombones
Marshal Royal, Frank Wess – alto saxophones
Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell – tenor saxophones
Charlie Fowlkes – baritone saxophone
Freddie Green – guitar
Eddie Jones – bass
Sonny Payne – drums
December 27, 1960, session (A4-5, B1, B5) :
Clark Terry, Phillip Guilbeau, Jimmy Nottingham, Joe Wilder, John Frosk – trumpets
Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Keg Johnson, George Matthews – trombones
George Dorsey, Earle Warren – alto saxophones
Budd Johnson, Seldon Powell – tenor saxophones
Haywood Henry – baritone saxophone
Sam Herman – guitar
Joe Benjamin – bass
Roy Haynes – drums
1 LP, gatefold old-style tip-on jackets
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Quality Record Pressings
Label : Acoustic Sounds Series
Original Label : Impulse
Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on December 26 & 27, 1960
Produced by Creed Taylor
Remastered by Kevin Gray
Originally released in 1961
Reissued in 2021
Tracks:
Side A :
- From The Heart
- I've Got News For You
- Moanin'
- Let's Go
- One Mint Julep
Side B :
- I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
- Stompin' Room Only
- Mister C
- Strike Up The Band
- Birth Of The Blues
Reviews :
"One of the best early-'60s examples of soul-jazz crossover, this record, like several of his dates from the period, featured big-band arrangements (played by the Count Basie band). This fared better than some of Charles' similar outings, however, if only because it muted some of his straight pop aspirations in favor of some pretty mean and lean, cut-to-the-heart-of-the-matter B-3 Hammond organ licks. Most of the album is instrumental and swings vivaciously, although Charles does take a couple of vocals with "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" and "I've Got News for You." Yet one of those instrumentals, a cover of the Clovers' "One Mint Julep," would give Charles one of his most unpredictable (and best) early-'60s hits." AllMusic Review by Richie Unterberger
"Genius + Soul = Jazz is a winner, now sounding better than ever. I like this reissue so much I'll probably not play my original again since it isn't in quite as nice condition. In fact, I'm not sure if I really need to even keep my original in the collection at this point given the quality of this reissue. And that is probably the best complement I can offer." — Mark Smotroff, Audiophile Review, May 17, 2021
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4,5 / 5 , Discogs : 4,3 / 5