You know, over the years, you get exposed to so many cliches about Ray Charles that it's easy to forget how great he is – but you won't after hearing this set! This totally essential box pushes way past any other collection to pull together the raw early R&B sides by Ray – much harder stuff than any of his later country soul work, and way more rockin than even his instrumental sides that show up more as "jazz" efforts. No, this stuff kicks ass – and is right up there with the best 50s R&B work by artists like Tiny Bradshaw, Wynonie Harris, or Ray Brown. Plus, a huge amount of the cuts on here never really appeared on full LPs, so it's not like you'll be able to track them down that easily on other reissues. There's a wealth of excellent material here that will open up a whole new side of Ray for you – and which will fill in loads of holes if you've already got some of his work. There's a total of 53 tracks in all, plus a great set of notes and a very handsome box – and titles include "What Kind Of Man Are You", "Get On The Right Track", "Leave My Woman Alone", "Roll With My Baby", "Jumpin In The Morning", "It Should Have Been Me", "Feelin Sad", "Mess Around", "I Wonder Who", "Blackjack", "Greenbacks", "A Fool For You", "Hard Times", "A Bit Of Soul", "I Want To Know", "It's Alright", "Ain't That Love", and "That's Enough". All cuts are vocal – and this is some of the most satisfying Ray Charles you could ever buy! CD

Includes 40 tracks on 2 CDs. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

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A wonderful chapter in the career of Ray Charles – and a key album in helping raise his respect level a notch or two in the early 60s! We might argue with the mathematics in the title – or at least joke that Ray was using equations as titles years before Anthony Braxton – but you can't contest the fact that this one's a classic treat, and a legendary attempt to class up Ray's bluesy style for the masses. Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns handled the arrangements, and given that the record was issued by ABC a few years before they brought Ray into a country mode, it's interesting to think what might have happened had his career continued this way. There's only a small number of vocal tracks on the record, and most of the rest feature Ray at the organ, grooving away very nicely! Titles include "One Mint Julep", "Moanin", "I've Got News For You", "Mister C", and "Stompin Room Only". LP, Vinyl record album

We might argue with the mathematics in the title – or at least joke that Ray was using equations as titles years before Anthony Braxton – but you can't contest the fact that this one's a classic treat, and a legendary attempt to class up Ray's bluesy style for the masses. Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns handled the arrangements, and given that the record was issued by ABC a few years before they brought Ray into a country mode, it's interesting to think what might have happened had his career continued this way. There's only a small number of vocal tracks on the record, and most of the rest feature Ray at the organ, grooving away very nicely! Titles include "One Mint Julep", "Moanin", "I've Got News For You", "Mister C", and "Stompin Room Only". CD

A stunning standout from Ray Charles' years on ABC Records – and a set that brings in a bit of hard-swinging jazz to the country-styled groove Ray was hitting at the time! Backings are by Ralph Burns, who keeps things pretty hip – not as modern as some of his 50s charts for other singers, but with some great horns that cascade beautifully alongside Ray's raspy vocals in the lead. The "road" title leads to a bunch of travel-themed tunes – but that approach also yields one of Charles' biggest classics – his version of "Georgia On My Mind" – heard here amidst other tracks that include "New York's My Home", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Deep In The Heart Of Texas", "Blue Hawaii", "Carry Me Back To Old Virginny", "Alabamy Bound", and "Mississippi Mud". CD features 7 more bonus tracks – mostly travel-related numbers from later years – with titles that include "Hit The Road Jack", "I Was On Georgia Time", "Take Me Home Country Roads", "Blue Moon Of Kentucky", and "The Long & Winding Road". CD

Featuring duets with Natalie Cole, Elton John, Norah Jones, BB King, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Michael McDonald, Johnny Mathis, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, and James Taylor. CD

Tracks include "Hit The Road Jack", "Busted", "Them That Got", "I'm A Fool To Care", "Ruby", "Baby It's Cold Outside", and "Eleanor Rigby" – 20 tracks total. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great little follow-up to Ray's funky My Kind Of Jazz album – and like that one, a session that's all instrumental, and in a soul jazz mode that's quite different than most of Ray's vocal albums from the time. Tracks are all a bit longish, and feature some striking arrangements by Teddy Edwards, Jimmy Heath, and Al Clausen – bristling with energy in a nicely updated big band mode, in a way that almost recalls some of the best MPS sessions of this type, or maybe some of the hippest work by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis group. Players are unfortunately not listed on the cover, but the sound is great – and titles include "Going Home", "Brazilian Skies", "Kids Are Pretty People", "Morning Of Carnival", "Our Site", "A Pair Of Threes", and "Togetherness". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A righteous early 70s set from Ray Charles – and a record with a much deeper vibe than you might guess from the image of Ray and some kids on the cover! Arrangements were handled by Quincy Jones, Sid Feller, and Mike Post – and the record is kind of a 70s take on the fuller modes that Charles explored for ABC during the 60s – moved into more contemporary territory with some sweet Fender Rhodes, full strings, and a funky undercurrent in some of the rhythms – never too forced or over the top, but in ways that makes some of the tunes sly steppers that work great with Charles' aging vocals. Titles include "Abraham Martin & John", "Heaven Help Us All", "There'll Be No Peace Without All Men As One", "Hey Mister", "Lift Every Voice & Sing", "Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong", and "What Have They Done To My Song Ma". LP, Vinyl record album

A righteous early 70s set from Ray Charles – and a record with a much deeper vibe than you might guess from the image of Ray and some kids on the cover! Arrangements were handled by Quincy Jones, Sid Feller, and Mike Post – and the record is kind of a 70s take on the fuller modes that Charles explored for ABC during the 60s – moved into more contemporary territory with some sweet Fender Rhodes, full strings, and a funky undercurrent in some of the rhythms – never too forced or over the top, but in ways that makes some of the tunes sly steppers that work great with Charles' aging vocals. Titles include "Abraham Martin & John", "Heaven Help Us All", "There'll Be No Peace Without All Men As One", "Hey Mister", "Lift Every Voice & Sing", "Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong", and "What Have They Done To My Song Ma". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic! What seemed a silly idea at the time was true proof of Ray's genius, and the result was the most successful album of his career – and a bona-fide number one hit that rode the charts for years and years! Ray's voice works perfectly with the material, and thanks to soulful arrangements by Gil Fuller, Marty Paich, and Gerald Wilson, the whole thing comes off to perfection. Titles include "You Don't Know Me", "I Can't Stop Lovin You", "Careless Love", "You Win Again", and "Worried Mind". CD

The second installment of one of Ray's greatest albums – and a landmark in the genre of country soul! As the title implies, Ray's singing a host of tunes best known from the country side of the spectrum – but he's working here with arrangements by LA jazzers Marty Paich and Gerald Wilson, to completely re-cast the tunes into the "modern sounds" mode promised in the title. The result is wonderful – a style that gave Ray's career a whole new boost, and a genre that was a perfect foil for his rich bluesy mode of singing. Titles include "No Letter Today", "Take These Chains From My Heart", "Teardrops In My Heart", "Making Believe", and "Hang Your Head In Shame". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of early Swingtime Records material by Ray Charles – from his pre-Atlantic years! Titles include "Ray Charles Blues", "Jack She's On The Ball", "Sitting On Top Of The World", "Let's Have A Ball", "You Always Miss The Water", "St Pete Florida Blues", and "I've Had My Fun". LP, Vinyl record album

A great live album, with a definite jazzy feel – thanks to work from David Newman on tenor sax and Marcus Belgrave on trumpet! Titles include "The Right Time", "I Got A Woman", "Blues Waltz", "Hot Rod", "Sherry", and "Talkin Bout You". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of soul jazz from McPherson – recorded live, with a rolling groove that's in the Blue Note mode of the mid 60s – but even more open overall! The group's got a lot of hometown talent from McPherson's native Detroit – including Barry Harris on piano, Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, and Ray McKinney on bass – and the mighty Billy Higgins handles the drums, always with a lean and fluid groove that works well with the extended energy of the set! McPherson's horn is sometimes a bit overshadowed by Hillyer's trumpet on the head arrangements – but given how much we like Lonnie, that's hardly a bad thing – and Charles more than comes into his own on the solos! The album features a catchy original called "The Viper", plus the tracks "Suddenly", "Shaw Nuff", and "Never Let Me Go". CD

With Slide Hampton on trombone, Charles McPherson on alto, Jim Rotondi on trumpet, John Hicks on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Rumah Saafir on congas! CD

With Ray Drummond on bass, Marvin "Smitty" Smith and Victor Lewis on drums, Craig Handy and Alex Foster on flutes and saxophones, George Adams on tenor saxophone, and Jack Walrath on trumpet. CD

Two Chubby Checker groovers – back to back on a single CD! It's Pony Time is a romper that shows Chubby Checker at his best – a groove that's possibly less familiar than his twisting hit, spun out over a whole range of hip early 60s dance modes! There's a surprising amount of early Philly Soul in the set at times, thanks to arrangements from Dave Appell – and titles include "The Hully Gully", "The Watusi", "Pony Time", "We Like Birdland", "Hi Ho Silver", "The Shimmy", and "Dance The Mess Around". Let's Twist Again has a title that seems to take off from Chubby Checker's bit trademark hit, but the overall groove is a lot better than you might expect – set for twisting, sure, but in a nicely rough and ready style that's almost equal parts soul and R&B! Some tunes are familiar, but twist-ified – and others are standout originals that really make the album sparkle. Titles include "The Ray Charles-ton", "Dance A Long", "Takes Two To Tango", "Continental Walk", "The Jet", "I Could Have Danced All Night", and "Peanut Butter". CD

A mid-60s cut from The Corvairs – one that's definitely soul in construction, but which also has all the complex interplay of earlier vocal group material – almost as if doo wop harmonies have been refitted in a 60s sort of mode! "A Feeling Deep Inside" is an upbeat romper with a really great groove – female vocals backing up the lead, and this swinging spiritual vibe that's almost like Ray Charles with the Raelettes! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Given Hank Crawford's soulful legacy on the alto sax – one that already made him a star in Ray Charles group by the time of this LP – it would be hard to add More Soul to his bag – but that's what he's going for here, and we've gotta say that it works pretty darn well! The session's a small group one – with Hank's alto alongside tenor by David Newman, trumpet by Phillip Guilbeau, and baritone sax by Leroy "Hog" Cooper – and in addition to tenor, Hank also plays some piano on the set as well. The tunes have an easygoing soul jazz groove that makes the record feel more like a Prestige jazz session than an Atlantic one – and there's a nice variety to the record, which helps it get past some of the hoke on Hank's other sets from the time. Titles include "Boo's Tune", "Four Five Six", "The Story", "Sister Sadie", and "Dat Dere". LP, Vinyl record album

Peter Guralnick has written some mighty big, career-defining books on key figures in music – but from the start, we've always loved his shorter pieces the best – the kind of work we first fell in love with in books like Sweet Soul Music and Lost Highway! And if you dig his shorter pieces, there's plenty of those here – really wonderful essays on artists in a variety of genres – penned by one of the few figures who can balance an understanding of their music with a mixture of historical detail and unabashed fandom! Guralnick's writing has gotten better and better over the years – and it's great to have it focused back on his roots – in chapters that focus on artists who include Solomon Burke, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, Allen Toussaint, Howlin Wolf, Tammy Wynette, and even the great country trucker Dick Curless! Hardcover book is 554 pages, with black and white illustrations throughout. Book

A very groovy set of short jazzy numbers from Quincy – a consummate expression of all the work he'd forged in the 60s on soundtracks and other jazz sides for Mercury! The album features Quincy working through a lot of soul numbers – jamming on them instrumentally with players that include Jerome Richardson, Bobby Bryant, Plas Johnson, Ray Charles, Carol Kaye, and Ben Tucker – plus a nice brace of percussion from Ray Bryant and Gary Coleman. Titles include "Boss Bird", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "I Got You (I Feel Good)", "Mohair Sam", and "Baby Cakes". LP, Vinyl record album

Les McCann on piano, Tom Scott on flute and alto saxophone, Ron Jannelli on flute, bassoon, and tenor saxophone, Gary Herbig on flute, oboe, and tenor saxophone, Richard Perissi and Vince De Rosa on French horn, Bill Reichenbach and Dick Hyde on trombone, Larry Hall and Malcolm McNab on trumpet, Buell Neidlinger on bass, Anne Karam, John Acosta, and Ray Kelley on cello, David Campbell, David Schwartz, Milton Thomas, Pamela Goldsmith, Ray Tischer, and Virginia Majewski on viola, Arnold Belnick, Assa Druri, Charles Everett, Don Palmer, Ezra Kliger, Gail Cruz, Israel Baker, Joseph Goodman, Mari Botnick, Norman Hughes, Pavel Farkas, Stanley Plummer, and Vladimir Polimatidi on violin, and Tony Sepe conducting. CD

One of our favorite of Verve's "genius of" collections of Charlie Parker's work – largely because it includes some wonderful and oft-overlooked vocal tunes! 4 of the tracks on the set feature Bird blowing with a vocal chorus arranged by Dave Lambert – in a style that shouldn't work, but does – thanks to Lambert's keen bop sensibilities (heard here before his Lambert Hendricks & Ross years), and to players in the group that include Hal McKusick, Max Roach, and Charles Mingus. Other tracks have Parker either playing in a quartet with Buddy Rich, Ray Brown, and Hank Jones – or in a different group with Kenny Dorham and Tommy Turk. Titles include "Cardboard", "Visa", "Segment", "Passport", "Diverse", "I'm In the Mood For Love", "If I Love Again", and "Star Eyes". CD

One of our favorite of Verve's "genius of" collections of Charlie Parker's work – largely because it includes some wonderful and oft-overlooked vocal tunes! 4 of the tracks on the set feature Bird blowing with a vocal chorus arranged by Dave Lambert – in a style that shouldn't work, but does – thanks to Lambert's keen bop sensibilities (heard here before his Lambert Hendricks & Ross years), and to players in the group that include Hal McKusick, Max Roach, and Charles Mingus. Other tracks have Parker either playing in a quartet with Buddy Rich, Ray Brown, and Hank Jones – or in a different group with Kenny Dorham and Tommy Turk. Titles include "Cardboard", "Visa", "Segment", "Passport", "Diverse", "I'm In the Mood For Love", "If I Love Again", and "Star Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of greatness from British folk rock legend John Renbourn – all of his late 60s solo work, done before moving on to greater fame in Pentangle! First up is There You Go – a rare one from singer Dorris Henderson and future Pentangle founder John Rensbourn! Florida born, LA raised singer Dorris Henderson moved to London in 1965 and was soon singing London's folk clubs, where she met Rensbourn. A solid mix of traditionals and then contemporary folk songs – stripped down and honest takes on "Saly Free And Easy", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "Mr Tamborine Man", "Going To Memphis", Something Lonesome", "Mist On The Mountain" and more. This edition includes bonus tracks from a rare 45 – "Hangman" and "Leaves That Are Green". Next is the self-titled John Renbourn from 1965 – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Bert & John is a hell of a collaboration between British legends Bert Jansch and John Renbourn – both working here together to completely redefine the sound of their music for the generation to come! This one album may well hold all the sense of subtle power and possibility that was about to flower in the Brit movement often known as "acid folk" – that reworking of older aesthetics with modern conceptions, and doing so mostly with their work on acoustic guitar – quite a feat, given the stripped-down instrumentation of the set! Bert sings a bit – in that incredible style of his – but the real attraction here is the guitar interplay, which is always fresh, never hokey, neither familiar American folk nor forced singer-songwriter backup material. Titles include a wonderful reworking of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – plus "Red's Favourite", "Orlando", "Soho", "Piano Tune", "East Wind", "After The Dance", and "The Time Has Come". Another Monday is maybe the most obscure album in the collection – a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". Watch The Stars is another great collaboration with Dorris Henderson – an American singer, but one who moved to London in the 60s – where she cut this rare gem with guitarist John Renbourn! The album's got a righteous vibe that's hipper than the usual folk set – with some traditional tunes and some contemporary material – recorded with that amazing phrasing that made Renbourn's guitar so distinct right from the start, with lots of those jazzy currents we love so much – and which really fit the creative vocal approach of Henderson! Dorris also plays some autoharp, and there's a bit of bass in the backings – although overall the main focus here is on Renbourn's guitar and Henderson's vocals. Titles include "Come Up Horsey", "God Bless The Child", "Watch The Stars", "30 Days In Jail", "Mosaic Patterns", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", and "There's Anger In This Land". Sir John A Lot Of is perhaps one of the best-known albums from British guitar legend John Renbourn – as it was issued widely in the US, and kept in print for a surprisingly long time over the years! The approach here is slightly different than Renbourn's previous records – a bit in the image presented by the cover, although with maybe not as slavish a sound – as John just uses the whole thing to go a bit more ancient than before, in ways that echo the time travel that the whole British folk scene was taking as the 70s approached. The tunes are done in ways that are really beautiful – still lots of the incredible guitar work that made Renbourn such a standout on the scene – plus flute from jazzman Ray Warleigh, who's very different here than usual – and spare use of finger cymbals, African drums, and glockenspiel by Terry Cox. Titles include "Morgana", "Transfusion", "The Trees They Do Grow High", "Sweet Potato", "Seven Up", and "White Fishes". 6CD box features all records in original artwork sleeves, with a booklet of notes – and bonus tracks that include "Message To Pretty", "The Waggoner's Lad", "Lucky Thirteen", "Blues Run The Game", "The Wildest Pig In Captivity (alt)", "Can't Keep From Crying", "Transfusion (alt)", and "The Leaves Are Green". CD

A real classic from blues giant Joe Turner – a singer who burst back to the mainstream on 50s Atlantic Records, thanks to a host of R&B singles that burned up the charts – but who here returns to his roots, and lays down a great set of jazzy tunes that get back to his roots in the Kansas City scene of the 30s! The shift is a bit like that Ray Charles made at the end of the 50s on Atlantic – R&B to more of a jazz-based groove – and Joe works here with great help from Pete Brown on alto, Pete Johnson on piano, Joe Newman on trumpet, and Lawrence Brown on trombone. After the raw hard R&B of Joe's bigger hit sides for Atlantic, the album's a compelling change – a reminder that Turner had roots that went much deeper than his rock and roll fame – and a depth of delivery that would keep his career strong, long after some of his 50s R&B contemporaries faded! The mix of modes – R&B and jazz – is a bit like some of the later Ray Charles albums on Atlantic – and tracks include "Low Down Dog", "Roll Em Pete", "Cherry Red", "How Long Blues", and "Morning Glories". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice showcase for Steve Turre's varied influences, and an album that actually features three separate quartets! Each group is anchored by a different piano player – Ray Charles, Stephen Scott, and Chucho Valdes – and they help bring out a different side of Turre's work on tracks that include "Ray's Collard Greens", "Misty", "Something For John", "Elington Medley", "Descarga Ahora", and "Suenos de La Habana". CD

One of the few albums ever made as a leader by tenorist Don Wilkerson – a hell of a talent who was usually working in the background of the Ray Charles band, but got this chance to step out as a leader for Blue Note – in a session that's also one of the rarest on the label! Brother Don plays lean and mean, in a nice tight group that features Grant Green on guitar, Sonny Clark on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums – all of whom give Wilkerson a freer setting than he ever got working with Ray Charles – a groove that's right in the best soul jazz pocket of early 60s Blue Note! The groove has a freer edge than on some of Wilkerson's few other albums, with touches that almost reach a Latin sound at times – an influence most likely from Green's exotic work on guitar, and Higgins' wonderfully free rhythms. Titles include "Pigeon Peas", "Camp Meetin", "Jeanie Weanie", and "Dem Tamborines". LP, Vinyl record album