The Genius Hits the Road

Performer: Ray Charles
Artist: The Raelets
Producer: Sid Feller
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Ray Charles (vocals, piano); David "Fathead" Newman (alto & tenor saxophones); Hank Crawford (alto & baritone saxophones); Leroy Cooper, Emmet Dennis (baritone saxophone); Marcus Belgrave, John Hunt, Joe Bridgewater, Ricky Harper, Philip Guilbeau (trumpet); Richard Nash, Harry Betts, Frank Rosolino, Ken Shroyer (trombone); Edgar Willis, Roosevelt Sheffield (bass); Milt Turner, William Peeples, Teagle Fleming, Mel Lewis (drums); Bruno Carr (percussion). Recorded between 1956 & 1972. Includes liner notes by Billy Vera & Rick Ward. Digitally remastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch. Liner Note Author: Bill Dahl. Arranger: Ralph Burns. Genius is a word that gets bandied about with such careless overuse that it's all but lost its meaning. With Ray Charles the word is re-anointed with its true meaning. In 1960 he left Atlantic for ABC/Paramount, not because of any artistic constraints placed on him by the former, but mainly because of the much deeper pockets of the latter. This album followed his former home's GENIUS OF RAY CHARLES release. Continuing in that sublimely successful mode, large orchestrations show off the Charles' full range and emotive power as well as the breadth of his taste. Blues, jazz, pop and country all coexist like pieces of one big picture. There's a thematic unity in this set with the songs all either praising assorted locales or the sheer thrill of being out on the open road. This was also the album on which Ray made "Georgia On My Mind" his own. Seven bonus tracks continue the theme and make this yet another essential Ray Charles release.

There are few musicians in modern pop music who can truly be called "genius," but in the case of Ray Charles, the term applies. His innovative singing, drawing on both gospel and pop, has inspired legions of great singers. With a long, prolific recording career that began in 1949, Charles became perhaps the finest interpreter of pop music in the postwar years. A gifted pianist, songwriter, and vocalist, he was a master of every style he attempted, be it R&B, country, blues, or soul. The man who wrote such indelible R&B classics as "I Got a Woman" and "What'd I Say" passed away in 2004, a legend several times over. The same year, a remarkable performance by Jamie Foxx in the biopic RAY served as a fitting cinematic eulogy.

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