Ray Charles - The Great Ray Charles - 180g Mono Vinyl LP

Vinyl LP

Ray Charles's second long-player was released on the legendary Atlantic Records in 1957. An instrumental jazz album, it was released two years before Charles became an international superstar with the hit recording "What'd I Say". Though Charles was already nearly a decade deep into his recording career he'd yet to have a massive hit and was a difficult artist to pin down as his tastes ranged from jazz to pop to R&B. Featuring longtime band member David "Fathead" Newman and with help from the arranging and songwriting genius Quincy Jones, this is a beautiful, swinging, and laid-back jazz album necessary for any fans of Ray.

Musicians:
Ray Charles, piano
David Newman, alto sax, tenor sax
Emmott Dennis, baritone sax
Joseph Bridgewater, trumpet
John Hunt, trumpet
Roosevelt Sheffield, bass
William Peeples, drums
Oscar Pettiford, bass on "Black Coffee"
Joe Harris, drums on "Black Coffee"

Selections:
Side One:
1. The Ray
2. My Melancholy Baby
3. Black Coffee
4. There's No You
Side Two:
1. Doodlin'
2. Sweet Sixteen Bars
3. I Surrender Dear
4. Undecided