Ray Charles - Standards

This CD is the perfect gift for someone (perhaps a new friend from Mars) who has never heard Ray Charles. With tracks such as "Georgia on my Mind," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Without a Song," "Ruby," "Ol' Man River," and "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," this is a feast of vintage artistry from one of America's premier performers, a man Frank Sinatra called "the only genius in the business." Featured musicians include Basie and Ellington veterans. For a one-volume presentation of popular music, this collection is hard to top. --Stanley Booth Amazon.com

A barely 5 star - but overall solid!

So Brother Ray is tackling the Great American Songbook - that really shouldn't be any surprise as GEORGIA ON MY MIND can ONLY be called a standard by any means.

Yes, Ray perhaps lacks the depth of phrasing and nuances found in Sinatra's or Nat King Cole'; but singing underneath lush strings on the ballads and a swinging band on the uptempo numbers, Ray inflects his own unique style of blues, gospel etc and makes all the songs his own.

The arrangements are superb and never get in Ray's way but support him!

This perhaps is my favorite side of Ray - combining the standards with his unique style - IT'S A WINNER! November 2, 2006

On Ray Charles' "Standards"

I had been looking for Ray Charles' version of "Ruby" Could not find his version on the web sites where I usually buy music.
Finally discovered on Amazon and found it on the CD "Standards"A
terrific album. Some of my most favorite ballads on this one. If you like Ray Charles it's a great collections of songs. Gertrude July 9, 2006

Love good music

I was pleased to find this album at a very good price. received it fast and enjoyed the sound well recorded.Thank you .will shop again February 27, 2006

Here To Stay

Popular music just doesn't get any better than this--"the Genius" not merely interpreting but re-creating some of the last century's greatest songs. What Ray does with these standards is pure alchemy. Here you'll find not only the definitive version of Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia on My Mind" but also probably the best recorded versions of Harold Arlen's "Come Rain or Come Shine" and Gershwin's last song, "Love Is Here To Stay". Considering the competition out there (Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, etc.) it's nearly unbelievable that Ray is able to make so many of these great songs *his*--but there it is.

The album would really be more than worth the price for the three above-mentioned songs alone, but you also get other such outstanding performances as "It Had To Be You", "Am I Blue", "Ruby", "Stella by Starlight", "That Lucky Old Sun", "Willow, Weep for Me", and an absolutely terrific, smile-on-your-face version of Richard Rodgers' "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'". (Amazing that such a classic recording was made in 1977 at the same time as the punk invasion and the disco craze.) Ray's "Ol' Man River" isn't the powerhouse that William Warfield's incredible recording is, but it's another standout, mournful and full of soul.

It's impossible to categorize the music on this album--it's a perfect blend of classic pop, jazz, and r&b. Like Ellington or Gershwin, Ray Charles is simply "beyond category", an American original. His voice is of course an absolute marvel--soulful, sandpapery, moving effortlessly from the heartrending to the exhilarating. His range of shadings and expression is like that of a great jazz instrumentalist. And you have to love his little additional touches, like the sly "ha-ha" toward the end of "Beautiful Mornin'". His innate talent is just beyond belief and totally unique, and here he gets to exercise it on some truly first-class lyrics and melodies.

The arrangements can superficially sound a little dated, but the more you listen to these recordings, the more integral they become. The ones for the earlier tracks provided by Ralph Burns (who had worked for Woody Herman) are particularly good. The bands play very well, and the instruments sometimes blend perfectly with Ray's voice to create expressive effects, notably the "dirty" sounds on "Come Rain or Come Shine". And Ray's piano playing (I do wish he cut loose with it a little more!) shines on "Love Is Here To Stay", simply one of the all-time great interpretations of a standard.

A great collection, full of joyful, inspired music-making. February 12, 2004

You Can't Go Wrong With Ray

What can I say about Ray Charles? As much as I really enjoy his original songs, he has a way of taking standards and making them his own. There is something about his voice that is so amazing that I cannot do anything else while listening to him--I just have to sit back and give him my full attention. Ray's version of That Lucky Old Sun is worth the price of the CD. It is so beautiful and moving that it chills me to my very soul. You won't regret buying this CD. It will further help you appreciate some already great songs. October 2, 2003

More reviews at Amazon.com ...