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The Genius of Ray Charles is just a sublime example of the early talents of Ray Charles. This is before the Modern Sounds experiments, but no less stellar. Truly, this is just a fantastic album.
The first half is all bouncy jazz-pop, and the second half is all ballads. Charles is fine voice throughout, but the last string of ballads reveal ever nuance, crack and feeling in his voice. To hear him sing “Am I Blue?” is too hear a master vocalist at work. More proof that vocal bombast, screeching and trying to do as many vocal runs as possible, mean nothing if you can’t deliver the story and emotion behind a song. Charles might not have had a voice full of octaves, but his was a rich and lived in voice, a voice that had life and character, a voice that could tell and sell a story better than anyone else.
But, arguably, the greatest moment on the record is “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying.” To put it simply: it’s a beautiful piece of music. Everything comes together – the strings, the soft piano, the vocals – and creates a perfect song. If you have not heard “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying,” well, shame on you. Other great moments abound on the album, but there is none greater. “Deed I Do,” the previously mentioned “Am I Blue?” and “Come Rain or Come Shine” also stick out as highlights. DOWNLOAD: “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying”
