VARIOUS
ARTISTS
Blue Note Plays Ray Charles
Blue Note Plays Ray Charles features
a number of vintage performances by artists that represent
the peak of the label’s 1960s jazz output. Most of
these artists demonstrate a special affinity for blues,
soul, and gospel, which makes them perfect to interpret
music written by or associated with Ray Charles. In fact,
one could make a very strong case that this recording is
a better tribute to Ray than his final, posthumously released
CD of duets, Genius
Loves Company. Sure, Charles doesn’t
appear on this disc after the opening number, a duet on
Sam Cooke’s “That’s Where It’s At”
with Lou Rawls, but the performances that follow are most
definitely inspired and illuminated by Charles’ recorded
career.
That opening duet was originally released
on Rawls’ 1989 Blue Note album At Last. It
is a real soul barnburner that features David “Fathead”
Newman on alto sax. Then there’s Jimmy McGriff’s
1962 take on Brother Ray’s “I Got a Woman.”
It’s a gritty performance that conjours images of
a smoky, sweaty, crowded Friday night club in the middle
of summer. There’s beer flowing, maybe the acrid scent
of a joint burning, lots of dancing, good food, and a smokin’
organ trio cooking away in the corner.
Most folks will remember Stanley Turrentine
in the 1970s and beyond, when he was the king of smooth
soul jazz that was played at romantic moments in homes across
the country. But check out Stanley’s 1966 recording
of “What Would I Do Without You” featuring a
band comprised of Blue Mitchell, James Spaulding, Pepper
Adams, Grant Green, McCoy Tyner, Bob Cranshaw, and Mickey
Roker. Stanley testifies with his supercharged gospel-infused
tenor work, sounding like he walked out of the same roadhouse
as Gene Ammons.
There’s lots of other great material
here, including Grant Green’s versions of “This
Little Girl of Mine” and “I Can’t Stop
Loving You,” Bill Henderson & Jimmy Smith jamming
on “Ain’t That Love” and a Smith organ
blowout on “I’m Movin’ On.” Joe
Williams does a nice job with “Hallelujah I Love Her
So” with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (Jones
wrote the arrangement). It’s a fitting tribute to
Ray Charles and a nice trip through the Blue Note vaults.
