The Genius Of...

The Genius Of...

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The Best Works of his Career Including his Own Compositions, arrangements,remixes and Production Credits(Nick Cave, air etc.).

Tracks:

Here We Go Again - Features Norah Jones
Sweet Potato Pie - Features James Taylor
You Don't Know Me - Features Diana Krall
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Features Elton John
Fever - Features Natalie Cole
Do I Ever Cross Your Mind - Features Bonnie Raitt
It Was A Very Good Year - Features Willie Nelson
Hey Girl - Features Michael McDonald
Sinner's Prayer - Features B.B. King
Heaven Help Us All - Features Gladys Knight
Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Features Johnny Mathis
Crazy Love - Features Van Morrison

Amazon.com

The fact that Genius Loves Company will be Ray Charles's final new album inspires an unavoidable blue feeling. But it's also a happy reminder that the man spent the last months of his life at work doing what he loved. The overall effect of these dozen duets is autumnal and smooth. Brother Ray is on point and cruising here. Fine moments abound--you can hear his delight even in the rather stiff company of Diana Krall and Natalie Cole. His voice sounds a bit frayed by ill health at times, but it also allows for great performances like the slyness behind the ache in his version of the old soul hit "Hey Girl" with Michael McDonald and a grand "Crazy Love" with Van Morrison. Potently, he and Gladys Knight remind us of the continued timeliness of Stevie Wonder's "Heaven Help Us All." Its best moments make Company one more essential purchase for Ray Charles fans. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

In the December of His Life.......2007-06-05

When I was a kid, I was privileged to grow up with great music always playing in the house. From my grandfather I inherited a love for classical, and for country when it was still "country and western." From my dad, though, I inherited my appreciation for Ray Charles.

At the time, I was listening to a lot of soul, like Smokey Robinson and Otis Redding, and rock, like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. After hearing a record of "What'd I Say" and "Hit the Road Jack," I asked my father what kind of music that was. "That's Ray Charles," he told me. I told him I wanted to know what kind of music he was playing. He gave me the same answer.

It took me a while to understand what he was getting at. Charles's music was beyond category; it was his own invention, completely and utterly sui generis.

Take, for instance, his now-classic arrangement of "America the Beautiful." My grade school music teacher actually thought I was unpatriotic because I couldn't stand the standard version of the song. But it wasn't the words I had a problem with--only the juvenile, sing-song meter: I thought the song wasn't fit to be representing my country. Years later, after I left the Army, I saw Charles on television performing "America the Beautiful" before a baseball game. Using a gospel rhythm on his piano and singing off the backbeat, he transformed it into something so magnificently inspired that he made it all his own--and one of my all-time favorites. I guess that's why he's called, not "a genius," but "The Genius."

Charles died in 2004 at the age of seventy-three. His last work, Genius Loves Company, an album of duets, was a labor of love by an incomparable artist who knew his days were numbered. It was in the tradition of other famous duet releases, beginning in 1991 with Natalie Cole's Unforgettable: With Love--the remarkable album featuring studio-engineered duets with her deceased father, Nat King Cole--and followed by star-studded duet albums from Frank Sinatra (1993) and Tony Bennett (Playin' with My Friends, 2001).

Genius Loves Company opens strong, with Charles's country/blues hit from the 1960s, "Here We Go Again"--this time a collaboration with Grammy-winning newcomer Norah Jones. There's a cover with Diana Krall of Eddy Arnold's country classic "You Don't Know Me," which Charles also recorded in 1962. On this take, the lyrics are parsed at just the right points, letting Krall's satiny vocals work off Charles's gravelly blues. For a duet with Willie Nelson on the Sinatra classic "It Was a Very Good Year," the two old-timers barely sing, but rather narrate the lyrics, much like Jimmy Durante, or Walter Huston in his performance of "September Song." On "Sinner's Prayer" B.B. King is along for the ride with his beloved Lucille. With King's scorching guitar work a perfect counterpoint to the staccato rhythms of Ray's chords, and Billy Preston backing up on the Hammond organ, this is the album's strongest cut. A finger-snapping rendition of "Fever" with Natalie Cole and an a cappella gospel take on "Crazy Love" with Van Morrison round out this solid effort.

Although Charles passed away before Genius Loves Company was released, he must have known that he was going out on top. While recording the album, he worked with director Taylor Hackford and actor Jamie Foxx on the biopic of his life story, Ray. At the 2005 Grammy awards Genius Loves Company walked off with all the important trophies, and Foxx took home the best actor Academy Award for his uncanny portrayal of the legendary musician.

Okay, it's a cliché, but it's still true: Ray Charles may be gone, but his music will be with us forever.

Genius Album.......2007-05-25

Ray Charles by himself is genius, but to pair up with some of musics most distinguished artists and provide listeners with a variety of soulful and beautiful music is simply fantastic. The opening track is a great start with Norah Jones. Though I am not much of a country fan the Willie Nelson Duet gives me shivers from its great color and depth. I love all of the tracks and often will grab my partner and dance to the tracks because it is so great!

This is actually my second time purchasing this CD because I had to give it to someone who I new would love the music.

It's Genius!.......2007-03-24

This CD is fantastic and I love the duets of old favorites being given a
new "flavor" by Ray Charles and friends. It's soothing music, and yet it
energizes.

Genius loves company a hit with us.......2007-01-29

Both of us love this Ray Charles CD. We enjoy all the tracks! Each track is a duet with a different performer, and they're all great!

gift of music.......2007-01-19

I receive this gift and really enjoyed it. Have purchased it to send to others

I Am Sam - Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture

Average customer rating:

I Am Sam CD
I AM SAM SOUND TRACK IS GREAT!
Disc of Beatles Covers Offers Lots of Room for Reinterpretation, Some Quite Wonderful
Strawberry Fields Forever!...FIVE STARS PLUS for this music!
Touching Movie, Beautiful Soundtrack

I Am Sam - Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture
Various Artists
Manufacturer: V2 Ada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Tributes | Pop | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

I am Sam (New Line Platinum Series)
This Bird Has Flown: A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul
Almost Famous
Help! [UK]
I Am Sam

ASIN: B00005TT77
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

Two of Us - Aimee Mann & Michael Penn
Blackbird - Sarah McLachlan
Across the Universe - Rufus Wainwright
I'm Looking Through You - The Wallflowers
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away - Eddie Vedder
Strawberry Fields - Ben Harper
Mother Nature's Son - Sheryl Crow
Golden Slumbers - Ben Folds
I'm Only Sleeping - The Vines
Don't Let Me Down - Stereophonics
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - The Black Crowes
Julia - Chocolate Genius
We Can Work It Out - Heather Nova
Help - Howie Day
Nowhere Man - Paul Westerberg
Revolution - Grandaddy
Let It Be - Nick Cave

Amazon.com

Jessie Nelson's poignant tale of a mentally challenged man named Sam (Sean Penn) who recruits a lawyer to help him regain custody of his young daughter leans heavily on the lead character's obsession with Beatles songs, and his innocent trust in their wisdom and emotional truth. It's an artistic gambit that shrewdly lends itself to this mostly rewarding collection of Beatles covers by a wide range of contemporary artists, many of whom no doubt leapt at the chance to record a treasured song by their own musical heroes. The renditions are by and large faithful, and inform the elemental genius of the originals by the strength and variety of the artist's voices alone. The husband-wife team of Aimee Mann and Michael Penn (Sean's brother) can't help but find resonance in "Two of Us," just as Nick Cave's latter-day, heart-on-his-sleeve crooner infatuation makes "Let It Be" all his own. It's the reinterpretations that are riskier. While Paul Westerberg's stripped-down, nasal reading of "Nowhere Man" perceptively underscores Lennon's inherent Dylan fetish and Howie Day turns "Help!" from anxious plea to desperate dirge, Grandaddy smugly alt-rocks the energy right out of "Revolution." The Beatles hardly need anyone to burnish their reputation, but this album goes a long way toward underscoring their most undersung legacy as rock's most transcendent melting pot. -Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

I Am Sam CD.......2006-11-10

Beatle's lyrics combined with today's musical talent. A great combination! If you love the Beatles, you'll love this CD. I keep ordering "one more", it's taking care of a lot of people on my holiday gift giving list!

I AM SAM SOUND TRACK IS GREAT!.......2006-11-04

I REALLY ENJOYED THE MUSIC WHEN I WATCHED THE VIDEO AND FELT INCLINED TO BUY THE SOUND TRACK. I AM GLAD I DID. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTD.

Disc of Beatles Covers Offers Lots of Room for Reinterpretation, Some Quite Wonderful.......2006-07-21

I have to admit I have never seen the 2001 movie from which this soundtrack is based, nor do I know the significance of the Beatles music to the characters. However, once I heard Rufus Wainwright's acoustic cover of "Across the Universe", a touching performance that puts his yearning, mournful voice to good use, I was curious what other surprises could be in store on this disc. I later found out the reason these musicians were recruited for the recording was a matter of economics. Producer Andy Gershon wanted to use the original Beatles recordings, but apparently, Michael Jackson, who owned the rights to the Lennon-McCartney catalogue, was charging $300K for each song they recorded. As it turns out, the resulting disc is pretty solid, offering a great variety of reinterpretations of familiar songs - some quite wonderful, others less so but none too painfully.

Husband-and-wife folk rockers Aimee Mann and Michael Penn kick things off with a pleasing version of the optimistic "Two of Us". Pleasing also describes Sarah McLachlan's take on "Blackbird", which is greatly aided by Sean Ashby's delicate strumming. The pace picks up with the Wallflowers' jaunty "I'm Looking Through You" complete with Rami Jaffee's Austin Powers-sounding keyboards and Jackson Browne providing harmony vocals. Eddie Vedder's uniquely scratchy vocal delivery is well served by "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" where he accompanies himself ably on guitar and harmonica. Ben Harper gets into an appropriately psychedelic mood for "Strawberry Fields Forever" with particularly lush strings and fulsome horns, though he gets carried away with the bombastic ending.

Things start to fluctuate at this point in the disc. Sheryl Crow sounds somnambulant and rather constricted on a country-twanged "Mother Nature's Son", a sub-par choice for her slick performing style; and the plaintive Ben Folds barely registers on the too-brief "Golden Slumbers". In the one track that sounds like a Fab Four impersonation (or more accurately, a Beatlemania facsimile), the Vines cover "I'm Only Sleeping" in a comparatively generic manner. The Stereophonics make "Don't Let Me Down" sound like a mid-1970's Rod Stewart pop-rocker, while the Black Crowes put their familiar blues-oriented stamp on the most psychedelic of Beatles songs, "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds".

Chocolate Genius, led by Marc Anthony Thompson, refashions John Lennon's touching paean to his mother, "Julia", into a hazy dirge that actually brings a surprising resonance to the song. However, sounding a bit too much like MacLachlan, singer-songwriter Heather Nova lends little distinction to her version of "We Can Work It Out", granted one of the most lightweight songs in the Lennon-McCartney canon. Howie Day effectively slows down "Help!" into an atmospheric, almost halting plea of quiet desperation. Dylan sound-alike Paul Westerberg croaks through "Nowhere Man" with little flair; and in perhaps the biggest departure from the original, the now-defunct indie band Grandaddy turns "Revolution" into a chugging slow-poke rocker. On the final track, Aussie musician Nick Cave lends his recognizably barren style to a somewhat desultory "Let It Be". It's a mixed bag for sure, but what really comes across is the unbeatable craftsmanship and magical yin-and-yang perfection of Lennon and McCartney.

Strawberry Fields Forever!...FIVE STARS PLUS for this music!.......2006-05-09

It will always be incredibly challenging to match the artistic talent that The Beatles possessed. Nevertheless, this set of songs by the artists on this CD is as good as it gets to achieving a proper, respectful tribute to The Beatles with thoughtful and passionate cover songs.

The CD has a whopping 17 tracks for almost an hour of music from the movie (or inspired by the movie) I Am Sam. The music was beautifully woven into the movie; but even with just this CD you'll be blown away! It's a must-have for fans of The Beatles, the artists here, and fans of great rock everywhere.

The CD starts off strong with a rendition of "Two Of Us" by Aimee Mann and Michael Penn. I think their personal relationship helped make them harmonize so well for this song. The Black Crowes do an excellent job with the musical arrangement for "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds;" the drums are first-class! Sheryl Crow injects a great country music accent to "Mother Nature's Son." Sarah McLachlan performs a very sensitive rendition of "Blackbird;" and the CD ends beautifully with one of my very favorite Beatles songs, "Let It Be" performed by Nick Cave with Chaz Jankel on piano. Awesome!

Amazon writes that some of the "reinterpretations (on this album)...are riskier." I don't agree. While risks were taken, you won't know it! For example, Grandaddy does a great job of adding their own spice to "Revolution" and Paul Westerberg's voice was rather pleasing to my ear on "Nowhere Man."

The quality of the sound is excellent; and all of the musical arrangements are very thoughtfully produced. The liner notes come with a few color pictures from the motion picture I Am Sam; and you also get the song credits.

Overall, this CD is the product of an exceptionally talented group of artists who perform a noticeably sensitive suite of covers of great Beatles songs. This album will touch a nerve in you and leave you wondering why they couldn't have recorded even more. The singers expressed even the finest of nuances in the meanings of every word in every song; and I treasure this album as one of my preferred CDs. If this were a vinyl album I would have worn the grooves off of it long ago.

Touching Movie, Beautiful Soundtrack.......2006-04-15

The music on this soundtrack compliments the movie alot. They're deep songs that fall into a deep story of a mentally ill man fighting for his right to care for his daughter. The songs on this CD are all meaningfull. They are all based off of Beatles songs. This album is 100% worth buying along with the movie.

Average customer rating:

A must for Warren Z fans
Good selection of clever songs
From a Zevon novice's perspective
Whoa!
TUPAQ LIEBOWITZ was drunk?

Genius: Best of Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Wind
Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon
Excitable Boy
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology)
Life'll Kill Ya

ASIN: B00006LA4I
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Tracks:

Poor Poor Pitiful Me
The French Inhaler
Carmelita
Hasten Down The Wind
Werewolves Of London
Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner
Excitable Boy
Lawyers, Guns And Money
Interlude No.1/Play It All Night Long
A Certain Girl
Looking For The Next Best Thing
Detox Mansion
Reconsider Me
Boom Boom Mancini
Splendid Isolation
Raspberry Beret
Searching For A Heart
Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead
Mr. Bad Example
Mutineer
I Was In The House When THe House Burned Down
Genius

Amazon.com

On the evidence of this 22-track career overview, it's tempting to call Warren Zevon's oeuvre a monument of pop-music dichotomy. But that assessment would sorely shortchange Zevon's vast catalog of contradictions: the sentimental songwriter ("Hasten Down the Wind") with a nihilistic heart of darkness who makes the likes of Jello Biafra seem more like Raffi by comparison; the shrewd, successful tunesmith nonetheless laboring in service of vintage psycho-whack like "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner," "Excitable Boy," and "Werewolves of London"; a man who consorted with Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, and R.E.M. ("Boom Boom Mancini") and yet who still cheated the devil of his soul; a satirist with the keen eye of a marksman--or Randy Newman, for that matter--who somehow let his own demise get the jump on him, despite having written prescient jollities like "Mr. Bad Example" and Life'll Kill Ya. In short, Zevon walked it like he talked it, peril be damned. If he felt like turning in a straight-up take of the R&B chestnut "A Certain Girl," or lumbering inexplicably through Prince's "Raspberry Beret," only then to turn on a dime and indulge his classical pretenses on "Mutineer" and "Genius," so be it. Zevon just couldn't help himself from living up to this album's modest title. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

A Comprehensive Single disc collection from Rocks Sardonic King. It rounds up the 22 most popular tracks from albums released by Asylum, Virgin, Giant/Reprise and Artemis from 1976-2002. Features such Zevon classics as 'Werewolves Of London,' 'Excitable Boy,' 'Lawyers, Guns and Money,' 'Poor Poor Pitiful Me,' 'I Was In The House When The House Burned Down' and more. Elektra/Rhino. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

A must for Warren Z fans.......2007-02-15

Has some Warren Z tunes that will make you leave it in the player just one more time.

Good selection of clever songs.......2006-11-10

This was a good selection of Warren Zevon's clever songs with great lyrics.

From a Zevon novice's perspective.......2006-11-05

Unlike most of you, I knew Zevon had a reputation as a great singer/songwriter but prior to hearing this CD, I wasn't familiar with most of his work. I can't say how close this comes to capturing his finest work in a single volume, but it's very good and I can't imagine there could be much fine-tuning that would make for a better single CD compilation.

Granted, for a guy who's best known as a writer I'd probably axe "A Certain Girl" and Prince cover "Raspberry Beret", but many artists go entire careers without writing a song as witty as "Werewolves" let alone the other gems to be found here like "Carmelita","Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner","Looking for the Next Best Thing", "Reconsider Me", and "Mr. Bad Example".

BOTTOM LINE:
This convinced me I need to hear full albums by Zevon. Since "greatest hits" collections aren't usually compiled for die-hard fans, I'd say that means the CD does its job.

Whoa!.......2006-09-20

I once used Warren Zevon in a short story. I had heard "werewolf in london" but mostly used him as a foil for hunter thompson in a parody I wrote of thompson after his death. What was odd, was that a few fans of Warren said I was "spot on" in my portrayl of him, causing me to act like I knew much about the guy. Then I bought this.

WOW. It made me wish I had gotten the "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" anthology! Every song is great! Brilliant musically, witty lyrically, etc. Good introduction to him.

TUPAQ LIEBOWITZ was drunk?.......2006-07-04

That review really illmiinated this CD by its "indirect" introspection. Zevon made great music, wrote great songs, period. You like PRINE? DYLAN? Hello! Zevon worked so hard behind the scenes before striking out on his own that he likely would've equalled them all if he'd "discovered" his voice earlier. You would do well to add this fine set to YOUR collection. Period. You don't even have to wear shorts of ANY kind.

Average customer rating:

Cold world indeed
The best cd i own till diz day...
You know my steeze...
The Year of the Wu Indeed
The best hip-hop record ever comitted to disc

Liquid Swords
Genius , and GZA
Manufacturer: Fontana Geffen
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

$9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

$9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Ironman
Tical
Return to the 36 Chambers

ASIN: B000000OUJ
Release Date: 1995-11-07

Tracks:

Liquid Swords
Duel Of The Iron Mic
Living In The World Today
Gold
Cold World
Labels
4th Chamber
Shadowboxin'
Hell's Wind Staff/Killa Hills 10304
Investigative Reports
Swordsman
I Gotcha Back
Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

Amazon.com

Some Wu members, like Cappadonna, are overly concerned with the way they dress, while others are a plain ol' inebriated mess (read: Ol' Dirty Bastard). For the GZA, it's all about the lyrics. With his nasal delivery and rapid-fire flow, he is the most experienced and oldest member of the Wu Tang Clan (he released a pre-Wu LP on Cold Chillin' Records entitled Words from the Genius in 1991). GZA's forte is battle rhymes (on his self-titled cut he declares that wack MCs' "lyrics are weak, like clock radio speakers"). On "Labels" he eloquently pens a complete song using only rap record label names. Loaded wordplay aside, beat-wise Liquid Swords is fully and exceptionally RZA-produced (peep the electric guitars and spacey synths on "Investigative Reports"). Liquid Swords is a perfect purchase for rap fiends who crave ill experimental beats and even iller punchlines. --Dalton Higgins

Customer Reviews:

Cold world indeed.......2007-07-13

The acknowledged head of the Wu-Tang Clan, Genius (a.k.a. GZA) delivers the fifth Wu-banger with his sophomore solo album. Musically, LIQUID SWORDS is the Clan's strongest solo release to date, and lyrically, Genius comes correct with a style he describes as "too swift to bite."
LIQUID SWORDS is comprised of two types of songs, all backed by the rza's skillful production. On the one hand, Genius schools the Clan's followers through songs that address serious problems experienced in every day inner-city life. "Cold World," which is backed by whirling wind sound, contains mini-stories that illustrate the misfortunes of gun-slinging in the hip-hop community. "Investigative Reports" goes even deeper in administering the blame, suggesting that drug-related crimes stem from a higher authority. On the other hand, there are the Clan's kung-fu metaphors, which show up on Genius' more Wu-styled songs. On "Duel Of The Iron Mic," he's joined by a number of fellow Clansmen to reinstate the idea that no one can match them, despite numerous attempts to copy their image and concepts. Similarly, the production on songs like "4th Chamber" and "Shadowboxin'" closely relates them to 36 chambers, and helps make liquid sword a complete classic.
Personnel includes: Genius/GZA a.k.a. Maximillion, Lou Diamonds a.k.a. Raekwon The Chef, Tony Starks a.k.a. Ghost Face Killer, Lucky Hands a.k.a. U-God, Ol' Dirty Bastard a.k.a. Dirt Megirt, Rolly Fingers a.k.a. Inspectah Deck, Johnny Blaze a.k.a. Method Man, Master Killa a.k.a. Noodles, Killah Priest, Dreddy Kruger, Life (vocals).The best hip-hop album in years.

The best cd i own till diz day..........2007-07-01

I listined to 36 chambers and all other solo projects from wu menbers except ugod cause he's wack... But man gza ? Diz guy is the best... Liquid swords is one of those albums that will live on forever. Best tracks ? "cold world" , "4th chamber" , "shadowboxin" a classic.

You know my steeze..........2007-05-02

This is really a great disc. The GZA isn't my favorite Wu-Tang MC and (people will hate my for this) I don't think he's the most talented (I'm gonna side with Ghost) and I certainly don't think this is the best We solo disc (Cuban Linx has a tighter concept.) But, again, this is a really great disc.
It showcases what the GZA does best, and that's old school rhymes with clever metaphors and punchlines. RZA's production on Liquid Swords is slowed down from Cuban Linx and even 36 Chambers, which allows the GZA to move at his own pace. The most prominent guests - Method Man and Inspectah Deck - work well to complement what is going on. Indeed, I don't think Deck has sounded better than this album (Duel of the Iron Mic, Cold World.) Meth's work on Shadowboxin' makes some of the dopest verses you'll ever hear ("fiend to catch a n***a snoozin'/slip the cardiac/arrest me/exorcist hip-hop possess me/crunch a n***a like a Nestle/you know my steeze")
The Genius also has a chance to shine on concept songs like Labels and Killah Hills 10304 in a way that he doesn't on Wu-Tang posse tracks. As mentioned by other reviewers, Labels is constructed around the names record labels and is a cautionary tale about thinking that a record deal is going to solve your problems ("Tommy ain't my muthaf***in Boy/when he fakes moves on a n***a he employ".) Killah Hills is the kind of in-depth drug dealer narrative that you would expect from Ghostface or Raewkwon, but the GZA holds his own, creating an even grimier scene than either of them (except maybe Ghost's "Malcom" from Supreme Clientele.)
The only "problems" occur when GZA flows over quicker beats with quicker MCs - notably on 4th Chamber and Investigative Reports. RZA, Rae and Ghost have such quick, dexterous flows and rapid fire rhymes that the songs seem to drag under the GZA's straight-forward, laid-back delivery. I realize this has more to do with preferences, so I still give the album five stars, but it's something that's always stood out to me.
All in all, this is a fantastic piece of work from a very talented MC and worth every penny you would ever have to pay for it. It makes me long for the golden era of mid-90's NY hip-hop. Buy, listen, enjoy.

The Year of the Wu Indeed.......2007-03-17

It's hard to figure out why GZA's masterpiece did not get even more recognition. This album justifies his "Genius" nickname. Dark and heavy, superbe production by the RZA and tongue twisting lyrics by the usual Wu-Tang suspects. The extracts from the movie "Shogun Assassin" solidify the whole Shaolin flavour of the album. If you've never listened to Wu-Tang, you should absolutely try this album along with "Enter the 36 Chambers", "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx" and "Ironman". These albums represent everything that is (or at least was) great about hip hop.

The best hip-hop record ever comitted to disc.......2007-03-02

It actually defies description. From the moment the disc starts spinning to the second it stops, you're taken to another world. This will never be topped in any way, shape or form. The CD cover says it all - it is a battle of epic proportions inside your head. If you don't own this, you've missed out on how good an album can be. Period.

Average customer rating:

Genius indeed
Piano Genius
The magnificent reach
Hey Reviewer DG Your'e A PUTZ
A MUST HAVE!! Especially for all you piano junkies!

20th Century Piano Genius
Art Tatum
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Stride Piano | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Boogie-Woogie | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Best of Art Tatum
The Best of the Pablo Solo Masterpieces
Piano Starts Here
The Complete Capitol Recordings
The Complete Decca Recordings

ASIN: B00000473S
Release Date: 1996-07-30

Tracks:

Just Like A Butterfly (That's Caught In The Rain)
Tenderly
I Cover The Waterfront
Body And Soul
Someone To Watch Over Me
In A Sentimental Mood
Yesterdays
Willow Weeps For Me
Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
Makin' Whoopee (Incomplete)
Memories Of You
September Song
Begin The Beguine
I'll Never Be The Same
Over The Rainbow
Love For Sale
My Heart Stood Still
Sweet Lorraine
Louise (Incomplete)

Tracks:

Don't Blame Me
There Will Never Be Another You
Without A Song
Moon Song
You Took Advantage Of Me
Little Man, You've Had A Busy Day
Danny Boy
Some Other Spring
Love For Sale
Mighty Like A Rose
Sweet Lorraine
Someone To Watch Over Me
Mine
Too Marvelous For Words
Jitterbug Waltz
Mr. Freddie Blues
Body And Soul
Yesterdays
Tea For Two/Honeysuckle Rose
Would You Like To Take A Walk?/After You've Gone

Amazon.com

For Art Tatum, the piano was a veritable playground, a forum for endless invention. His supreme command of the instrument and his unparalleled sense of timing and touch allowed him to seemingly accomplish whatever he wished. Songs were puzzles to be dismantled and reassembled; melody, harmony, and rhythm were merely variables in the never-ending creation process. This two-CD set collects all of the recordings Tatum made at two private parties hosted by Warner Bros. musical director Ray Heindorf; the bulk of the material comes from July 1955, the remainder is from April 1950. All of the trademark Tatum elements are here: the grand melodic flourishes, the harmonic magic tricks, the flirtations with various tempos and musical styles. But what also emerges is Tatum's effervescence, his joy, and his humor. He seems to celebrate and mock these timeless melodies all at once. Is that "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" hiding in "Body and Soul"? The results are always compelling and almost always thrilling to hear. You can hear his friends gasp and chuckle along with music, and you will too. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Genius indeed.......2007-04-04

Well, DG, it's always good to spark a discussion. Tatum's playing is very intricate and dense with notes; it is not a cool, swinging sound. I think it is beyond dispute that Tatum was one of the most technically proficient pianists who ever lived. The question is then, does all that staggering virtuosity serve a purpose? For some, hearing somebody play what almost nobody else can play is enough to justify the purchase. For others, myself included, it is beautiful music as well. For me that is an intuitive reaction-- it sounds musical and organic to me, but I am not trained to understand structural and harmonic nuance. I think DG represents a small minority of people who believe that Tatum's playing is not sophisticated or musically nuanced. I would not want a steady diet of this, but on the right day it is perfect.

Piano Genius.......2007-03-28

This is a great album. I loved his two versions of Someone to watch over me and Over the Rainbow as these are two of my favorite songs.

The magnificent reach.......2006-05-29

In my jazz- listening days many years ago I came upon the work of Art Tatum, and was captivated by it. I simply felt it was the best. He played with such sweep and such lyrical freedom. The great standard numbers did not lose their identity in his playing but rather were expanded and enhanced. The sweep of the playing and the great feeling of joy and freedom it gave remain in my mind.
What great music this man made.

Hey Reviewer DG Your'e A PUTZ.......2006-03-18

Trancendent.The Greatest Document Of Improvised(whether semi Prepared or not)Pianism(I.E.The Piano{for the Dunderheads}of the 20th Century.Period!DG,stick to your video game reviews!

A MUST HAVE!! Especially for all you piano junkies!.......2006-02-02

I just received this double CD today and I am STILL CATCHING MY BREATH! This is my first Tatum CD and what an introduction it is, I cannot bring myself to press stop on the CD player, just let it play all day!
In my opinion what makes this even more beautiful is that it is all solo Tatum, no other instruments to hold him back.
I would give this 2cd, 7 stars if I could. The sound quality is terrific considering that they are all home recordings.
Buy it! You will be glad that you did!! Enjoy!!

Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952-1959)

Average customer rating:

This Set Gave Me What I Was Looking For & More
why there aren't more outtakes on this set
Great Music, reasonable price, stupid people!!
Nothing wrong with 8th disc?
for all the fans...

Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952-1959)
Ray Charles
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

R&B & Soul | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Box Sets at 30% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Jazz | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Ray Charles: The Complete Country & Western Recordings 1959-1986
The Complete Library of Congress Recordings
A Musical History
Talking Heads Brick
One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found

ASIN: B000A7KL7U
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Tracks:

The Suns Gonna Shine Again
Roll With My Baby
The Midnight Hour
Jumpin In The Mornin
It Shouldve Been Me
Losing Hand
Heartbreaker
Sinners Prayer
Mess Around
Funny (But I Still Love You)
Feelin Sad
I Wonder Who
Dont You Know
Nobody Cares
Rays Blues
I Got A Break Baby
Blackjack
Ive Got A Woman
Greenbacks
Come Back Baby
A Fool For You
This Little Girl Of Mine
Hard Times (No One
Knows Better Than I)
Blues Hangover
Mary Ann
Drown In My Own Tears
Hallelujah I Love Her So
What Would I Do
Without You

Tracks:

Dawn Ray
The Man I Love
Music, Music, Music
Black Coffee
Lonely Avenue
I Want To Know
Leave My Woman Alone
The Ray
I Surrender Dear
Hornful Soul
Aint Misbehavin
Joy Ride
Sweet Sixteen Bars
Doodlin
Theres No You
Undecided
My Melancholy Baby
Its All Right
Aint That Love

Tracks:

Rockhouse Parts 1 & 2
Get On The Right Track Baby
Swanee River Rock (Talkin Bout That River)
Thats Enough
Talkin Bout You
What Kind Of Man Are You
I Want A Little Girl
How Long Blues - Milt Jackson & Ray Charles
Cosmic Ray - Milt Jackson & Ray Charles
The Genius After Hours
Charlesville
Bags Of Blues - Ray Charles & Milt Jackson
Deed I Do - Milt Jackson & Ray Charles
Blue Funk - Milt Jackson & Ray Charles
Soul Brothers - Milt Jackson & Ray Charles

Tracks:

Bags Guitar Blues - Milt Jackson & Ray Charles
Yes Indeed!
I Had A Dream
You Be My Baby
Tell All The World About You
My Bonnie
Soul Meeting - Ray Charles & Milt Jackson
Hallelujah I Love Her So - Ray Charles & Milt Jackson
Blue Genius - Ray Charles & Milt Jackson
X-Ray Blues - Ray Charles & Milt Jackson
Love On My Mind - Ray Charles & Milt Jackson
The Spirit-Feel (Live, 1958)
Blues Waltz (Live, 1958)
In A Little Spanish Town (Live, 1958)
Sherry (Live, 1958)
(Night Time Is) The Right Time (Live, 1958)
A Fool For You (Live, 1958)

Tracks:

Ive Got A Woman (Live, 1958)
Talkin bout You (Live, 1958)
Swanee River Rock (Talkin Bout That River)(Live, 1958)
Yes Indeed! (Live, 1958)
Early In The Mornin
(Night Time Is) The Right Time
Carrying That Load (Single Version)
Carrying That Load (LP Version)
Tell Me How Do You Feel
Fathead - David Newman
Tin Tin Deo - David Newman
Bill For Bennie - David Newman
Hard Times - David Newman
Mean To Me - David Newman
Sweet Eyes - David Newman
Weird Beard - David Newman
Willow Weep For Me - David Newman
Tell The Truth
Whatd I Say Parts I & II (Mono LP Version)

Tracks:

Whatd I Say Parts I & II (Stereo LP Version)
Tell Me Youll Wait For Me
Come Rain Or Come Shine
Dont Let The Sun Catch You Cryin
Just For A Thrill
You Wont Let Me Go
Am I Blue
The Spirit-Feel (Live, 1959)
Frenesi (Live, 1959)
Tell The Truth (Live, 1959)
Drown In My Own Tears (Live, 1959)
(Night Time Is) The Right Time (Live, 1959)
Whatd I Say (Live, 1959)
Let The Good Times Roll
Alexanders Ragtime Band
Deed I Do
When Your Lover Has Gone
Two Years Of Torture
It Had To Be You
Im Movin On
I Believe To My Soul

Tracks:

Rehearsal Session With
Ahmet Ertegun (1953)
Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand
Unknown Title
Piano Improvisation & Dialog #1
Losing Hand & Dialog #1
Little Rock Getaway & Dialog
Kentucky Waltz
Heartbreaker (Instrumental Version)
Heartbreaker & Dialog
Piano Improvisation & Dialog #2
Heartbreaker (False Starts 12)
Losing Hand & Dialog #2
Losing Hand & Dialog #3 (W/ Reverb)
Losing Hand & Dialog #4 (W/ Reverb)
Heartbreaker
It Shouldve Been Me & Dialog
Nobody Cares
Piano Improvisation & Dialog #3
Mess Around
Funny (But I Still Love You)
Sinners Prayer
Piano Improvisation & Dialog #4
Low Society & Dialog #1
Boogie Woogie
Low Society & Dialog #2
Worried Life Blues
Come Back Baby (Walter Davis Version)& Dialog
Low Society
(Night Time Is) The Right Time (Takes 17)& Dialog
Tell Me How Do You Feel (Take 1)
Rays Arrangement Suggestions For
The Genius Of Ray Charles Album (1959)Dialog
It Had To Be You & Dialog
My Buddy & Dialog Dialog
When Your Lover Has Gone & Dialog
Im Beginning To See The Light.
Let The Good Times Roll & Dialog

Tracks:

Ray Charles On Voice Of America, 1960(Live At The Newport Jazz Festival)
Lil Darlin
Blues Waltz
Let The Good Times Roll
Dont Let The Sun Catch You Cryin
Sticks And Stones
My Baby! (I Love Her, Yes I Do)
Drown In My Own Tears
Whatd I Say
I Believe To My Soul
Interview With Ahmet Ertegun

Amazon.com

Jamie Foxx's Oscar-winning turn as Ray Charles could only touch on the musical highlights of the American musical legend's career. But for those further intrigued by Charles' savory musical roots, this seven CD/one DVD anthology of Charles' epochal career at Atlantic Records (who purchased the fledgling star's contract from a small L.A. label for $2500) is the ultimate chronicle. While the singer's recorded output for the label was typically shuffled and jumbled across a series of contemporary albums and compilations, this set offers them up chronologically as originally recorded in NYC, New Orleans and elsewhere, a gambit that allows a clearer insight into the musician's artistic growth and burgeoning confidence as a performer in the bargain. Though focused on the `fervent r&b and soul sides he cut before crossing over into country and pop in the `60s, Charles' Atlantic tenure also includes insightful excursions into small jazz combo work that further underscored the range of his incomparable gifts.

The final CD in the set is a treasure trove of unreleased (mostly) solo performances that range from a lengthy 1953 rehearsal tape to a handful of hotel room-recorded arrangement demos for his 1959 Genius of Ray Charles collection. The set's DVD is another welcome bonus, containing the legend's complete performance at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival (though he'd just left Atlantic, his repertoire and band for the show are rooted in the era), capped with the modern reminisces of Atlantic founder Ahmet Ertegun. Lavishly packaged in a box that replicates a `50's-era 45-player and featuring a hard-bound liner book that includes reprints of the original albums' liner notes, a comprehensive sessionography and an insightful new essay from noted r&b biographer David Ritz, the collection lives up to its billing at every level: Pure genius, indeed. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

Ray Charles is an American legend beyond compare. A ten-time Grammy-winning superstar who almost single-handedly laid the groundwork for soul music, Charles proved his mastery with countless jazz, country, R&B, and pop masterpieces as well. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the first year they gave the honors ('86), and his extraordinary career spanned seven decades. His remarkable life was celebrated in the 2004 biopic Ray-featuring Jamie Foxx's Oscar-winning performance as the artist-and now Ray Charles' musical genius is spotlighted in this comprehensive box of his seminal Atlantic Records era, 1952-1959. As preeminent music writer David Ritz notes inside, "These are the historic years of his creative explosion, the time when he reinvented himself as a musical revolutionary. These records will live forever."

Customer Reviews:

This Set Gave Me What I Was Looking For & More.......2006-08-02

For my taste, there seems to be three phases of Ray Charles' career... 1. His early Swing Time days (when he sounded more like Nat King Cole than Ray Charles) 2. The Atlantic Years (where the sound was raw, cutting edge, and powerful) 3. The ABC Years & Later (where the craft was more refined, instrumentally and vocally). What I had longed for was a compilation or box set that focused on those Atlantic days and drilled down past the standard Ray songs that are on just about EVERY Ray Charles CD you can find. For that, this set is unmatched. In addition to some of the more popular "live" cuts, there are a good 50 songs on here that I had never heard (I'm talking beyond the songs on "Anthology" or the movie soundtrack) that are fantastic and are every bit as much a part of my Ray Charles i-pod rotation as "I Got a Woman" or "Mess Around".

The real treat (in my opinion), is the 30 or so outtakes and rehearsal cuts. Here, you get to hear what it was like in the recording studio with Ray Charles... there is actually an 8 minute track that covers the recording of "Night Time is the Right Time", which allows you to experience how particular Ray was with the sound HE wanted. Knowing from past readings that multiple takes on a song were a pet peeve of his, one can actually hear his tone change with the band and the guys in the booth as the takes begin to add up... great stuff for any Ray fan who has wondered (as I often have), "How in the world does he do that?"

The only reason this set gets 4 stars from me instead of 5 is that there are many (as in 25 or so) instrumental tracks. Don't get me wrong, they are all solid jazz tunes (as good as any other jazz CD I own) but I would have preferred more of Ray's vocals. Still, my rating may very well not be fair. Afterall, it is the COMPLETE Atlantic Recordings.

It's quite a bit of money to put down and I pondered it for quite some time, but well worth it if you're looking for more than what you can find on a Greatest Hits compilation.

why there aren't more outtakes on this set.......2006-05-11

People complained about there not being more outtakes on this set. This might explain some things, since Ray Charles was an Atlantic recording artist:

"One of the most devastating vault losses in modern industry history occurred in February, 1978 in a fire in a non-air-conditioned Atlantic Records storage facility in Long Branch, N.J.

The warehouse fire destroyed virtually all of Atlantic's unreleased masters, alternate takes and sessions tapes by artists who had recorded for the label and its offshoots throughout its classic 1948-1969 first golden era.

Thousands of performances by nearly a hundred of America's most acclaimed r&b, soul, pop and jazz artists were lost in the fire. According to several sources, between 5,000 to 6,000 reels of tape were destroyed or damaged. Just a handful of the artists names reads like a short-form Who's Who in Mid-Century American Music." [...]
(Bill Holland wrote this for Billboard in 1997. I can't post the website this is taken from because A. won't let me.)

Atlantic probably doesn't have any unreleased RC in its vaults. I think the outtakes on this set were saved by one of RC's producers.

Great Music, reasonable price, stupid people!!.......2006-04-10

This set is great as far as it goes. All of the material is typical RC: wonderful. I was surprised that there weren't more out takes, however. If you have any of the other Atlantic sets there's a fair bit of overlap. (added June 5, 2006: I've since learned that pretty near all the older Atlantic material, including alternate takes, was destroyed by a fire where the material was being stored, which explains the lack of out takes and alternate material.) This set, along with the Rhino Ray Charles country music set makes a pretty darn good overview of Ray's spectacular career.
I was really shocked that so many people don't bother to read the label on the eighth disc, which clearly is marked DVD | Video. Naturally, it won't play on CD players.

Nothing wrong with 8th disc?.......2006-03-10

Um... I don't own this, but I was looking at buying it. Looking at the reviews, I see two people complained that disc 8 won't play in their CD players. Disc 8 is listed as a DVD, so it won't play in a regular CD player (try your computer). I have to assume there it nothing wrong with the product, but rather, the user. Just thought I should point that out to anyone thinking of buying this. I am giving it 5 stars just to offset the bad (mistaken) ratings

for all the fans..........2006-03-10

pure genious is a milestone in the story of music, all the people who love music must have one of this. sorry for my english, but i hope that you understand what i say! by the way ... ladies and gentleman ... the one , the only , the genious ... mr. ray charles

Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection

Average customer rating:

Ray Charles 50th
A Giant Among Musicians
A wonderful collection
Definitive 5-Disc Collection Plus Detailed Book of Ray
Genius

Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection
Ray Charles
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Piano | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Box Sets | Stores | Music

R&B & Soul | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Box Sets at 30% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Country | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Jazz | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Ray Charles: The Complete Country & Western Recordings 1959-1986
Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952-1959)
Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings
Ray Charles - O Genio - Live in Brazil 1963
At the Close of a Century

ASIN: B00000343O
Release Date: 1997-09-16

Tracks:

Confession Blues - The Maxin Trio
Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand - Ray Charles Trio
Kissa Me Baby
It Should've Been Me
Don't You Know
Come Back Baby
I've Got A Woman
A Fool For You
This Little Girl Of Mine
Blackjack
Greenbacks
Drown In My Own Tears
Hallelujah I Love Her So
Lonely Avenue
Leave My Woman Alone
Ain't That Love
Swanee River Rock
My Bonnie
Rockhouse Parts 1 & 2
(Night Time Is) The Right Time
What'd I Say Parts l & ll
Tell The Truth
I Believe To My Soul
Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'

Tracks:

Let The Good Times Roll
Come Rain Or Come Shine
Tell The Truth
Drown In My Own Tears
I'm Movin' On
My Baby! (I Love Her, Yes I Do)
Sticks And Stones
I Wonder
Georgia On My Mind
Them That Got
Ruby
Hardhearted Hannah
I've Got News For You
One Mint Julep
I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
Hit The Road Jack
The Danger Zone
Unchain My Heart
But On The Other Hand Baby
Baby, It's Cold Outside - Ray Charles/Betty Carter
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye - Ray Charles/Betty Carter
At The Club

Tracks:

Hid 'Nor Hair
I Can't Stop Loving You
Bye Bye, Love
Born To Lose
You Don't Know Me
You Are My Sunshine
Your Cheating Heart
Take These Chains From My Heart
The Brightest Smile In Town
Without Love (There Is Nothing)
Busted
That Lucky Old Sun
Ol' Man River
Smack Dab In The Middle
Makin' Whoopee
Without A Song (Parts 1 & 2)
The Cincinnati Kid
Crying Time
Let's Go Get Stoned
I Chose To Sing The Blues
Together Again
I Don't Need No Doctor

Tracks:

Eleanor Rigby
Yesterday
Understanding
Drifting Blues
Here We Go Again
In The Heat Of The Night
Gee, Baby Ain't I Good To You
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
If It Wasn't For Bad Luck - Ray Charles/Jimmy Lewis
We Can Make It
Con't Change On Me
Feel So Bad
Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma
Spirit In The Dark (Reprise) - Ray CharlesAretha Franklin
Booty Butt
I Can Make It Thru The Days (But Oh Those Lonely..
Rainy Night In Georgia
America The Beautiful/(Hidden Track)Coca Cola Commercial

Tracks:

Living For The City
Till There Was You
Am I Blue
How Long Has This Been Going On
The Jealous Kind
Is There Anyone Out There?
Don't You Love Me Anymore?
One Of These Days
Seven Spanish Angels - Ray Charles/Willie Nelson
We Didn't See A Thing - Ray Charles/George Jones
Two Old Cats Like Us - Ray Charles/Hank Williams, Jr.
Shake Your Tallfeather - Ray Charles/The Blues Brothers
I'll Be Good To You - Quincy Jones
That's Where It's At - Lou Rawls/Ray Charles
A Song For You
Still Crazy After All These Years/(Hidden Track)Olympia Beer Commercial

Amazon.com essential recording

If anyone deserves his own section in record stores, it's Ray Charles. Witness this Charles box set, a full five-disc career retrospective that follows smaller packages concentrating on his early R&B (The Birth of Soul) and Blues + Jazz work. In addition to those styles, we get Ray's stabs at Nat "King" Cole/Charles Brown urban blues ("Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand"), handfuls of country songs ("I Can't Stop Loving You"), definitive readings of the American songbook ("Georgia on My Mind," "Come Rain or Come Shine"), and personal claims on the '60s soul he made possible ("I Don't Need No Doctor"). Whether you're a newcomer or a veteran Charles fan, this impeccably selected box is for you. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Ray Charles 50th.......2007-01-20

A lot of Charles product out there, but this along with Atlantic Box set is one of the best.

A good cross section of old and new Ray Charles including I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts and some hard to find cuts unless you go to the original cd's or albums. Highly recommended if you love Ray Charles. Good pricing at Amazon.

A Giant Among Musicians.......2005-12-31

Ray Charles touched music more than any other artist in history. Of course, this is opinion but I am pretty secure in stating it. He had a feel for music that transcended mere harmony and melody. Mr. Charles put something in his music that made it come alive and really make an impact on all who heard it. His diversity in style was also quite prodigeous. From Soul (which he invented), R&B, and early Rock to Jazz and Country, Ray made songs that were not just hits, but lasting gems that all could adore.

This box set makes a noble attempt at presenting the icon that is Ray Charles. It spans practically his entire career. I will say that it is a good place to start if you are beginning to create your Ray Charles collection. Nevertheless, with such a prolific song writer as Ray Charles, it absolutely is not the only set you will want.

By the way, they need to have an extra star just for Ray, he's a six star in my book, and no one else comes close.

A wonderful collection.......2005-08-15

For fans of Ray Charles, this collection is a must. For those who perhaps know only his music via the movie, Ray, you are in for a real treat.

There is a wonderful book included which details all of his albums and individual recordings as well as commentary by his biographer, David Ritz.

From 1949 - 1993 this set covers every genre of music, and in a way that only Ray can do. No one comes close to this genius of song.

Like many others I had taken him for granted; that he would always be around. I have many albums, concerts on DVD and his autobiography, but this collection is special, covering a nearly 50 year career over these 5 discs, my favorite being the 5th disc. He does those awesome blues ballad standards as only he can: "Till There Was You" and "Am I Blue". Both of these are live performances from a concert he did in Japan in 1975. In my opinion he was at his best in his 40s. I don't go thru a day without some Ray music.

Do yourself a favor and experience the genius of Ray Charles.

Definitive 5-Disc Collection Plus Detailed Book of Ray.......2005-07-20

"Genius & Soul," a compilation of Ray Charles' music, may set the gold standard by which "boxed sets" are judged. While a 5-disc set is not in everyone's budget, it would be fair to say that music fans should consider "Genius & Soul" to be a cornerstone of any CD collection.

First, we are obviously talking about Ray Charles, one of the leading musical talents of the 20th century by virtually any measure. Not only did he span several genres (including those he helped create), Charles dominated over several decades and influenced generations of separate artists. It's hard to imagine another artist who can boast such diverse and definitive tunes as (and this is a small selection -- many other songs could fit this description) as pop/R&B with "What'd I Say," country with "Seven Spanish Angels," rock with a soulful rendition of "Yesterday," and good ole Americana with "Georgia on My Mind" and "America the Beautiful." Unlike other artists, who could start to bore you out of sheer repetition over 5 CDs, Ray Charles captivates, charms, and delights song after song. The quality of the recordings are also excellent.

This CD collection is supplemented by a lengthy book that is part song compilation, part biography, and part testimonial by artists who played with Ray Charles. While at times bogging down in a litany of the songs that Charles performed, for the most part this book is informative and entertaining, most disarmingly so when accomplished artists recall their experiences with this musical dynamo.

Ray Charles has taken his leave of us, but this compilation is a fitting testament to the music this remarkable American artist has left behind for all of us to savor. A definite must-have.

Genius.......2005-07-13

What Can I say about Ray Charles That Hasnt Been Said Before? Great Selection, better off getting this then these flimsy single disc greatest hits albums, well worth the price. Some of The finest music recorded.Great Inro to a new fan, and great add-on to anyones music collection

Average customer rating:

Soulful ballads from Ray Charles's breakthrough album
The peak
One of his best
A MUST Have
a perfect mix of popular and soul stylings from the genius

The Genius of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music
Ray Charles Live
Genius + Soul = Jazz/My Kind of Jazz
Standards
The Genius Hits the Road

ASIN: B000002I4U
Release Date: 1990-01-24

Tracks:

Let The Good Times Roll
It Had To Be You
Alexander's Ragtime Bands
Two Years Of Torture
When Your Lover Has Gone
Deed I Do
Just For A Thrill
You Won't Let Me Go
Tell Me You'll Wait For Me
Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'
Am I Blue
Come Rain Or Come Shine

Amazon.com essential recording

Why you'd want to limit yourself to owning just one Ray Charles album is a question only you can answer, but if that's the case, The Genius is a strong contender for the slot. Half big-band settings of tunes as diverse as "Let the Good Times Roll," "When Your Lover Has Gone," and "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and half string-drenched ballads like "Just for a Thrill" and "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'," this 1959 disc lives up to its title in more ways than there's room here to count. Suffice it to say that the album finds Charles at a peak of musical and emotional energy, working in thoroughly sympathetic settings with perfectly matched soloists like tenor men Paul Gonsalves and David "Fathead" Newman and arrangers on the order of Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns. And the closing cut, "Come Rain or Come Shine," may be Charles's single greatest performance. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Soulful ballads from Ray Charles's breakthrough album.......2004-06-11

Ray Charles passed away today and the reason everybody is talking about him as the creator of soul music is because no other musician did more to develop the form. There is no argument that other singers, such as Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson, were influential in pioneering soul music but it was Ray Charles who merged 1950's R&B with gospel-powered vocals into a new form of black pop music. This 1959 album produced by Atlantic Records lives up to its title, but you have to remember that this was originally a record album. That is not because "The Genius of Ray Charles" sounds old but because there are clearly two distinct sides to the album.

The "A" side has the Ray Charles band being complemented by members of the bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington (such as David "Fathead" Newman and Paul Gonsalves on tenor sax and Marcus Belgrave on trumpet) playing a half-dozen songs arranged by Quincy Jones. "It Had to Be You" and the old Irving Berlin standard "Alexander's Ragtime Band" are the most familiar songs, but the two best on the first half of the album are "Let the Good Times Roll" and "Deed I Do."

The "B" side consists of six ballads, arranged by Ralph Burns with the backing of a string orchestra. The two standout tracks here are "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'" and the final track, the truly outstanding version of Mercer & Arlen's "Come Rain or Come Shine." With all the orchestration Charles' piano playing is lost in the mix but what stands out is his voice. In terms of the vocal phrasing he displays on these ballads this is really a breakthrough album in terms of the singing.

How good is "The Genius of Ray Charles"? Well, listen to the classic saloon songs of Frank Sinatra's 1958 album "Only the Lonely," and Charles doing "Come Rain or Come Shine" does not suffer in comparison. Of course the fact that Ray Charles was that good is not news to anybody who loved listening to that man sing for almost fifty years. There are lots of hit collections that you can pick up to honor his memory, but there is something to be said for complete albums and in that regard "The Genius of Ray Charles" would be on anyone's short list.

The peak.......2003-07-28

This album boldly declares Ray Charles' genius. I've never heard anybody argue with the appelation. When this came out, he was established as a brilliant R&B singer, songwriter and performer. Here he hooks up (on what was side one) with an all-star jazz big band, featuring players from both Basie and Ellington, to make music that is hard to categorize as anything other than Ray. His piano envelopes the whole group in his R&B style, so while it's a lot of jazz players displaying their jazz chops, the result is something else. Then, on what was side 2, he takes another turn, playing with a small combo and a huge orchestra--pointing the way, with cuts like "You Won't Let Me Go" toward his brilliant take on country & western, and toward his (recently-unearthed) collaboration with Jimmy Scott on his timeless version of "Come Rain or Come Shine."

You can't really review this album, because it puts to shame all the other 5-star ratings I've given on Amazon. Every cut on here is a classic, a pathbreaker, a rich emotional experience, and a swinging time will be had by all.

One of his best.......2001-12-22

Several great musical traditions flow through this album. How many albums have songs by Percy Mayfield as well as Irving Berlin, or big band arrangements by Quincy Jones as well as strings arranged by Ralph Burns? Nobody could bring it all together like Ray Charles; in his hands, it's all just great American music.

A MUST Have.......2000-02-26

this album is solid all the way through.Ray Charles is a Genius he handles all types of styles.he is a true Musical AMbassador.you can hear the Soul&Honesty in his voice.as well in his Piano Playing.

a perfect mix of popular and soul stylings from the genius.......1999-08-30

C'mon - you won't find a better renedering of these standards anywhere than by the greatest ever, Ray Charles. Perfect for an introduction to the artist or as a way to see him capture his smoother side after he invented soul music.

Average customer rating:

Great Collection
NOT sung the way you're used to
A Bargain! 3 CD's of Traditional Songs Every Kid Should Own

Favorite Children's Songs
Genius Products
Manufacturer: Baby Genius
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Educational | Children's Music | Styles | Music

CDs $7 - $10 | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music

All Bargain Titles | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Children's Songs, A Collection of Childhood Favorites
101 Toddler Favorites
Baby's First: Nursery Rhymes
Classic Nursery Rhymes
Lullaby Themes for Sleepy Dreams

ASIN: B0000D1FIJ
Release Date: 2000-04-08

Tracks:

Sing, Dance and Play
The Alphabet Song
Happy and You Know It
On Top of Spaghetti (Glazer)
Are You Sleeping?
Do the Goofy Dance
The Hokey Pokey (Laprise)
You are My Sunshine(Davis, Mitchell)
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Playtime Polka
Ring Around The Rosie
The B.G. Line Dance
Theme Song
Sing, Dance and Play - Reprise
B-I-N-G-O
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Apples & Bananas
No More Monkeys (Jumping on the Bed)
She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain
Hush Little Baby (Don't Say a Word)
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
I've Been Working on the Railroad
Brahms Lullaby
The Green Grass Grows All Around
The Instruments
It Ain't Gonna Rain No More
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
Theme Song
This Old Man
It's Raining, It's Pouring / Rain, Rain Go Away
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Humpty Dumpty
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Jack & Jill
London Bridge
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star / Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
The Farmer in the Dell
Little Bo Peep
Where is Thumbkin?
Old King Cole
Little Boy Blue
Here We Go 'Round The Mulberry Bush
Hey, Diddle Diddle
Sing a Song of Sixpence
Rock-a-Bye, Baby

Album Description

3 CD's, 46 songs, 2 plus hours of Music. A musical collection of favorite, irresistible children's songs! Ages Infant to 48 months. These favorite, irresistible children's songs will add fun to your child's playtime. Children love to sing and hum along with Favorite Children's Songs. This collection teaches little ones familiar childhood tunes they will cherish for a lifetime.

Customer Reviews:

Great Collection.......2006-03-06

Although these songs are not sung in the traditional manner, they are very catchy and fun. Warning: you won't be able to get some of these out of your head.

NOT sung the way you're used to.......2005-07-22

The redentions of some tracks on the "Children's Songs" CD are jazzed up versions . . . more complicated, untraditional rhythms and notes. If you're buying this for a child who already knows these songs by heart, then you may like this. However, if you're looking for recordings so you can teach your child the original versions you're used to, you may want to look elsewhere.

A Bargain! 3 CD's of Traditional Songs Every Kid Should Own.......2005-01-02

This collection is a bargain! 3 CD's. 46 songs. Award-winning company. Traditional songs that kids love to hear and sing performed in a traditional, mellow way. I highly recommend this collection for families that want to build an excellent collection of music for kids.

The songs are performed in a traditional, somewhat-mellow way, which is how quality children's music should be performed. Too many children's music CD's these days are full of gimmicks that sound catchy at first (to generate sales) but get annoying after awhile. These CD's, in contrast, are high quality and are designed with the needs of children in mind - not catchy gimmicks. The Nursery Rhymes CD is particularly excellent for late drives home and nap time.

This is a quality collection by a company - Baby Genius - that has won many awards (such as Parents Choice) for its children's music. There is better music out there, such as Raffi, but this collection is simply a "must buy" because of the bargain price and as an important part of an excellent larger collection for your children.

Every child should grow up hearing these traditional songs. Also be sure to buy one of Raffi's music collections as your base collection to build around.

Average customer rating:

Trailer Park Musical a good hear.
A Tornado of Fun!
One Of My Favorite New Musicals In Years
The show (and Recording) ROCKS
Wasn't That Funny

The Great American Trailer Park Musical

Manufacturer: Ghostlight
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

The Color Purple (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
The Wedding Singer (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
See What I Wanna See (2005 Original Off-Broadway Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000CNE13M
Release Date: 2006-01-17

Tracks:

This Side Of The Tracks
One Step Closer
The Buck Stops Here
It Doesn't Take A Genius
Owner Of My Heart
The Great American TV Show
Flushed Down The Pipes
Storm's A-Brewin
Road Kill
But He's Mine/It's Never Easy
That's Why I Love My Man
Panic
Finale
This Side Of The Tracks (Remix)

Customer Reviews:

Trailer Park Musical a good hear........2007-05-15

This musical is a good laugh and can bring up the spirits of any musical theatre buff. The voices are excellent and they showcase a great characterization of the personages represented in the show. It is a CD that entices the listener to go ahead and get tickets to the show and go see it. Also a personal acquaintance of mine Leslie Kritzer does a phenomenal job on the CD.

A Tornado of Fun!.......2007-04-10

This seems to be my year for finding recordings of lesser known musicals that are just awesome. It started with buying Zombie Prom, and continues with The Great American Trailer Park Musical!

But this show is just all-out fun! The tunes are catchy (I got one of them running through my head, right now) and the lyrics are quite clever. The three main ladies become the Greek chorus, telling us about life in their trailer park, Armadillo Acres, located in Starke, Florida. The show then focuses on one agoraphobic housewife who hasn't left her trailer in 20 years, and her husband who has had enough and starts fooling around with a stripper who is on the run from her boyfriend. Sound crazy? It is! And a whole lotta fun!

Yes, there are some explicit lyrics, but nothing excessive. So do yourself a favor and give this album a listen. You might just want to move into your own "manufactured home" before you know it.

One Of My Favorite New Musicals In Years.......2007-01-31

When I tell people about this show, I tell them it is far better than it had to be... With a title like that, the audience draw is already built in, but with great songs and a very clever story (without ever being offensive or degrading) this musical is a fun hit. And while it is not the old-school "Okalhoma" style musical, there are a lot of musical niceties about the show - layered melody lines, tight harmonies and clever clever phrases and lyrics. I fully recommend it.

The show (and Recording) ROCKS.......2006-09-26

The whole point of theatre, even in a tongue-in-cheek satire like this one, is to have some sense of truth. The "Great American Trailer Park Musical" completely hits the target dead-on. With it's ridiculous pop culture references, use of white trash musical pastiche (honky tonk country, corporate rock, wedding disco, and the like), and general use of bad taste in a visual (and audio) aesthetic, the show is one loaded joke that never tires. And the over the top performances, all grounded in this evident truth, provide an evening of Laugh after Laugh - more so than similar pieces like "Urinetown" and "Altar Boys".
Sure the language, for those who have expressed concern in above reviews, can be strong at times. But never is the language used in a matter of fact fashion. For those who have ever even remotely hung around a trailer park (as it quite Clearly states in the TITLE) or even around those who inhabit a Sociologists Jackpot of research, You know that crude humor and strong language are staple of the norm.
"Oklahoma" and "Cats" this show is not. However, "Great American Trailer Park Musical" is a definite piece to listen and pay attention to. With the general climate of new musicals to be either repackaged musicals from movies (Wedding Singer, Hairspray, Footloose, etc) or jukebox musicals (Mamma Mia, All Shook Up, Hot Feet, etc) - there is a new genre that is emerging, the "in-joke" musical. Trailer Park, Altar Boys, Spelling Bee, and title of show are examples of this. These are shows that blur satire and exaggeration with real life all the while dealing in a specific subject matter.
"Trailer Park" is a hip, new and exciting piece of music theatre, even if not groundbreaking. For those who like to play it safe may I suggest the "20 Great Broadway ShowStoppers" CD - all songs are from 1932 to 1949. You will be sure no profane language will infect you there.

Wasn't That Funny.......2006-07-29

I gave this a good listen, but did not find it all that funny ... or memorable.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review