„The genius of Ray Charles“ released in 1959, is the sixth studio album by self-claimed genius Ray Charles.
It marks a renunciation from the Soul sound Charles coined, going more to big band jazz and swing.
On the first, the big band side, instruments contained are: Piano, trumpet (6x), trombone (4x), alto sax (2x), tenor sax (5x) and flute.
The first side is pretty intensive. You have songs like the opener „Let the good times roll“ which a pretty rocking, but you also have some slower, emotional but also intense tracks like „It had to be you“ or „When your lover is gone“.
The second, the swing sidecontains: Piano, guitar, bass, drums, valve trombone, woodwinds and string section
The second side miss the intensity of the first side and concentrate more on emotions. I think this side is much weaker than the first
Because of my understanding of an album as a whole piece where all songs fit together, on both sides of the album I have to say, sorry Ray, this wasn´t a genius achievement.
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