Ray Charles

The 'The Ray Charles Singers' group was created by musician, singer, songwriter and arranger Charles Raymond Offenberg (Chicago, 1918), aka 'Ray Charles', currently still alive and recognized as an authority on American popular music. Not to be confused with the also famous singer, musician and composer 'Ray Charles' Robinson (Georgia, 1930-2004), pioneer of the music 'soul' and great interpreter of blues and gospel. The Ray Charles Singers group was presented and directed by Ray Charles Offenberg on radio and TV programs of Perry Como, where performed with fixed character for 35 years.

Five CD box set from the Soul/Jazz/Rock legend containing five original albums from the Atlantic vaults packaged together in one great release! Features the albums Genius + Soul = Jazz (1960), The Genius After Hours (1961), The Genius Hits The Road (1960), The Genius Of Ray Charles (1959) and The Genius Sings The Blues (1961).

This twofer combines two classic atlantic sessions from 1957 and '58, "Soul Meeting" and "Soul Brothers." In 1957, Ray Charles still had not achieved the fame that would make him an icon of soul and r-n-b. He was still appearing in a variety of contexts, including these extraordinary jazz sets with Milt Jackson. Mr. Jackson was well-known via the Modern Jazz Quartet, but here we meet him in his solo nature - a jazz man drenched in the blues. Mr. Charles was a perfect foil for these sets that swing with some great modern jazz ("Cosmic Ray", "Soul Brothers", or "Deed I Do"), but also cook with some down-n-dirty blues ("Blue Funk", "How Long Blues", and "X-Ray blues"). What comes to light is just how good Mr. Charles was on piano, and also alto sax ("How Long…"). He has a deft hand and is a brilliant improviser. This album is a great introduction to classic jazz from the '50s, but is also highly recommended for a glimpse of another side of the genius of Ray Charles, one rarely heard much today.

Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), known professionally as Ray Charles, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and composer. Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred being called "Brother Ray". He was often referred to as "The Genius". Charles was blind from the age of seven. He pioneered the genre of soul music during the 1950s by combining blues, rhythm and blues, and gospel styles into the music he recorded for Atlantic Records.