This album is Volume 40 of the acclaimed “Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series” and it’s an absolute stunner. Not only does it catch Ray Charles at his artistic peak, but this concert was right at the time he released his classic collaboration with Quincy Jones Genius + Soul = Jazz, so the band is at its own swingingest.
The 16 member big band, lead by Hank Crawford/as also includes David Newman/ts-fl, Don Wilkerson/ts, Dickie Wells/tb and Marcus Belgrave/tp, and with arrangements by Q himself, you get some toe tappers with snappy section work on “Happy Faces,” “Along Came Betty” “Birth of a Band” “Ghana” and “I Remember Clifford” on instrumentals which include Crawford and Newman and their most soulful.
The Raelettes themselves sound lusciously earthy on “My Baby” and going back and forth with Charles on “Hit The Road Jack,” and as for Mr. Charles himself, he sounds like he’s tapping into his inner lounge l lizard. He does the most intimate and Spartan jazz tinted read of “Georgia On My Mind” that you’ll ever come across, and moans with conviction on “Come Rain Or Come Shine.” He’s a total joy on “Margie,” and gets as bluesy as the bottom of the rainbow as he sways with the band on “I’ve Got News For You.”
I haven’t heard every Ray Charles “live” album, but this is the best one I’ve ever come across, perfectly mixing R&B, pop and irresistible swing. WHEW!