I watched on TV early on in the week a tribute to Ray Charles,what a fabulous musician and for me a fantastic singer and pianist.From the programme it showed what a perfectionist he was.A sad loss but what memories and music he has left behind.I would like a pound for every time I have danced to "What I say".
I have a good mind to have a go at Georgia on my concertina (but privately)
Al

>I have a good mind to have a go at Georgia on my concertina

Fly across the pond and come to one of our jams. We did that one recently in Ray's honor. Sounded a little strange on the concertina, but the hammered dulcimer guy did a great job on it.

(Don't tell the folks on The Session; I'd be banished for life, and maybe beyond)

'I Can't Stop Loving You' is simpler/easier and just as moving - you could get the concertina to do the choir response bits. He was my favourite popular singer and a helluva piano player - Jamie.

There's a marvellous (possibly apocryphal) story about the recording of What'd I Say that I was told just after the great man died - apparently he turned up to the studio in a narcotic haze, had to be guided to the piano, sat down, and simply didn't do anything. His then wife/girlfriend knelt down at his side and started scratching away at his leg with her fingernails - until she drew blood, at which point Charles immediately sprang into life, rattled off a couple of stunning takes of the song, and that was that...

The moral of the story is, er, if you want to give a good performance, it's best to employ someone to scratch your legs. Or something like that.

Many folks don't know that apart from being a wonderful singer and piano player, he was also very accomplished on the sax. He did two great recordings in the early 60's, I believe, with Milt Jackson. They are available on a double CD, I believe titled "Soul Brothers".

And what about that incredible album he (Ray Charles) did with the great jazz singer Betty Carter I think the title is "Ray Charles / Betty Carter"). That's also a classic now. A great LP (also available on CD). If you don't know Betty, it's worth the investment in listening time.
She was (died about 2 or 3 years ago) an amazing singer!!!!!!!!!!

Best,
Perry Werner

I've never really kept up with what Ray Charles was doing but I usually enjoyed hearing him when I happened to catch him.

I'll never forget the day when, for one reason or another, I had to call our doctor's office. I was put on hold, but instead of the 'grocery-store skating music' that sometimes played, I heard a nice long session of Ray Charles sing 'A Song For You.'

I think that whatever was ailing me at the time went away, as I listened! That is such a beautiful song and he did it so well. (I don't even remember why I was calling the....doctor...was it the...uh, what is that...the...uh, the...forgetfulness?)

Here's a link to the lyrics:
http://www.animelyrics.com/jpop/ses/asongforyou.htm

Maybe I should learn that one sometime!

The biggest musical impact I ever experienced was the music of Ray Charles on an LP with live music recorded during a concert in Atlanta 1959. I was at that time about 13 years old and the only music we heard on the radio was rather dull dutch popular music.
The older brother of a friend of mine had bought this record and we decided to listen to it while he was not home.

I never heard music like this before: it was great, it was swinging, it was phantastic. It was everything that I missed in the music that I was used to!
Tracks like "The night time is the right time" still bring back very strong memories (and shivers through my spine).

Listen to a sample at Amazon.com (scroll down and you'll find it).