Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection [Box set, Original recording remastered]

Ray Charles | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 16, 1997)
• Original Release Date: September 16, 1997
• Number of Discs: 5
• Format: Box set, Original recording remastered
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B00000343O
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #78,344 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Confession Blues - The Maxin Trio

2. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand - Ray Charles Trio

3. Kissa Me Baby

4. It Should've Been Me

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Let The Good Times Roll

2. Come Rain Or Come Shine

3. Tell The Truth

4. Drown In My Own Tears

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Hid 'Nor Hair

2. I Can't Stop Loving You

3. Bye Bye, Love

4. Born To Lose

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Eleanor Rigby

2. Yesterday

3. Understanding

4. Drifting Blues

See all 18 tracks on this disc

Disc: 5

1. Living For The City

2. Till There Was You

3. Am I Blue

4. How Long Has This Been Going On

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

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

Product Description

Celebrate the life, career and music of Ray Charles! An extraordinary collection of 102 melodies from the undisputed maestro of rhythm and blues. Savor this brilliant showcase of Ray Charles including a unique blend of smash hits and soulful music, and complete with a full-color meticulously documented portfolio of his vivid career and music. Enjoy!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unparalled collection of music., March 23, 2000

By 

Eric V. Moye (New York, by way of Dallas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection (Audio CD)

Just like Sinatra's Reprise Years box set, this is a massive massive set of work. I guess that the only way to get more great Ray Charles music would be to collect everything he ever did. Until then, this is the very next thing (and it sure is fine!).

Ray made musical history, and he did so over an incredible period of time. Few musicians do not credit his influence, be they country, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, or even rap. This collection spans much of that time -- more that forty years worth. It starts with some old classics, like "Nighttime is the Right Time" and the even funkier "Let the Good Times Roll", and then moves to the gentle hit "That Lucky Old Sun". The collection then takes us to several of his classics from the seminal work 'Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music', like "Take These Chains From My Heart", "I Can't Stop Loving You" and the tragic, magic "Born To Lose". Ray's more recent work is also well represented, like his version of "America The Beautiful", "Still Crazy After All These Years" and Stevie Wonder's classic "Livin for the City".

Perhaps my favorite cut of all the discs however, was his collaboration with Willie Nelson, "Seven Spanish Angels". I had never heard this song before, and together, they made one very special piece of music. Willie's plaintive wail was masterfully interwoven with Brother Ray's soulful depths and together they created something to positively revere.

If you have some Ray Charles, this is worth adding, because it will certainly have something new to try. If you have none of Ray's work, this is a wonderful way to get caught up in one single purchase. If you have never heard him, you are probably deaf, and that would be the only way this would not be a worthwhile purchase.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I started with this, and it remains the best!, January 11, 2003

By 

Rykre "The Rogue Scholar" (of the vast Western Dystopian Wasteland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection (Audio CD)

Actually, I started with Ray Charles with Rhino's single disc called "Anthology". I've found it to be so good, that I decided to expand on his collection. So, I bought this box set, and then I even began to pick up more of Ray Charles albums on CD released by Rhino and/or Atlantic. At one time, I had about 14 Ray Charles CD's, and of course, many of his essential tracks were duplicated many times over. So, reality set in: I've got too many CD's of Ray Charles. Ray does have some dull moments. Even this box set tends to drift into some dull tunes on the fourth and fifth disc, but, it does pick up towards the end. He's got a few country duets that he released in the mid-eighties that are pretty good. And his version of Leon Russell's "A Song for You" is a pretty good comeback for Ray. Ray's got so many albums. I doubt they would ever, all, be released on CD. His best songs from his many albums are already available on this "Genius and Soul" box set. Rhino did a fabulous job at selecting key tracks. So, I started to just give away some of my Ray Charles CD's because the best thing I had, and probably, all I, or anyone else, ever needs, is just this one Box Set. His album, "Modern Sounds in Country and Western", is definately a keeper by itself. Even, "The Genius Hits the Road", has some pretty good non-hit selections. But, everything else that matters from Ray Charles is pretty much covered in this Box Set. I suggest you jump on it, who knows how long Rhino will be able to continue to release it.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A definite MUST 4 any Blues, Soul, even Jazz or Country fan, October 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection (Audio CD)

This 5-CD box set is more comprehensive than I would have hoped and is more than worth the investment. And even after getting the box set, I wasn't able to sell any of his individual albums that I already had, and I still had to go out and buy his album with Betty Carter. That's my testament to a truly great artist who does consistently high quality work.

This set gives a pretty comprehensive overview of Ray Charles' career; it has all the great recordings and touches on most of the great experiments. The only shortcoming is the lack of live work but that probably wouldn't be appropriate here and could easily be another couple CDs.

Ray Charles is a genius and the personification of Soul and he leaves an indelible stamp on every music genre he touches and his influence can be seen in countless others.

Thank you.