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Ray Sings, Basie Swings
 
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Ray Sings, Basie Swings

Ray Charles, Count Basie
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews) | More about this product
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Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Samples
Song Title Time Price
listen  1. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning 4:35$0.99 Buy Track
listen  2. Let the Good Times Roll 2:57$0.99 Buy Track
listen  3. How Long Has This Been Going On? 6:19$0.99 Buy Track
listen  4. Every Saturday Night 4:05$0.99 Buy Track
listen  5. Busted 2:33$0.99 Buy Track
listen  6. Crying Time 3:52$0.99 Buy Track
listen  7. I Can't Stop Loving You 4:01$0.99 Buy Track
listen  8. Come Live with Me 4:09$0.99 Buy Track
listen  9. Feel So Bad 4:10$0.99 Buy Track
listen10. The Long and Winding Road 4:03$0.99 Buy Track
listen11. Look What They've Done To My Song 2:49$0.99 Buy Track
listen12. Georgia On My Mind 4:40$0.99 Buy Track

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Customers buy this album with Genius Loves Company ~ Ray Charles

Ray Sings, Basie Swings + Genius Loves Company
Price For Both: $25.96

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  • This item: Ray Sings, Basie Swings ~ Ray Charles

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Product Details

  • Audio CD (October 3, 2006)
  • Original Release Date: October 3, 2006
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: Concord Records
  • ASIN: B000H0MNOE
  • Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,429 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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    #6 in  Music > Blues > Piano

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

To fake or not to fake: That is the question consumers must answer for themselves in assessing this feat of aural Photoshopping: an "imaginary concert" created by combining recently discovered soundboard tapes of Ray Charles's vocals from a mid-'70s European show and newly recorded backing by the Count Basie Orchestra--the "ghost band," still on the road 22 years after Count's passing. Charles is in exceptional voice, singing the heck out of standards like "How Long Has This Been Going On?," Genius classics like "Busted," and pop covers like Melanie's "Look What They've Done to My Song." His performance is a thrilling corrective to forgettable posthumous albums like Genius Loves Company, designed to cash in on the new audience created for him by the movie Ray. But as competently as the Basie band fill in the blanks under the direction of Bill Hughes, with Joey DeFrancesco guesting on organ, most of the new arrangements are rather pallid, and the ensemble lacks the personality of both the Basie orchestra and Charles's best groups. And as attractive as Ray Sings, Basie Swings may be for the casual listener, the gimmickry will appall serious fans, particularly since neither Charles nor Basie--who never collaborated in life--was around to lend his approval. Is The Doors Sing, Woody Herman Swings next? --Lloyd Sachs


Product Description

The producers of this CD discovered archival reels of Ray Charles and the Count Basie Orchestra performing live together in 1973. Although the vocals were superior, the remaining elements were or extremely poor quality. They decided to bring the current Count Basie Orchestra into the studio and, using the latest technology, they carefully and painstakingly laid down a new musical backdrop for Charles' towering vocals.

More from Ray Charles and the Count Basie Orchestra

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Ultimate Hits Collection
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Customer Reviews

39 Reviews
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 (26)
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (39 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The "Ray Charles & Count Basie Tapes". A must listen !, January 6, 2007
Undiscovered genius until now!
From the Fantasy master tape vaults a rare treasure was unearthed. Vintage, never-before-released, absolutely stunning Ray Charles performances; 'Genius' in his prime, singing a bevy of timeless Charles classics including 'Let the Good Times Roll,' 'I Can't Stop Loving You,' and 'Georgia on My Mind.'
The only problem was that-while the power and nuance of Ray's vocals were recorded perfectly clearly-the accompanying big band parts on this 2-track stereo tape were, conversely, quite poorly-recorded and barely audible.
But Ray Charles vocal performances this good just had to be released and heard somehow.
Fortunately, with the benefit of modern recording technology and one of the most swinging big bands on the planet-today's Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Bill Hughes-these rousing big band arrangements were recreated and re-recorded in sync with Ray's incredible vocal performances, with excellent results.

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Stars - BUY it, Listen and LOVE it!, November 20, 2006
By Paul Croteau "Patriot" (San Antonio, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Who cares how this recording was made? It sounds beautiful! Ray is in EXCELLENT voice, and the Basie Band sounds outstanding as usual. It is still the best big band out there today.

Why criticize the technology when we should be thankful for it. This is a beautiful album for fans of Ray, Basie, or just darned good music.

6 out of 5 stars!
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely fabulous...but a deceptive package, January 9, 2007
By NomDePlume (Philadelphia, PA, USA) - See all my reviews
A 1973 recording of Ray Charles at the absolute peak of his powers, matched to an outstanding big-band accompaniment by the "Count Basie Orchestra," a legacy band. The accompaniment was recorded in 2006, two years after Charles' death; William "Count" Basie died in 1984. In my humble, there are a couple of songs where the arrangement doesn't work well ("Every Saturday Night," for example), and I think "The Long and Winding Road" just wasn't a good choice for Ray Charles. That said, though, the album as a whole is simply jaw-dropping, and I play it constantly.

My complaint -- and it's a big one -- is the title, and the marketing. It's clear that almost half the reviewers here think that Count Basie is on this CD. He isn't, of course -- but you have to read carefully to figure that out. If I had first heard this on the P.A. at my local mega-bookstore, I would have stampeded to the counter, purchased it instantly, and then felt angry and betrayed to discover that Basie ain't there at all.

They picked the right band for the accompaniment -- but they have no right to fool people into thinking they're buying Ray and the Count. One star off an otherwise fantastic CD.

For the nay-sayers: I'm delighted that Concord produced this CD. It's the best "new" music I've heard in a long, long time. They found a pristine recording of the vocal track of a Ray Charles concert -- what are they supposed to do, throw it away? Our great vocal performers -- Ella, Ray, Frank, Elvis (make your own list) -- are all gone, and there's no one, NO ONE, out there of their stature and talent. If an unreleased performance turns up, then record companies are doing us a service by producing it -- and if the recording NEEDS enhancement, then do it. All I ask is that they be honest about what the product is. Some pond-scum somewhere would love to make "Sinatra and Madonna: the Duets." I won't buy it, because that WOULD be a travesty (and because it'll suck, big-time).

Ray's dead -- but his voice lives on. The Count's dead -- but his spirit is alive and well in the legacy band that bears his name. Thank goodness for both, and for this CD. I only wish that the package were more honest, and that there were two or three times more material.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Listening
I read the earlier reviews; they are informative and appreciated. Bottom Line for me is ... It sounds good and I LIKE IT.
Published 6 months ago by LotsOf Music4Me

2.0 out of 5 stars Listenable... but there's so much that is better
Ray Sings, Basie Swings isn't a bad album... it just isn't very good.

Other people have commented on the sound quality of this CD. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Sammy Fan

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal!
This record sounds fantastic! Hats off to everybody involved with the project. Close your eyes, sit back, and enjoy the ride. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Steve Waite

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Ray Charles CD hands down
I can't understand why anyone would give this CD anything other than 5 stars. It is currently my favorite CD in my collection. I put it on whenever I want to feel really good. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Dave N

1.0 out of 5 stars Ignore the hype on this CD
Despite what the producers of this album want you to believe...the vocal tracks on these tracks are not "superior". Read more
Published 16 months ago by ipod listener

5.0 out of 5 stars A 32 YEAR DELAY
WHEN ONE LISTENS TO THIS ALBUM IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE RAY CHARLES VOCALS AND THE ACCOMPANYING BASIE BAND BACKING WERE DONE 32 YEARS APART. Read more
Published 16 months ago by MAZZJAZZ

5.0 out of 5 stars )ne of Ray's best
This is a happy album;with a tight ,swinging band and Charles sounding as if enjoys every minute of it. There is also some great solo work by individual sidemen.
Published 19 months ago by J. C. Youngers

5.0 out of 5 stars Ray Charles and Count Basie
Wonderful CD. It's a must own for everyone. Two of musics all time finest at work
Published 24 months ago by Bryan Duff

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Best of Two of the Best........
Ray Charles' songs and the Count's music...an incredible combination that truly showcases the best work ever put together by these two timeless artists. Read more
Published on July 3, 2007 by Peter William Hartman

4.0 out of 5 stars It is what it is, and I like it
I was standiing in a well known book store a while back, suffering through Rod Stewart's Still the Same... Read more
Published on June 10, 2007 by David W. Darby

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Ray Sings, Basie Swings opens new browser window is Ray Charles' opens new browser window 20th studio release. Browse Ray Charles' Discography opens new browser window and watch Ray Charles videos opens new browser window on SoundUnwound.

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