Tag Archives: Ray Charles

Ray Charles: Crying Time

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crying_time

In February 1966, “Tangerine” label released “Crying Time”, the twenty sixth Ray Charles album. It was recorded in 1965, at “R.P.M. International Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Joe Adams.

Personnel:

  • Ray Charles– vocals, piano
  • The Raelettes – performer
  • Onzy Matthews- arrangements
  • William Alexander – album cover
  • George S. Whiteman – album cover
  • Joe Lebow – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Crying Time – Buck Owens
  2. No Use Crying – Roy Gaines, Freddie Lee Kober, J.B. Daniels
  3. Let’s Go Get Stoned – Valerie Simpson, Nikolas Ashford, Jo Armstead
  4. Going Down Slow – Jimmy Oden
  5. Peace of Mind – Ray Charles,  Holiday
  6. Tears – Norman Newell, Robert Maxwell
  7. Drifting Blues – Johnny Moore, Eddie Williams, Charles Brown
  8. We Don’t See Eye to Eye – Percy Mayfield
  9. You’re In For a Big Surprise – Percy Mayfield
  10. You’re Just About to Lose Your Clown – Johnny MacRae
  11. Don’t You Think I Ought To Know – William Johnson, Melvin Wettergreen
  12. You’ve Got a Problem – William D. Weeks, Freddy James

Milt Jackson

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On October 9, 1999, Milton “Milt” Jackson, also known as “Bags”, died aged 76.  He was musician (vibraphone, piano), a bebop player, member of Modern Jazz Quartet. He recorded and performed with many famous jazz musicians including: Howard McGhee,  Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Hank Mobley, Quincy Jones, Dinah Washington, Benny Carter, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery, Ray Brown, Hubert Laws, Joe Pass, Mickey Roker and J. J. Johnson. As leader Jackson released 68 albums. 

Jacques Brel

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On October 9, 1978, Jacques Romain Georges Brel died aged 49. He was a Belgian singer, songwriter and actor, widely considered a master of the modern chanson. He recorded most of his songs in French and in Dutch, but he became a major influence on English speaking songwriters and performers such as David Bowie, Alex Harvey, Leonard Cohen, Marc Almond and Rod McKuen. The English translations of his songs were recorded by many famous performers including Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra, Judy Collins, John Denver, the Kingston Trio,  Scott Walker and Andy Williams. Having sold over 25 million records worldwide, Brel is the fourth best-selling Belgian recording artist of all time.

John Mayal & The Bluesbreakers: Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton

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Bluesbreakers_John_Mayall_with_Eric_Clapton

On July 22, 1966, “Decca” label released “Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton”, an album by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. It was recorded in April 1966, at “Decca Studios” in London, and was produced by Mike Vernon. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 195 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • John Mayall– lead vocals, piano, Hammond B3 organ, harmonica
  • Eric Clapton– lead vocals, lead guitar,
  • John McVie– bass guitar
  • Hughie Flint– drums
  • Alan Skidmore– tenor saxophone
  • Johnny Almond– baritone saxophone
  • Derek Healey – trumpet
  • Gus Dudgeon– engineer

Track listing:

  1. All Your Love – Otis Rush
  2. Hideaway – Freddie King, Sonny Thompson
  3. Little Girl – John Mayall
  4. Another Man – John Mayall
  5. Double Crossing Time – Eric Clapton, John Mayall
  6. What’d I Say – Ray Charles
  7. Key to Love – John Mayall
  8. Parchman Farm – Mose Allison
  9. Have You Heard – John Mayall
  10. Ramblin’ on My Mind – Robert Johnson
  11. Steppin’ Out – C. Frazier
  12. It Ain’t Right – Little Walter

Eric Clapton: Reptile

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Eric_Clapton_Reptile

On March 13, 2001, “Reprise” label released “Reptile”, the fifteenth Eric Clapton studio album. It was recorded in 2000, and was produced by Eric Clapton and Simon Climie.

Personnel:

  • Eric Clapton – vocals, guitars, sleeve concept
  • Doyle Bramhall II– guitar
  • Andy Fairweather Low– guitar
  • Billy Preston– Hammond organ piano, melodica
  • Tim Carmon– piano, Hammond organ, synthesizer
  • Paul Carrack– keyboards, Wurlitzer, Hammond organ
  • Joe Sample– Wurlitzer, Rhodes electric piano
  • Nathan East– bass
  • Pino Palladino– bass
  • Steve Gadd– drums
  • Paulinho da Costa– percussion
  • Paul Waller – drum programming
  • The Impressions– backing vocals
  • Nick Ingman– string arrangement
  • Simon Climie– Pro Tools
  • Alan Douglas – engineer
  • Paul Miggens – lettering
  • Jack English– photography

Track listing:

  1. Reptile – Eric Clapton
  2. Got You on My Mind – Joe Thomas, Howard Briggs
  3. Travelin’ Light – J.J. Cale
  4. Believe in Life – Eric Clapton
  5. Come Back Baby – Ray Charles
  6. Broken Down – Simon Climie, Dennis Morgan
  7. Find Myself – Eric Clapton
  8. I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It –Stevie Wonder
  9. I Want a Little Girl – Murray Mencher, Billy Moll
  10. Second Nature – Eric Clapton, Simon Climie, Dennis Morgan
  11. Modern Girl – Eric Clapton
  12. Superman Inside – Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall, IIand Susannah Melvoin
  13. Son & Sylvia – Eric Clapton

Them: Them Again

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Them_Again.uk

On January 21, 1966, “Decca” label released “Them Again”, the second Them album. It was recorded in 1965 and was produced by Tommy Scott.

Personnel:

Track listing:

  • Van Morrison – vocals, saxophone, harmonica
  • Billy Harrison – vocals, guitar
  • Eric Wrixon – piano, keyboards
  • Alan Henderson – bass
  • Ronnie Milling – drums

Track listing:

  1. Could You, Would You – Van Morrison
  2. Something You Got – Chris Kenner
  3. Call My Name – Tommy Scott
  4. Turn On Your Love Light – Deadric Malone, Joseph Wade Scott
  5. I Put a Spell on You – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
  6. I Can Only Give You Everything – Phil Coulter, Tommy Scott
  7. My Lonely Sad Eyes – Van Morrison
  8. I Got A Woman – Ray Charles, Renald Richard
  9. Out Of Sight – James Brown, Ted Wright
  10. It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue – Bob Dylan
  11. Bad Or Good – Van Morrison
  12. How Long Baby – Gillon aka Tommy Scott
  13. Hello Josephine – Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino
  14. Don’t You Know – Tommy Scott
  15. Hey Girl – Van Morrison
  16. Bring ’em On In – Van Morrison

Eric Clapton: Journeyman

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Eric_Clapton - Journey Man

On November 7, 1989, “Duck” label released “Journeyman”, the eleventh Eric Clapton studio album. It was recorded in 1989, and was produced by Russ Tielman. Clapton won “Grammy Award” for “Best Male Rock Vocal Performance” in 1990 for the song “Bad Love”. “Journeyman” became the first Clapton’s solo studio album to go double platinum.

Personnel:

  • Eric Clapton – vocals, guitar, Dobro, design
  • Robert Cray– guitar
  • Phil Palmer– guitar
  • John Tropea– rhythm guitar
  • George Harrison– guitar, harmony vocals
  • Cecil Womack– vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Jerry Lynn Williams– guitar, backing and harmony vocals
  • Jeff Bova– synthesizer programming, drum programming, synthesizer horns
  • Alan Clark– synthesizer, keyboards, Hammond organ, sequencing
  • Robbie Kondor– synthesizer, harmonica, keyboards, vocoder, drum programming
  • Rob Mounsey– synthesizer
  • Robby Kilgore – synthesizer
  • Greg Phillinganes– synthesizer, piano, keyboards, background vocals
  • Richard Tee– piano, Fender Rhodes
  • Nathan East– bass, backing vocals
  • Pino Palladino- bass
  • Jim Keltner– percussion, drums, tambourine, drum programming
  • Phil Collins– drums , backing and harmony vocals
  • Carole Steele – percussion, conga, tambourine
  • Gary Burton– vibraphone
  • David Sanborn– alto saxophone
  • Hank Crawford– alto saxophone
  • Ronnie Cuber– baritone saxophone
  • David “Fathead” Newman– tenor saxophone
  • Jon Faddis– trumpet
  • Lew Soloff– trumpet
  • Linda Womack– vocals
  • Daryl Hall– harmony vocals
  • Tawatha Agee – backing vocals
  • Lani Groves – backing vocals
  • Chaka Khan– backing vocals
  • Tessa Niles– backing vocals
  • Vanessa Thomas – backing vocals
  • Jimmy Bralower – drum programming
  • Arif Mardin– arrangements, string arrangements

Track listing:

  1. Pretending – Jerry Lynn Williams
  2. Anything for Your Love – Jerry Lynn Williams
  3. Bad Love – Eric Clapton, Mick Jones
  4. Running on Faith – Jerry Lynn Williams
  5. Hard Times – Ray Charles
  6. Hound Dog – Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
  7. No Alibis – Jerry Lynn Williams
  8. Run So Far – George Harrison
  9. Old Love – Eric Clapton, Robert Cray
  10. Breaking Point – Marty Grebb, Jerry Lynn Williams
  11. Lead Me On – Cecil Womack, Linda Womack
  12. Before You Accuse Me – Ellas McDaniel

Benny Carter

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On July 12, 2003, Bennett Lester “Benny” Carter, died aged 96. He was musician (alto saxophone, clarinet, trumpet), composer, arranger, and bandleader,  regarded a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s. In his career the “King” performed with Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Coleman Hawkins, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Miles Davis,  Django Reinhardt, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Phil Woods, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Hines, Ben Webster, Billy Eckstine, Pearl Bailey, Lou Rawls, Louis Armstrong, Freddie Slack and Mel Torme.

For his work Benny Carter received big number of awards including: “The NEA Jazz Masters Award by The National Endowment for the Arts”, “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” , “Grammy Award” for his solo “Prelude to a Kiss”, “A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame”, “National Endowment for the Arts”, “National Medal of Arts”.

The Blues Brothers

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Blues Bros

On June 16, 1980, “Universal Pictures” released the movie “The Blues Brothers”. Movie script was written by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis, produced by Robert K. Weiss and directed John Landis. Main roles were played by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, and Carrie Fisher, Kathleen Freeman, Henry Gibson and John Candy were part of the cast. Big number of music artists took part in the movie including James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, John Lee Hooker, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, Lou Marini, Tom Malone, Alan Rubin,  Willie Hall, Matt Murphy and Murphy Dunne.

Ray Charles

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On June 10, 2004, Ray Charles Robinson died aged 74. He was a singer, songwriter, musician, and composer, regarded as one of the most important artists in the history of modern music, referred to as “The Genius”. Charles is important not only as a pioneer in combining rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues into soul music but he also played the main role in the racial integration of country and pop music – he was one of the first African-American musicians who gained artistic control by a mainstream record company. In 2004, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked Charles at number ten on their list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” and number two on the 2008 list of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”.

 Frank Sinatra: The only true genius in show business.

Billy Joel: This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley.

Henry Pleasants (music critic and musicologists): Sinatra, and Bing Crosby before him, had been masters of words. Ray Charles is a master of sounds. His records disclose an extraordinary assortment of slurs, glides, turns, shrieks, wails, breaks, shouts, screams and hollers, all wonderfully controlled, disciplined by inspired musicianship, and harnessed to ingenious subtleties of harmony, dynamics and rhythm… It is either the singing of a man whose vocabulary is inadequate to express what is in his heart and mind or of one whose feelings are too intense for satisfactory verbal or conventionally melodic articulation. He can’t tell it to you. He can’t even sing it to you. He has to cry out to you, or shout to you, in tones eloquent of despair—or exaltation. The voice alone, with little assistance from the text or the notated music, conveys the message.

Awards and honors

  • In 1979 – induction into the Georgia State Music Hall of Fame. Charles’ version of “Georgia on my mind” was also made the official state song for Georgia.
  • In 1981 – star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,
  • In 1986 – induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
  • In 1986 – awarded with the Kennedy Center Honors
  • In 1987 – awarded with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
  • In 1991- induction to the Rhythm & Blues Foundation
  • In 1991 – awarded with the George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement
  • In 1993 – awarded the National Medal of Arts.
  • In 1998 – awarded with the Polar Music Prize
  • In 2004 – induction to the National Black Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame
  • In 2003 – awarded an honorary degree by Dillard University
  • In 2005 – The Grammy Awards were dedicated to Ray Charles
  • In 2010 – Performing arts center at Morehouse College was named after Ray Charles
  • In 2013 – The United States Postal Service issued a forever stamp honoring Ray Charles as part of it Musical Icons