Description

Personnel: Ray Charles (p, vcl), Maxin Trio & Orchestra, Gosady McKee, Oscar Moore (g), Milton S. Garred, Johnny Miller (b), Teddy Buckner (tp), Marshall Royal, Earl Brown (as), Jack McVea, Stanley Turrentine, Maurice Simon (ts) Gatefold digipak, includes 32-page booklet with liner notes, credits, discography, lyrics, photos, illustrations and memorabilia. Very little is known about Ray's earliest years -in the late forties and early fifties- when he was an impressionable piano player eager to leap into the burgeoning rhythm and blues scene. This has all changed with Ebony Records' recent release of his recordings for two small labels from 1949 to 1952. The 2 CD deluxe-digipack set contains 41 songs, almost half of which are Ray Charles originals. The tale of these songs is almost as interesting as the songs themselves. A number of the songs have been re-issued on a variety of labels, though sometimes the names of the tunes were changed, and at other times, an organ or strings were overdubbed to give them a more modern feel. On still other tracks, Ray's voice was removed and his piano solo repeated. At last in this boxed set, everything returns to the way it was recorded over forty years ago. Ray Charles will hopefully continue to give us years of wonderful music. Why not spend a little money and discover his wonderful roots with this fantastic double CD set. CD 1 01. I Love You, I Love You (I Will Never Let You Go) (Lawrence) 2:40 02. Confession Blues (Charles) 2:31 03. Alone in the City (Charles) 2:57 04. Can Anyone Ask for More? (Charles) 2:49 05. Let's Have a Bal (Charles) 2:33 06. Rockin' Chair Blues (Charles) 2:46 07. If I Give You My Love (Leventhal) 2:38 08. Can't You See Darling? (Charles) 2:38 09. This Love of Mine (Parker-Sanicola-Sinatra) 3:03 10. How Long Blues (Carr) 2:36 11. Blues Before Sunrise (Carr) 2:50 12. A Sentimental Blues (York) 2:26 13. You Always Miss the Water (When the Well's Gone dry) (Andre) 2:49 14. Ain't That Fine (Hall) 2:18 15. Don't Put All Your Dreams in One Basket (Morgan) 2:51 16. Sitting on Top of the World (Chatmon-Vinson) 2:17 17. I've Had My Fun (Going Down Slow) (Oden) 2:43 18. C.C. Rider (Rainey-Traditional) 2:35 19. What Have I Done? (Charles) 2:33 20. Honey, Honey (Green) 2:43 21. She's on the Ball (Charles) 2:30 CD 2 01. Th' Ego Song (Glenn) 2:21 02. Late in the Evening Blues (Henry) 3:06 03. Someday (Charles) 3:10 04. I'll Do Anything But Work (Jones) 2:28 05. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now? (Adams-Hough-Howard) 2:20 06. All to Myself Alone (Charles) 2:00 07. Lonely Boy (Henry-Lauderdale) 2:50 08. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand (Charles) 3:01 09. I'm Glad for Your Sake (Lawrence-Tinturin) 2:41 10. Baby Won't You Please Come Home (Warfield-Williams) 2:55 11. Kissa Me Baby (Charles) 3:10 12. Hey Now (Charles) 2:19 13. The Snow Is Falling (Leiber-Stoller) 2:49 14. Misery in My Heart (Charles) 3:04 15. Let Me Hear You Call My Name (Charles) 3:34 16. Why Did You Go? (Charles) 2:49 17. I'm Wonderin' and Wonderin' (Charles) 3:20 18. Walkin' and Talkin' (Charles) 3:10 19. Guitar Blues (Charles) 2:33 20. Back Home (Charles) 2:32 Original sources: The encosed tracks were originally issued on the following 78 r.p.m. discs CD 1: Down Beat / Swing Time #171, 178, 179, 211, 212, 215, 216, 217, 218 CD 2: Swing Time #228, 229, 249, 250, 274, 297, 300, 326 Personnel on CD 1: The Maxin Trio [#1-15] Ray Charles (p & vcl), Gosady McKee (g), Mitchell 'Tiny' Webb (g on 10-15), Milton S. Garred (b on #1-9), Ralph Hamilton (b on #10-15). Tracks #1-2 recorded in Seattle, February 1949 Tracks #3-15 recorded in Los Angeles, 1949 Ray Charles Trio [#16-21] Ray Charles (p & vcl), Gosady McKee (g), Milton S. Garred (b). Tracks #16-21 recorded in Los Angeles, 1950 Personnel on CD 2: Ray Charles with Orchestra [#1-4] Ray Charles (p & vcl), Teddy Buckner (tp), Marshall Royal (as), Jack McVea (ts), Charles Waller (bs), Louis Speiginer (g), Billy Hadnott (b), Clifton 'Rudy' Pitts (d). ReRoy 'Snake' White (arr). Recorded in Los Angeles, on May 26, 1950 Ray Charles Trio [#5-8] Ray Charles (vcl, p, celeste on #6 & 8), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (d). Recorded in Los Angeles, on November 24, 1950 Ray Charles [#9-10] Ray Charles (p & vcl), with unknown guitar & bass. Recorded in Los Angeles, 1951 Ray Charles with Orchestra [#11-14] Ray Charles (p & vcl), Billy Brooks, Fleming Askew (tp), Marshall Royal, Earl Brown (as), Stanley Turrentine, Maurice Simon (ts), Charles Waller (bs), Frank McClure (b), Eddie Pipper (d). Recorded in Los Angeles, 1951 Ray Charles [#15-18] Ray Charles (p & vcl), with unknown guitar & bass. Recorded in Los Angeles, 1952 Ray Charles [#19-20] Ray Charles (p), Jack McVea (ts), with unknown guitar & drums. Recorded in Los Angeles, 1952 All Los Angeles sessions were recorded at the Universal Recording Studios, that were located at 6757 Hollywood Boulevard. Photographs of the original 78 rpm labels are by courtesy of of Steve C. LaVere Lyrics of songs transcribed by Mike Baillie Original sessions produced by Jack Lauderdale Compiled and produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol