The 16 sides collected here were recorded in 1949 and 1950 in Los Angeles, and find Ray Charles still in his relatively laid-back Nat King Cole/Charles Brown phase and a couple of years shy of discovering his mature and much more rough-edged style, the style that would bring him acclaim and make him one of the most important pop musicians of the 20th century. Playing piano and singing as part of a trio with guitarist G.D. McKee and bassist Milton Garred (some of these sides also have horn and string accompaniment), Charles ...
Read More
The 16 sides collected here were recorded in 1949 and 1950 in Los Angeles, and find Ray Charles still in his relatively laid-back Nat King Cole/Charles Brown phase and a couple of years shy of discovering his mature and much more rough-edged style, the style that would bring him acclaim and make him one of the most important pop musicians of the 20th century. Playing piano and singing as part of a trio with guitarist G.D. McKee and bassist Milton Garred (some of these sides also have horn and string accompaniment), Charles is certainly pleasant enough, particularly on a version of Leroy Carr's "How Long Blues" and a turn at the classic "Sitting on Top of the World," but on the whole Charles was still a fairly generic singer at this point, lacking the gospel-fueled fire that would emerge a couple of years later. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi
Read Less