Standards :: Education by Design Store

Customer Reviews

A barely 5 star - but overall solid!

2006-11-02
So Brother Ray is tackling the Great American Songbook - that really shouldn't be any surprise as GEORGIA ON MY MIND can ONLY be called a standard by any means.

Yes, Ray perhaps lacks the depth of phrasing and nuances found in Sinatra's or Nat King Cole'; but singing underneath lush strings on the ballads and a swinging band on the uptempo numbers, Ray inflects his own unique style of blues, gospel etc and makes all the songs his own.

The arrangements are superb and never get in Ray's way but support him!

This perhaps is my favorite side of Ray - combining the standards with his unique style - IT'S A WINNER!

On Ray Charles' "Standards"

2006-07-09
I had been looking for Ray Charles' version of "Ruby" Could not find his version on the web sites where I usually buy music.
Finally discovered on Amazon and found it on the CD "Standards"A
terrific album. Some of my most favorite ballads on this one. If you like Ray Charles it's a great collections of songs. Gertrude

Love good music

2006-02-27
I was pleased to find this album at a very good price. received it fast and enjoyed the sound well recorded.Thank you .will shop again

Here To Stay

2004-02-12
Popular music just doesn't get any better than this--"the Genius" not merely interpreting but re-creating some of the last century's greatest songs. What Ray does with these standards is pure alchemy. Here you'll find not only the definitive version of Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia on My Mind" but also probably the best recorded versions of Harold Arlen's "Come Rain or Come Shine" and Gershwin's last song, "Love Is Here To Stay". Considering the competition out there (Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, etc.) it's nearly unbelievable that Ray is able to make so many of these great songs *his*--but there it is.

The album would really be more than worth the price for the three above-mentioned songs alone, but you also get other such outstanding performances as "It Had To Be You", "Am I Blue", "Ruby", "Stella by Starlight", "That Lucky Old Sun", "Willow, Weep for Me", and an absolutely terrific, smile-on-your-face version of Richard Rodgers' "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'". (Amazing that such a classic recording was made in 1977 at the same time as the punk invasion and the disco craze.) Ray's "Ol' Man River" isn't the powerhouse that William Warfield's incredible recording is, but it's another standout, mournful and full of soul.

It's impossible to categorize the music on this album--it's a perfect blend of classic pop, jazz, and r&b. Like Ellington or Gershwin, Ray Charles is simply "beyond category", an American original. His voice is of course an absolute marvel--soulful, sandpapery, moving effortlessly from the heartrending to the exhilarating. His range of shadings and expression is like that of a great jazz instrumentalist. And you have to love his little additional touches, like the sly "ha-ha" toward the end of "Beautiful Mornin'". His innate talent is just beyond belief and totally unique, and here he gets to exercise it on some truly first-class lyrics and melodies.

The arrangements can superficially sound a little dated, but the more you listen to these recordings, the more integral they become. The ones for the earlier tracks provided by Ralph Burns (who had worked for Woody Herman) are particularly good. The bands play very well, and the instruments sometimes blend perfectly with Ray's voice to create expressive effects, notably the "dirty" sounds on "Come Rain or Come Shine". And Ray's piano playing (I do wish he cut loose with it a little more!) shines on "Love Is Here To Stay", simply one of the all-time great interpretations of a standard.

A great collection, full of joyful, inspired music-making.

You Can't Go Wrong With Ray 2003-10-02
What can I say about Ray Charles? As much as I really enjoy his original songs, he has a way of taking standards and making them his own. There is something about his voice that is so amazing that I cannot do anything else while listening to him--I just have to sit back and give him my full attention. Ray's version of That Lucky Old Sun is worth the price of the CD. It is so beautiful and moving that it chills me to my very soul. You won't regret buying this CD. It will further help you appreciate some already great songs.

Mellow collection of ballads from Ray's prime... 2003-07-06
This CD is the perfect gift for someone (perhaps a new friend from Mars) who has never heard Ray Charles. With tracks such as "Georgia on my Mind," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Without a Song," "Ruby," "Ol' Man River," and "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," this is a feast of vintage artistry from one of America's premier performers, a man Frank Sinatra called "the only genius in the business." Featured musicians include Basie and Ellington veterans. For a one-volume presentation of popular music, this collection is hard to top. --Stanley Booth

Has to be 5 stars for Brother Ray 2002-11-09
These are some of his early cuts,and if you think you have heard Ol' Man River,you haven't until you hear it sung by the Master.All of these cuts are perfect.Buy this.You already know you love him,anyway!

Very Fine, Unique Ray Effort. I just don't give five stars.. 2002-01-09
to many Pop Music CD's, unless they have a special uniqueness,wonderousness, so I may be a stingy reviewer. Also, I'm not that hooked by his raspy vocal style. But this is still my favorite Ray album,mainly since it has top of the line songs,some of which are not over-recorded. MARGIE and LUCKY OLD SUN are both terrific, and his famous GEORGIA ON MY MIND and RUBY also still sound fine. Most of the others have been done better by others (especially Sinatra,Armstrong,even Chad and Jeremy). And the final melody, OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING, is one every Boomer probably knew as a kid, but this version puts it well beyond the standard Broadway show-tune(from OKLAHOMA). Hard to belive there are so few reviews of this CD, close to an essential record!! BTW, some informative linear are included too!

on "standards" by ray charles 2001-06-13
Genius, pure genius! "Makin' Whoopee" is sex dripping from Ray's tongue, a fact that Ray obviously revels in; "Margie" is not at all far behind. In selections such as: "Without a Song," "Ol' Man River," or "Am I Blue" Ray's voice breaks your heart and if you listen to those cuts without shedding a tear...well, let's put it this way: something is definitely wrong with you! A sunshine rendition of "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" brings this incredible CD to a terrific close.

Classic Ray Charles 2000-08-09
when you think Ray Charles He was Alternative Before the Term Came out.is their anything the Brother Cannot Sing?His Voice&Work are Timeless&very Essential to any Serious Music Collection.AM I Blue is Beautiful.Makin' Whoopie is a Stone Cold Trip.This is a True Genius.His Rich Quality is Legendary.