Concord Records is celebrating the 80th birthday of the legendary Ray Charles with a special gift for his legions of fans: <em>Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters</em>. This treasure trove of newly discovered recordings, highlighted by a duet with fellow icon Johnny Cash, will become available at physical and digital retailers October 26, 2010.
Culled from four decades worth of demos and other previously unreleased material, <em>Rare Genius</em> showcases the remarkable artistic vision, stylistic range and emotionally rich vocals that crafted Charles enduring legacy.
Listening to the ten gems from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s that comprise this CD, fans will have no trouble envisioning the late singer rocking back and forth at the piano as he effortlessly segues between R&B/soul, pop, country and gospel. "Ray would always get inside the meaning of a lyric and make the listener believe every word," says Concord Music Group Chief Creative Officer. John Burk. "His vocals carried incredible emotion and intensity, even on demo tapes. What we have here with Rare Genius is on par with some of his greatest works."
And that’s crystal clear right from the album’s sparkling opener, "Love’s Gonna Bite You Back." The March 1980 session track features an upbeat horn arrangement behind what <em>Rare Genius</em> liner notes author Bill Dahl calls "a Charles vocal that’s a signature mixture of sandpaper grit and heavenly goodness." Up next is the stunning ballad "It Hurts to Be in Love," which underscores the album’s main thematic focus and one of Charles’ favorite subjects: the ups and down of romance.
Another compelling standout is the gospel-stirred Charles and Cash duet on Kris Kristofferson’s "Why Me, Lord?" Discovered in the Sony vaults, the song was produced by Billy Sherrill in Nashville and recorded in 1981 for an anticipated release on a CBS album. For unknown reasons, that didn’t come to pass. What’s more important, however, is the emotional charge you get listening to these two powerful voices come together in this spirited and inspired pairing.
Except for "Lord," the nine other <em>Rare Genius</em> tracks including the soul-drenched "I Don’t Want No One But You," a blues-infused cover of songwriter Hank Cochran’s country classic "A Little Bitty Tear" and the joyous "I’m Gonna Keep on Singin’" were found in the vault at Charles’ R.P.M. International studios in Los Angeles. Adding a little sweetening to some of the sparse, stripped-down tracks was a team of top-notch musicians and artists: guitarists Keb’ Mo’ and George Doering, organist Bobby Sparks, trumpeter Gray Grant, trombonist Alan Kaplan, bassists Trey Henry and Chuck Berghofer, drummers Gregg Field and Ray Brinker and background vocalist Eric Benet.
As with its Concord predecessor, 2004’s Grammy-winning Album of the Year <em>Genius Loves Company, Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters</em> is another fitting tribute to Charles, who would have turned 80 on September 23. It’s a fresh, vibrant reaffirmation of the music icon’s unparalleled artistry and legacy.