The Birth Of A Legend: 1949-1952 Down Beat - Swing Time Recordings (digipack 2 Cd Set)

Ray Charles

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.

Tracklisting:

CD-1
1. I Love You, I Love You (I Will Never Let... (Lawrence) - 2:40
2. Confession Blues (Charles) - 2:31
3. Alone in the City (Charles) - 2:57
4. Can Anyone Ask for More? (Charles) - 2:49
5. Let's Have a Bal (Charles) - 2:33
6. Rockin' Chair Blues (Charles) - 2:46
7. If I Give You My Love (Leventhal) - 2:38
8. Can't You See Darling? (Charles) - 2:38
9. 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... (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
22. Th' Ego Song (Glenn) - 2:21
23. Late in the Evening Blues (Henry) - 3:06
24. Someday (Charles) - 3:10
25. I'll Do Anything But Work (Jones) - 2:28
26. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now? (Adams/Hough/Howard) - 2:20
27. All to Myself Alone (Charles) - 2:00
28. Lonely Boy (Henry/Lauderdale) - 2:50
29. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand (Charles) - 3:01
30. I'm Glad for Your Sake (Lawrence/Tinturin) - 2:41
31. Baby Won't You Please Come Home (Warfield/Williams) - 2:55
32. Kissa Me Baby (Charles) - 3:10
33. Hey Now (Charles) - 2:19
34. The Snow Is Falling (Leiber/Stoller) - 2:49
35. Misery in My Heart (Charles) - 3:04
36. Let Me Hear You Call My Name (Charles) - 3:34
37. Why Did You Go? (Charles) - 2:49
38. I'm Wonderin' and Wonderin' (Charles) - 3:20
39. Walkin' and Talkin' (Charles) - 3:10
40. Guitar Blues (Charles) - 2:33
41. Back Home (Charles) - 2:32

All Music Guide Review:

"Of all the countless compilations that have been stitched together of Ray Charles' early sides for Jack Lauderdale's Swing Time Records, this two-disc box is the only CD package that treats these enormously important works with the reverent respect that they deserve (meaning decent mono sound quality instead of murky electronic reprocessed stereo dubbed from vinyl, cogent liner notes, and full discographical annotation). This is where the genius began, imitating Charles Brown at the very start (1949) and sounding like nobody but Brother Ray by 1952 (when he defected to Atlantic and hit the real big time). Forty-one tracks in all."
— Bill Dahl

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