by Joe Viglione
This classic 1964 recording by Ray Charles includes 12 vintage tracks performed to perfection. His voice is in great shape, and the recording by Wally Heider is a marvel for its day; all the instruments are placed nicely with Charles' voice out front where it belongs. There's a slinky version of &Hallelujah I Love Her So,& the musicians creating nice little changes behind Charles' soulful nuances. The singer tells us Miss Lillian Ford of the Raelets &helps out& on &Don't Set Me Free&; it's a duet and a nice change of pace. Rick Ward's tacky liner notes fail to say who is backing up the singer at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, except for David &Fathead& Newman credited with the tenor solo on &Swing a Little Taste,& the opening track. Not to be confused with the 1973 re-release Ray Charles Live, which is comprised of 1958 and 1959 concerts, this album is called Live in Concert, and is Charles in Los Angeles after a Japanese tour in 1964. &What I'd Say& and a nice version of &Margie& are here, along with a six-minute take on &I Gotta Woman.& For the finale he has the Ray Charles Choir come out to help close the show with a marching-band version of &Pop Goes the Weasel.& The 12 tracks are priceless Ray Charles, especially the reinvention of &You Don't Know Me,& stirringly different from his timeless hit version but just as impressive. Excellent photos by Ray Hearne, especially the cover profile.