Reviewed! Ray Charles - Ray Charles: Live in France 1961
Ray Charles
Ray Charles: Live
in France 1961
Eagle Vision
The 1961 Antibes Jazz Festival, which let French (and
European) audiences hear Ray Charles for the first time, is the setting for Ray Charles: Live in France 1961, a new
DVD offering that mashes up bits and pieces of those four historic performances
from July 18-22, 1961. At first glance, you’ll notice that a number of repeated
tracks, and while that might not look good on the surface, it’s always
important to not judge a book by its cover, because in the case of this Ray Charles: Live in France 1961 DVD,
the songs are different each time out. The July 22 performance comes across
with more energy and exuberance than the July 18 set (only the 18 and 22 sets
are presented in full as songs from the 19th and 21st
performances are bonus), highlighted by the DVD’s two best cuts, “Let the Good
Times Roll” and “Ruby,” which showcases Charles’ ability to croon with the best
of them. Charles wraps each set with the endearing “What’d I Say,” and you’ll
be hard pressed to not come away with a smile. Ray Charles: Live in France 1961 presents fans a rare opportunity glimpse
into what it was like to experience Charles in a live setting, and chances are
you’ll come away from this DVD more than impressed.
Grade: B
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