Old Atlantic 3 CD Box set: Ray Charles "The Birth Of Soul", you should grab this one

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Dec 14, 2011.

  1. nikosvault

    nikosvault Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denmark
    Looks like The Atlantic Studio Albums In Mono is now the best choice for much of this material.

    Plus it's ALL mono.
     
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  2. ebro

    ebro The Green Manalishi

    Location:
    Haverhill, MA, USA
    I have Steve's Uh Huh set and his Anthology disc, very happy with both, but how does this box compare sound wise? One can never have enough Ray Charles.
     
  3. robcar

    robcar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    I just noticed that, on this box, there's an extra piano intro with a take announcement from the studio engineer tacked onto the beginning of "I Want To Know". That definitely was not there on the original 1957 single b-side ("Ain't That Love"), nor is it there on at least the later reissues of the Yes Indeed!! LP, which was where the track first appeared on LP over a year after its initial release on the back of the 45. I haven't heard an original 1958 pressing of Yes Indeed!!, although, if the recent mono Atlantic albums box set is truly accurate in terms of representing the original LPs, then the original LP had the same version as the 45, sans intro.*

    I'm now wondering if this "long" version (the rest of the track is the same as the 45, so it's just the intro that was added) ever appeared anywhere else prior to the 1991 release of this box.

    *Note that the original January 1957 Atlantic 45 ("Ain't That Love" b/w "I Want To Know") shows incorrect timing for each track on the label. "I Want To Know" is shown as 3:08, when it is actually 2:08; the 1991 box set version is 2:25 with the studio intro. Discogs also isn't of much help in identifying where this longer version first appeared; it carries the incorrect 3:08 timing forward for all of the early pressings of Yes Indeed!!
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2018
  4. robcar

    robcar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    It looks as though it is possible that this version of "I Want to Know" with the added intro/take number might have first been issued on the 1963 "The Story of Ray Charles, Volume 3" Atlantic compilation LP. I have no access to an original LP (issued in mono only), but the version of this title that is currently on iTunes would seem to contain the same version as The Birth of Soul box, with the short intro. Of course, it's just as likely as anything that iTunes was given a different master for this track than what was used for the original LP in 1963. Discogs shows the erroneous 3:08 timing for this cut on the original LP.
     
  5. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    The "Birth Of Soul" has outstanding SQ and should be everyone's collection, just read our hosts post at the start of the thread.

    You may also find this thread that I started helpful.....

    Ray Charles - Help Me Find The Atlantic Era In The Best Sound Quality!
     
  6. Beaneydave

    Beaneydave Forum Resident

    I just pick this up from a market stall in Newcastle new for only £12.99!
    Sounds fantastic
    It it really the complete recordings?


    peace and love✌Dave
     
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  7. telepicker97

    telepicker97 Got Any Gum?

    Location:
    Midwest
    Ordered from amazon - $11.91 + $3.99 shipping.

    Thanks for the tip!
     
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  8. Aardvark23

    Aardvark23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Carolina
    How about providing a link for us? Thanks!
     
  9. black sheriff

    black sheriff Magic City

    Go to Amazon.com and copy and paste
    Ray Charles The Birth Of Soul 82310 into the search.
     
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  10. telepicker97

    telepicker97 Got Any Gum?

    Location:
    Midwest
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  11. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    This box focusses on the Atlantic r&b recordings, leaving the jazz recordings aside. It's pretty much complete in that sense, although it doesn't have "Some Day Baby" and perhaps there are others that slipped through the net. It also omits any live recordings.

    Pure Genius is a complete collection of his Atlantic recordings:

    https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Genius-Complete-Atlantic-Recordings/dp/B000A7KL7U/
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2018
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  12. bmoregnr

    bmoregnr Forum Rezident

    Location:
    1060 W. Addison
    This is vinyl only correct?
     
  13. bmoregnr

    bmoregnr Forum Rezident

    Location:
    1060 W. Addison
    Is Pure Genius on par with Birth Of Soul sound wise? Does it give you mono where Birth Of Soul had stereo? I’ve been going to the MOFIs to get those stereo cuts in mono but I’m not sure I’m loving the sound of those as much as Birth Of Soul.
     
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  14. MartinR

    MartinR Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockholm, Sweden
    And download i think.
     
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  15. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    You get mono for the r&b recordings mostly ("Tell Me How Do You Feel", "Tell The Truth"and "I'm Movin' On" are stereo) - also included are the stereo mixes of "What'd I Say" and "Carrying That Load" alongside the mono mixes. Some of the jazz recordings are in stereo ("Deed I Do" with Milt Jackson and the 'Fathead' Newman recordings, for example). Except for "Yes Indeed!", the '58 live recordings are stereo, as are the recordings that comprise the big band album The Genius Of Ray Charles.

    Mastering is good overall except for the EQ being a little bright and thin. Still, it's an indispensable set.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2018
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  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Bright and thin? Great, my favorite!
     
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  17. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    I can barely remember what a bass cloud sounds like at this point - still, not much digital jiggery-pokery here at least.
     
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  18. rxcory

    rxcory proud jazz band/marching band parent

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Man, I started out with Pure Genius, and gleefully ditched it once I found out about Birth Of Soul here on the forum. Pure Genius was bright, thin, and loud.
     
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  19. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Reopened by request.
     
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  20. Twodawgzz

    Twodawgzz But why do you ask such questions...

    For those non-mono only enthusiasts, I have turned many tracks from this set into stereo and have posted them on my YouTube channel. I have also completed a few more to post soon.
     
  21. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    What about taking those true stereo tracks (with Ray singing out of the right channel only) and somehow making Ray centered and music left and right? That would sure be welcome..

    Could that be done?
     
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  22. oxenholme

    oxenholme Senile member

    Location:
    Knoydart
    As long as Walt gives me the stems as flac files so that I can make simple quadraphonic or 5.0 mixes.
     
  23. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Yes, although the way everything was mixed and recorded makes the results somewhat less than satisfying. Checking out What'd I Say now, tons of leakage, and the horns mixed center aren't very high in the mix. You can center Ray, but there's not a strong image on the right.
     
  24. Timos

    Timos Forum resident

    I bought this over Christmas to replace my copy of The Definitive Ray Charles (Rhino). I usually really like Rhino reissues, but this one was pretty horrible. Bright, but the wrong kind of bright: sharp. And loud.

    Anyway, The Birth of Soul hits the spot, sound wise. Warm. Crankable. It would’ve been better if it was all in mono, but hey-ho.

    I have to say, though, that it was pretty crumby that they saw fit to stretch the track list over 3 CDs when a double-pack would’ve done fine…

    At least it looks good on the shelf with all my other box sets!

    :righton:
     
  25. Twodawgzz

    Twodawgzz But why do you ask such questions...

    I have centered the vocals on:

    (Night Time Is) The Right Time
    My Bonnie
    Tell All The World About You
    What'd I Say
    Yes Indeed
    You Be My Baby
     
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