"The Genius Of Ray Charles", one of the greatest albums ever recorded, one of the worst sounding..

Really, I love this album. I have nothing bad to say against Bill and Tom except what the heck were they thinking recording this? I used to believe that the overload was caused because the Basie guys were playing so loud that it just pinned the meters on that old Ampex 300-8. Then I heard the same overload on the string side as well so it wasn't that. Maybe they:

1. Didn't hear the overload because of the monitors they used.
2. Wanted it to sound like that.

What else could it be? It's obvious (from careful listening to the stereo and mono mixes) that the overload is right on the 8-track original tape (now deceased).

Those of you who collect rare jazz 78's from the 1920's, remember the Brunswick "Light-Ray" records, made before Brunswick-Vocalion got the rights to the actual Western Electric recording system in 1928? It had dynamic range of about 6 db at the most and the records were cut with with like 1/2 watt amp. They had a gritty but pleasing sound (listen to King Oliver's "Wa-Wa-Wa") that reminds me of the sound of this album when "pushed".

So, about 1994 or so I did a "remaster" gratis for Atlantic trying to "Iron out the rough spots" (as Don Covay would sing). Listening to it I realize it stinks just as much as the original CD version.

The stereo tape is actually much more dynamic and tuneful than the mono tape, that I remember. What I didn't realize is that the best way to "handle" the sound of this monumental album is so simple, I didn't see it.

I have an original first press stereo Atlantic LP (I believe it was Herb Abramson's actual reference copy) and I played it for the first time today, discovering that it sounds wonderful, much better than the raw tape, much better than the CD that I mastered or the reissue LP versions..

Why? That was my question. My answer? Tubes. Gotta play back the thing on a tube machine and use valves in cutting. My original stereo press still has overload, yes. But when Ray isn't screaming his voice sounds spooky real and the stereo music spread is lifelike and natural sounding.

I only wish I had thought of it when I was working on the dang thing. Too late now but my point is, if you can find an original press stereo LP of "The Genius Of Ray Charles" (NOT A SOLID STATE RECUT!) I think you will be in love with this album all over again.

I vividly remember sitting on the stage at NBC "Color City" in Burbank watching Ray sing "Just For A Thrill" on the Carson show back in 1989 or so. It was a thrill for me and I got a tingle when I heard it on the LP today. You can too!
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More info: So if you have a second pressing (with the beautiful white label with the swirl in the middle and a thinner green and blue outline around it), it's a good one as well, as long as the MG number is hand written in the deadwax. ST-A/B-59161.

So if you have a sixties recut it is probably good as long as the matrix is hand written. If someone has one, report back. I don't think they started using solid state cutting until much later.
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There has been some confusion as to how this album was recorded. Atlantic's little studio was too small for all the players so they did it at A&R. I've long accepted as fact that they unbolted the Ampex 8 Track and took it with them. Even the tape files show that the album was done on 8 track. However, unless they took the special console that Tom Dowd designed, how would they have fed the mics to the various channels? So, I'm suspicious. On the other hand, nothing ever coming out of A&R from that era sounded that bad except this album. So....

 

It is, yes. Isn't MoFi releasing this one on CD? The mono, right? Unissued since 1967! Neat.

 

Quickly, if you have a stereo second pressing (with the beautiful white label with the swirl in the middle and a thinner green and blue outline around it), it's a good one as well, as long as the MG number is hand written in the deadwax. ST-A/B-59161. It sounds quite beautiful, nice wide soundstage and great front to back depth.

Probably the later green blue stereo label version is fine as well.

So if you have a stereo sixties recut it is probably good as long as the matrix is hand written. If someone has one, report back. I don't think they started using solid state until much later.

 

I got it from the legendary Leon Leavitt.

 

Yes, I never even played it until yesterday. Had it all these years.

 

No one has a '60's pressing of THE GENIUS OF RAY CHARLES? For a while they were the staple of every thrift store in town..

 

Tried that in the 1990's. Made it sound worse. Sigh. Wish I had used my old Ampex 351-2-P with it. That would have made it more yummy sounding like the old stereo tube LP cuttings. My first pressing mono Atlantic LP cutting sounds dreadful, pinched and unmusical.

 

Yeah. I also tried a few other "No-Noise" type things on it, there was a de-distortion-er as well that helped a bit but I felt it sucked a lot of wetness out of the signal (like any type of noise reduction would) and I didn't like that.

Ah, well. Wish I knew what the hell went wrong during recording. It is the ONLY Atlantic recording I've ever heard that sound so messed up.