Ray Charles - In Concert
At the age of 71, Ray Charles hasn't lost a step musically. If anything, his performance has been honed even further to what can only be described as the distillation of musical soul. Taped at a benefit concert in Miami, Florida, this set documents Charles with a massive orchestra that he manipulates like a trio, with a solid sense of dynamics and fun. He mixes everything from country to city, from pop to blues, from Hank Williams to George Gershwin, and renders it all with that purringly gritty voice and economical keyboard work. For good measure, he works out on saxophone for one number as well. He also sings a pair of duets with Diane Schuur, "It Had to Be You" and "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To."--Marshall Fine