Ray Charles Overcomes Spa Rain

by Bernard Decker, The Knickerbocker News, June 27, 1968

Call him what you will: Boss of the Blues, Sultan of Soul, or even The Genius. Ray Charles deserves all of those titles.

He proved it last night, first by bringing a crowd of 3,500 to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center despite the abominable weather and second by keeping that crowd enthusiastic to the very end of a cold, damp evening.

THE BLIND singer has, using the current “in” word, charisma. That certain something: that je ne sais quoi. Only with Ray Charles, it should be je sais quoi. What he has is a way with a song unlike anyone else’s. He may owe debts to the singers of spirituals, gospel shouters, and any number of blues singers. But he has melded these debts and forged a style that is distinctively his own.

He stops and starts; he slows down and speeds up. He slurs words; he stretches them — stretches them until you think they are going to snap, then lets them snake back into place at the last moment. (How many singers can make “yesterday” a six-syllable word?)

He soars; he sinks.

But whatever he does, he brings across the important element of the song — the emotion.

AND no song allows him to display this ability more than “Yesterday,” most popular number of the night with the audience at SPAC and this reviewer as well.

Not far behind in popularity was his singular version of “Georgia,” which might leave purists open-mouthed but seemed perfect coming from his. Other favorites were “Born to Lose” and “It’s Crying Time Again.”

Just when you think you have him pegged as a draggy-blues specialist, Charles comes at you with a driving blues like “Let Me Tell You ‘Bout a Girl I Know.” And he can drive with the best of the shouters.

WHILE ON the subject of driving music, the Ray Charles Orchestra is no slouch either. Unfortunately, the program provided no information as to the personnel, but there were a couple of sax men and trumpet players who would be no disgrace to any band.

This program failing showed up elsewhere. Charles has a very capable female quartet to back him up in several numbers, identified only as the Raelettes. This, too, is unfortunate, for one of its members sang an “Ode to Billie Joe” that would have had Bobbie Gentry up against the wall if it had come out in competition with hers.

Also along to “help the old man out,” as Charles phrased it, was Billy Preston, a young man cut from the same mold as Sammy Davis Jr. Just “21 and three-quarters,” according to Charles, he sings, dances and plays the piano and organ—all of these with electrifying ability.

THE EVENING’S program was divided into two segments. In the first hour, Charles is notable by his absence. This time is well spent, however, by the orchestra, the aforementioned Mr. Preston, and the Raelettes.

The final hour and a half belonged to Mr. Charles. In addition to his songs, which also included his version of the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” he shows that he is no stranger to a piano by joining in with the band for a couple of instrumentals.

All in all, a very talented man, Mr. Charles. And a first-class showman.

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