Ray Charles ‎Great Ray Charles 1957 Stereo Atlantic SD1259 Archival Sleeve Green, White and Blue Atlantic Label

This is Ray playing Jazz the star here is David Fathead Newman spining out Bird lines Highly recommended

The Great Ray Charles is the second studio album by American musician Ray Charles, released in 1957 by Atlantic Records. An instrumental jazz album, it features cover art designed by Marvin Israel. 

WOW! Classic jazz, bebop, cool jazz, show tunes. But no matter, Brother Ray comes through in all. Love it. He shows he can play it all, but still his own uniqueness shines through.

This set is rather unusual, for it is strictly instrumental, allowing Ray Charles a rare opportunity to be a jazz-oriented pianist. Two selections are with a trio (bassist Oscar Pettiford joins Charles on "Black Coffee"), while the other six are with a septet taken from his big band of the period. Key among the sidemen are David Newman (soloing on both tenor and alto) and trumpeter Joseph Bridgewater; highlights include Quincy Jones' "The Ray," "My Melancholy Baby," "Doodlin'," and "Undecided." Ray Charles should have recorded in this setting more often in his later years.

It's just wonderful this album the critic are positive. Of course Ray Charles is an unusual jazz pianist but in these tracks you can find the melancholy, the spirit, the soul and also the irony by this great artist. The fact that is not singing is not a problem. I listened at this record a hundred times and I am never tired. There is The Ray composed by Quincy Jones, Doodlin' by Horace Silver and also Sweet Sixteen Bars composed by Charles himself. All the album is arranged by Quincy Jones. Need else?