BEST OF 1961:Ray Charles "The Genius Sings the Blues" (1961)

The Genius Sings the Blues
release date: 1961
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Ahmet Ertegün, Jerry Wexler
label: Atlantic Records - nationality: USA

Studio album by Ray Charles produced by Ahmet Ertegün and Jerry Wexler. The album was his last on Atlantic Records.

1961 Favourite releases: 1. Ray Charles The Genius Sings the Blues - 2. Dexter Gordon Dexter Calling... - 3. Elvis Presley Something for Everybody

Ella Fitzgerald "Hello, Love" (1959)

Hello, Love
release date: 1959
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

A 1950s studio album with Ella Fitzgerald with recordings made between 1957-1959. My cd edition is the 2004 remastered edition on the original label, Verve Records. I enjoy most albums with this great singer, although, I like her most when she sings vocal jazz only. But there's absolutely nothing wrong about her versions of the 'Great American Songbook' of standards, it's just that so many other good and great artists have made their versions, and it's sometimes hard to tell the big differences. And then again: singing the standards was what brought her fame! Several of the songs here, appear (in different versions) on previous albums including her two albums with Louis Armstrong, Ella & Louis (1956) and Ella & Louis Again (1957).

BEST OF 1965:Otis Redding "Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul" (1965)

Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul
release date: Sep. 15, 1965
format: cd
[album rate: 5 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Ole Man Trouble" - 2. "Respect" (5 / 5) - 3. "A Change Is Gonna Come" - 4. "Down in the Valley" - 5. "I've Been Loving You Too Long" (5 / 5) - 6. "Shake" (5 / 5) - 7. "My Girl" (5 / 5) - 8. "Wonderful World" (5 / 5) - 9. "Rock Me Baby" - 10. "Satisfaction" (5 / 5) - 11. "You Don't Miss Your Water"

3rd studio album by Otis Redding. Most of the songs here are cover-versions of famous r&b songs but here personalized into soul. Redding wrote three songs for the album himself (tracks #1, #2, and #5) and it soon became his best selling album reaching number #6 on the UK album charts. The album "is included in a number of best album lists, including Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Time magazine's list of the "All-Time 100 Greatest Albums", and Robert Dimery's "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". (from wikipedia). Another great soul singer, Sam Cooke, wrote three of the songs (tracks #3, #6, and #8), but as it is with all tracks on this album, Redding has a different approach, giving each song an emotional depth and feel that the original songs didn't have. Otis Redding is my all-time favourite soul artist and this album is one of his best.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Record Collector, Virgin Encyclopedia 5 / 5 stars ]

1965 Favourite releases: 1. Otis Redding Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul - 2. The Beatles Help! - 3. Frank Sinatra September of My Years