Impulse! · in the Kissa Kissa racks

Genius + Soul = Jazz

Ray Charles

Recorded	Dec 26-27, 1960
Label	Impulse!
Released	1960
Personnel	32 credited players
Discogs	master 141583

The record

Ray Charles fronts a Basie-caliber big band -- Freddie Green's guitar, Roy Haynes and Sonny Payne trading drum duties -- for one of Impulse!'s earliest sides, swapping his usual combo for full-throated organ and orchestra. Recorded just after the label's launch, it's blues and swing filtered through Charles's gospel-soaked keys.

Session personnel

Earle Warren — alto saxophone
Frank Wess — alto saxophone
George Dorsey — alto saxophone
Marshall Royal — alto saxophone
Charlie Fowlkes — baritone saxophone
Haywood Henry — baritone saxophone
Eddie Jones — bass
Joe Benjamin — bass
Roy Haynes — drums
Sonny Payne — drums
Freddie Green — guitar
Sam Herman — guitar
Billy Mitchell — tenor saxophone
Budd Johnson — tenor saxophone
Frank Foster — tenor saxophone
Seldon Powell — tenor saxophone
Al Grey — trombone
Benny Powell — trombone
George Matthews — trombone
Henry Coker — trombone
Jimmy Cleveland — trombone
Keg Johnson — trombone
Urbie Green — trombone
Clark Terry — trumpet
Jimmy Nottingham — trumpet
Joe Newman — trumpet
Joe Wilder — trumpet
John Frosk — trumpet
Phillip Guilbeau — trumpet
Snooky Young — trumpet
Thad Jones — trumpet
Ray Charles — vocals, organ

Contemporary reception

No period review located yet. The vintage-press pipeline searches DownBeat, Cash Box, and Billboard for this session.

Pressings

The earliest on file is the 1961 US Impulse! mono A-2, gatefold with an RVG stamp; the stereo A-2 of the same year carries the stamp plus a laminated sleeve, and both are worth a look. Britain went out on His Master's Voice -- mono CLP 1475 and stereo CSD. 1384 -- while France issued IMP 2. Later Impulse! stereo runs as AS-2 in 1966 and 1971. The 2021 B0033210-01 is the current 180-gram gatefold.

Showing the first pressing, audiophile reissues and copies carrying a collector marker, out of 90 pressings on file.

1961	Impulse! · A-2 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, Gatefold earliest on file · RVG stamp; gatefold
2012	Impulse! · STEREO CAPP 2 SA — SACD, Hybrid, Stereo, Album, Reissue Analogue Productions
1961	Impulse! · A-2 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold · RVG stamp; laminated sleeve; gatefold
—	Impulse! · SMAS 90647 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Mono · RVG stamp
1961	Impulse! · EPIM 5541 — Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, EP
1961	Impulse! · IMP 2 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono · laminated sleeve
1961	His Master's Voice · CSD. 1384 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
1961	Impulse! · HAS 2 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
1961	Impulse! · A2S — Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Jukebox, Stereo
1961	Sparton Impulse! Records · A-2S — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold · gatefold
1961	Impulse! · A-2 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
1961	La Voce Del Padrone · QELP 8034 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo · laminated sleeve
1961	Karusell · PEP 2030 — Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, EP
1961	Impulse! · A-2 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold · laminated sleeve; gatefold