''True Genius'' is a

box set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...

of material by American musician

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...

, first released on September 10, 2021, by Tangerine Records, as a six- CD collection. The set contains 90 remastered tracks by Charles, as well as nine previously unreleased songs, which were recorded live in

Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

, in 1972. The release of ''True Genius'' purposely coincided with the 90th anniversary of Charles's year of birth. The six-CD release was followed by a condensed version of the material, ''True Genius: Sides of Ray'', which was released as a double-disc

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...

album on November 19, 2021. On May 6, 2022, the unearthed recordings of Charles's 1972 Stockholm concert were issued as a standalone release titled ''Live in Stockholm 1972''.

Background

''True Genius'' was compiled by record producer John Burk—who produced Charles's final studio album, ''

Genius Loves Company ''Genius Loves Company'' is the sixty-second and final studio album by rhythm and blues and soul musician Ray Charles, posthumously released August 31, 2004, on Concord Records. Billboard.com: Discography – Ray Charles – Genius Loves Comp ...

''—and The Ray Charles Foundation, led by Valerie Ervin. During the assembly of ''True Genius'', they discovered previously unreleased recordings of a concert by Charles held in

, in 1972. The nine songs from that concert were included on the CD release of ''True Genius'', and later received a standalone release as ''Live in Stockholm 1972''.

Release

''True Genius'' was first released on September 10, 2021, by Tangerine Records, as a six- CD set with a

coffee table A coffee table is a low table designed to be placed in a sitting area for convenient support of beverages, remote controls, magazines, books (especially large, illustrated coffee table books), decorative objects, and other small items. Most cof ...

-style hardcover book. It was followed by a double-disc

vinyl record A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English) or a vinyl record (for later varieties only) is an analog signal, analog sound Recording medium, storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, ...

release, ''True Genius: Sides of Ray'', on November 19, 2021. ''Live in Stockholm 1972'' received a limited edition colored

release on

Record Store Day Record Store Day is a semi-annual event established in 2008 to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". Held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November, the day brings together f ...

, on Black Friday in November 2021; this initial vinyl release was limited to 2,000 copies. ''Live in Stockholm 1972'' later received a standard vinyl release on May 6, 2022.

Critical reception

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' wrote that "This straightforward, career-spanning compilation covers his early years as he forges his fusion of

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

, swing,

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

and

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

, though for his pivotal 1950s

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

singles—"

Hallelujah, I Love Her So "Hallelujah I Love Her So" is a single by United States, American musician Ray Charles. The rhythm and blues song was written and released by Charles in 1956 on the Atlantic Records, Atlantic label, and in 1957 it was included on his self-title ...

," "

I've Got a Woman "I Got a Woman" (originally titled "I've Got a Woman") is a song co-written and recorded by American R&B and soul music, soul musician Ray Charles. Atlantic Records released the song as a single in December 1954, with "Come Back Baby" as the B-s ...

" and "

What'd I Say "What'd I Say" (or "What I Say") is an American rhythm and blues song by Ray Charles, released in 1959. As a single divided into two parts, it was one of the first soul songs. The composition was improvised one evening late in 1958 when Charl ...

"—it swaps in live versions instead of the studio classics. It moves through his decades as an interpreter, when he homed in on the soul within other people's hits, and includes a rambunctious 1972 concert set from Stockholm and latter-day duets with admirers like

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...

Norah Jones Norah Jones ( ; born Geethali Shankar; March 30, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She has won several awards for her music and, , has sold more than 53 million records worldwide. '' Billboard'' named her the top jazz artist of ...

and

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...

Background

Release

Critical reception

Track listing

CD version

Vinyl version (''Sides of Ray'')

References