Genius + Soul = Jazz – Ray Charles
5/4/20261 hr 1 min
YHI + McBride = Ray Charles?! Christian McBride - bassist, Grammy winner and one of the greatest musical minds working today - joins Adam and Peter on You'll Hear It to share his desert island album.
If you know Christian, you know that his musical hero is James Brown. But Christian isn't bringing a James Brown pick. Instead, he's bringing one from his hero's hero ... Ray Charles.
This album was a risky move for Charles - unlike anything else he'd released at that time. At the peak of his power, he set aside the qualities that made him famous: his voice and his piano.
This one's a deep cut. But once you listen, you'll never hear Ray Charles the same way again.
Chapters Legend:
🎧 Listening to a track 🎹 Music theory breakdown 🎵 Live studio jam
-------------------------------
Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs:
https://openstudiojazz.com/yhi
------------------------------
Jazz Organ LEGEND Reveals Favorite Tracks: https://youtu.be/MGMmJ1Jhx6U
-------------------------------
About You'll Hear It:
In this popular music series, Adam and Peter break down the greatest albums of all time. Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Joni Mitchell, D'Angelo: Jazz is the foundation of the most GENIUS music in recent history. These seasoned jazz pianists bring their deep musical knowledge to every joyful episode to help you hear the hidden qualities that make music AMAZING. You'll never hear music the same way again.
-------------------------------
Sign up for the You'll Read It newsletter for little known stories about the artists you love:
https://youllhearit.com/newsletter
-------------------------------
00:00 Ray Charles - Genius + Soul = Jazz
01:05 Why James Brown Fans LOVE This Album
4:41 🎧 "From the Heart"
11:30 Funk Starts HERE
13:51 🎧 "I've Got News For You"
19:35 🎧 "Moanin'"
24:18 Roy Haynes LOVED This Album
26:46 🎧 "Let's Go"
31:03 🎧 "One Mint Julep"
34:30 The Quincy Jones-Ray Charles Factor
37:56 🎧 "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town"
42:08 🎧 "Strike Up the Band"
44:53 Desert Island Tracks
47:40 What's With That Organ Sound?
52:30 The Best Moments on Genius + Soul = Jazz
53:28 What to Listen to Next
58:34 Better Than Kind of Blue?
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAdam Maness· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Ray Charles invented soul using his voice and his piano. Then, at the peak of his power, he set them both aside and went back to where it all started. This is Genius Plus Soul Equals Jazz. [upbeat music] I'm Adam Maness.
Peter Martin· Host0:20
And I'm Peter Martin.
Adam Maness· Host0:20
And you're listening to the You'll Hear It podcast.
Peter Martin· Host0:22
Music explored.
Adam Maness· Host0:23
Explored brought to you by Open Studio. Go to openstudiojazz.com for, oh, your jazz lesson needs- Yes, sir ... Peter, it's a big day.
Peter Martin· Host0:33
It is a big day. We say that often, but this, we have actual evidence at the table with us.
Adam Maness· Host0:39
Yeah. We're listening to an amazing album- Yes ... of an amazing person.
Peter Martin· Host0:43
Yes.
Adam Maness· Host0:43
The great Christian McBride is with us today.
Peter Martin· Host0:44
What's up, Christian?
Christian McBride· Guest0:45
What's up, fellas?
Peter Martin· Host0:45
[laughs] It's good to have you here.
Christian McBride· Guest0:47
It's great to be with you, too.
Peter Martin· Host0:48
Yeah.
Christian McBride· Guest0:49
I watch you on, on, on the YouTube.
Peter Martin· Host0:51
On the Tubes.
Christian McBride· Guest0:52
[laughs] Gotta put the S on the end, YouTubes.
Peter Martin· Host0:55
That's right.
Adam Maness· Host0:55
That's the best version of us, so, uh, we'll try to keep that energy going for this show. But man, we're listening today to a pretty amazing album, Ray Charles, Genius Plus Soul Equals Jazz. Christian, this was your pick.
Christian McBride· Guest1:06
Yes.
Adam Maness· Host1:06
Why this album?
Christian McBride· Guest1:07
Well, you know, I think when people say, "Christian, pick one of your desert island recordings," everyone's, everyone assumes I'm gonna pick James Brown. [laughs] Uh, but you gotta go deeper than that because, like, who do your heroes listen to?
Adam Maness· Host1:23
Yeah.
Christian McBride· Guest1:24
You know? E- even your heroes had a hero.
Adam Maness· Host1:26
That's right.
Christian McBride· Guest1:27
And it's important to realize that while