A really fantastic slice of work from Ray Charles – billed here as the only live recordings in which Ray played Hammond organ throughout – instead of his usual piano! The 3CD set brings together three full performances recorded in Paris on October 21 and 22 in 1961 – right at a point when Ray was moving between Atlantic and ABC Records – and working with lots of the strong jazzy charts used in his final years at the former label! The Hammond is fantastic, and a number of tracks are nice and long, with great instrumental solos – so much so that it's almost as if Charles' is putting that side of his skills forward first, then coming in for a vocal punch second. Some of these tracks have been issued before, but there's also a lot of unreleased titles in the package.
CD1 {1:18:42}
01. Stockholm Sweetnin' (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Concert) 05:26
02. Whisper Not (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Concert) 03:10
03. One Mint Julep (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 02:50
04. From the Heart (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 03:33
05. Moanin' (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 03:28
06. Let the Good Times Roll (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 02:32
07. Georgia on My Mind (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 07:39
08. Hallelujah I Love Her So (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 03:12
09. Just for a Thrill (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 06:41
10. Margie (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 02:41
11. Alexander's Ragtime Band (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 02:39
12. I Believe to My Soul (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 03:52
13. My Bonnie (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 03:37
14. I Wonder (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 03:56
15. Sticks and Stones (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 03:23
16. My Baby (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 04:43
17. Hit the Road Jack (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 02:35
18. Come Rain or Come Shine (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 07:07
19. What'd I Say (The October 21, 1961, Performance) 05:27
CD2 {1:18:41}
01. Dat Dere (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Concert) 04:11
02. Solitude (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Concert) 04:19
03. One Mint Julep (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 02:55
04. Moanin' (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 03:38
05. Doodlin' (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 07:52
06. From the Heart (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 03:34
07. Hallelujah I Love Her So (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 03:19
08. Georgia on My Mind (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 07:29
09. Margie (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 02:38
10. I've Got News for You (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 04:14
11. Alexander's Ragtime Band (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 02:41
12. I Believe to My Soul (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 03:47
13. My Bonnie (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 03:34
14. I Wonder (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 03:46
15. Yes Indeed (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 02:54
16. My Baby (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 04:34
17. Hit the Road Jack (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 02:32
18. I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 04:38
19. What'd I Say 2 (From the October 22, 1961, Afternoon Performance) 05:57
CD3 {1:18:07}
01. Roll in G (From the October 21, 1961, Concert) 08:43
02. One Mint Julep (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 02:57
03. Doodlin' (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 07:32
04. Moanin' (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 03:44
05. Let the Good Times Roll (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 02:32
06. Come Rain or Come Shine (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 06:58
07. Hallelujah I Love Her So (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 03:20
08. I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 05:12
09. Margie (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 02:27
10. Georgia on My Mind (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 07:27
11. Alexander's Ragtime Band (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 02:32
12. I Wonder (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 03:59
13. My Bonnie (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 03:56
14. My Baby (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 04:31
15. Hit the Road Jack (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 02:33
16. I Believe to My Soul (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 03:43
17. What'd I Say (From the October 22, 1961, Evening Performance) 05:56
