Product Description

The name Ray Charles stands for superstar worldwide. He is an icon in the music world, has a star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame, a bronze bust enshrined in the Playboy Hall of Fame, and has received fifteen Grammys, the Kennedy Center Honor, and three National Medals of Arts. In his fifty years in the music world, Ray Charles has earned the title "The Legendary Genius of Soul." In this benefit concert for the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind from the James L. Knight center in Miami, Florida, Ray Charles performs all his classics, and delights the audience with a saxophone solo and a duet with special guest and Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Diane Schuur. Songs: I Got a Woman, A Song For You, It Hurts To Be in Love, Georgia on My Mind, The Good Life, Your Cheatin' Heart, They Can't Take That Away From Me, It Had To Be You (with Diane Schuur), You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (with Diane Schuur), Till There Was You, Say No More, Blues For Big Scotia, If You Go Away, All I Ever Need Is You, Love in Three Quarter Time, America The Beautiful. 82 minutes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #61470 in DVD
• Brand: Image Entertainment
• Released on: 2001-03-20
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Live, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 82 minutes

Amazon.com
At the age of 71, Ray Charles hasn't lost a step musically. If anything, his performance has been honed even further to what can only be described as the distillation of musical soul. Taped at a benefit concert in Miami, Florida, this set documents Charles with a massive orchestra that he manipulates like a trio, with a solid sense of dynamics and fun. He mixes everything from country to city, from pop to blues, from Hank Williams to George Gershwin, and renders it all with that purringly gritty voice and economical keyboard work. For good measure, he works out on saxophone for one number as well. He also sings a pair of duets with Diane Schuur, "It Had to Be You" and "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To." --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews

A crown jewel!
What can I say? Ray Charles is a jewel in the crown of American music. I saw him do a similar show in Kansas City with their symphony. Seventy-three and performing circles around artists one-third his age. An excellent performance and excellent sound. Do yourself a favor - BUY IT!!

Ray Converts a New Fan!
I have never been much of a Ray Charles fan...just not my era. But given Ray's classic rendition of "America the Beautiful" I decided to check this DVD out. Boy, I found out what I have been missing! I was mesmorized! The DVD quality is great, the song selection is excellent, the orchestra is superb, and even my three year old daughter loves Ray's rendition of America! It is truly awe inspiring and definitely worth having in a DVD collection.

Instant Classic!
You love music? You love rhythm and blues? You love Jazz? You love Gospel? Ray Charles - Mr. Music - created an instant classic with this great performance. You will love this concert! This DVD is also great without the TV. Wonderful background for you next dinner with your spouse....