Ray Charles and James Brown: The Voiceless Prowess of R&B's Greatest Voices

Leaving the microphone behind is not an issue
for these R&B and Soul legends.

James Brown and Ray Charles: definitively the two biggest names in R&B and Soul music history. Arguably, they are the majority molders of many popular genres of music today. Together and separate, the two musicians fought through countless hurdles during their heyday, both within the music industry and outside it, in order to accomplish something greater than themselves. Ray Charles struggled to have his music heard by a segregated South, eventually having his song, “Georgia On My Mind,” adopted as the Georgia state song in honor of his ability to overcome. James Brown opened up a televised set in a riot-torn Boston the day after Martin Luther King Jr.’s death in 1968, showing a divided population that it was possible to unite through music. These were great men, musicians, and, most importantly, movers in the U.S. and beyond.

These two individuals were known for many things, some good and some bad, but one of their united transcendental qualities is easily their respective vocal chops. Ray could be silky smooth, but he often pushed the envelope of his voice, giving it the grit that he’s known for on tracks such as “Night Time is the Right Time” and “Drown in My Own Tears.” J.B., on the other hand, had that grit from the start, evident in early tracks like “Please, Please, Please” and “Try Me.” His grittiness, however, matured to a point where he became known for his guttural, percussive sounds used to accent the prowess of his songwriting and backing band. 

It might be considered ironic, then, that I recently came across two record albums that remove these two songsters’ voices from the mix, allowing the instrumental talents of the groups  to shine through. On Atlantic Jazz Anthology:The Best of Ray Charles, the sounds of David “Fathead” Newman’s tenor and alto saxophone become more integral, shining through on leads on “Hard Times,” a reworking of the seminal Charles’ track, and others. Ray’s impeccably delicate piano playing is also a highlight of the album; he is even featured blowing a bluesy alto sax solo on “How Long Blues,” which also features vibraphonist great Milt Jackson. 

On Grits & Soul: The Instrumental Sounds of The James Brown Band, James Brown sidles up to Ray’s instrumental band sound, but he adds a decidedly James Brown feel. The organ is a key instrument used, which is different from the all-piano tracks found on the Ray Charles album. Grits & Soul also features more of the band itself, but Brown definitely throws in a tasty lick or two when he is playing the keyboards. This particular album is also interesting because it provided Brown a way to record outside of the label he resided on at the time. According to this source, his contract had a vocal stipulation on him, and he was able to circumvent legalities by removing his voice from the music entirely.

No matter why these albums were made, they are treasures that take both of these great, game-changing musicians out of their popular element. Crossing genres is a tricky thing, especially in the twentieth and twenty-first century, and this proves that both James Brown and Ray Charles will not only stand the test of time as innovators, but that they have shown that they are all-around experts in their craft of music-making. They not only created music for themselves and others, but were both able to lead their bands and the world closer to greatness. 

Ray of Light

Rightfully so, Ray Charles has been deemed by many to be one of the original creators of soul music. As with many artists whose longevity is almost mystical, Ray was the ultimate shapeshifter. Going from jazz to country western to psychedelic circles, Ray was able to stand the test of time in his marketing and business savvy, his ambition, and, ultimately, his creativity in the way he approached music.

Though the Ray Charles sound is unmistakable on hits like "Georgia on my Mind" to "Hit the Road Jack!", his true genius lies in the root of it all: the root that stems from having a tough go at it, the root that shows us what it's like to be at the bottom looking up, and the root that reveals just a tiny pinhole of light shedding through if at all. The blues. The notion that we can't always get what we want when we want it, and that, sometimes, it's even harder to get what we need.

The Genius Sings the Blues seems to encapsulate the true meaning of the word. From lonesome heartbreak to hopeful cry in the night, from fiery romance to forging on ahead, Ray Charles shows off the range of the blues itself. From more commonly-known Ray tunes such as "Hard Times" and "The Right Time" to earlier tunes like "The Midnight Hour", Ray shows how the blues doesn't get much more blue than this. This album seems to say, "If you're on the up and up you better cross your lucky stars, or, even better, say a cautious prayer of thanks at the edge of your bed at night because the blues can be hiding around anybody's corner." Do yourself a favor and, whether you find yourself on the high side of the tide or the low, listen to brother Ray tell you how it is. If you find yourself fortunate for what you've got or find solace in the fact that someone else is also missing what they had, you'll be better off whichever way you cut it.