My Kind of Jazz Album Reviews

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AMG Review

This LP came seemingly out of the blue as a showcase for the Ray Charles big band, spawning two little-known sequels later on in the '70s. It's a roaring, solid band, too, playing jazz standards like "This Here," "The Sidewinder," "Bluesette," and "Senor Blues," comfortable at slow, loping tempos as well as in the rousers, with excellent mainstream soloists (none of whom are identified) and good conventional charts (also uncredited). The sole exception to the pattern -- and a hit single in its own right -- is a catchy, funky Charles gospel/blues called "Booty Butt," where Charles adds multi-tracked gospel moans for his sole vocal contribution, and the band chimes in only on the very last chord. Clearly, the title and the appalling lack of credits say volumes about Charles' reputation as a control freak; this is his kind of jazz and nobody else's. In 1997, it was combined with the much earlier Genius + Soul album onto a single-disc CD reissue by Rhino. ~ Richard S. Ginell & Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide