OK there are not many artists who have had such a hugely influential and broad career as Ray Charles and many of his tunes have been covered for the detriment of betterment of a hundred different styles.
Well here at Jazzman we always like to find little gems hiding in plain sight and here we have two beauties that are exactly so. One answer and one re-imagining of the classic ‘I Got a Woman’ - both super fun dancefloor versions.
Let’s start with the Annie Williams, practically unknown apart from within the deep soul record collector circuit, this version is stronger on the dancefloor than even the Ray Charles original, with its stronger backing and rawkus r&B style vocal it smashes any dancefloor!
On the flip we have Bronx-born girl group Baby Jane & The Rockabyes (Madelyn 'Baby Jane' Moore, Yolanda Robinson, Yvonne DeMunn, Estelle McEwan) doing their girl pop interpretation of another classic from Ray. One of the busiest backing session groups in New York City of the period they released 15 singles in their career and were backing singers for Baby Washington on her early Neptune singles, two sides of which we have coming up on Fryers very soon.
supported by 5 fans who also own “I Got A Man / My Boy John”
Another one of my favorite AA titles. Snaky, jazzy melodies played over funky rhythms. One of those albums you won't even realize how often you've been playing it. bjlefebvre