Ray Charles is famous for soulful pop hits like "Georgia On My Mind," "Hit the Road, Jack," and "I Can't Stop Loving You." Blind from the age of seven, Charles was a gifted pianist and saxophonist who taught himself to compose and arrange music by Braille, then went on to become one of the most successful African-American artists of the 20th century. A choice collection of some of Ray Charles's most famous songs.

Songlist: Born to Lose, Georgia On My Mind, Hit the Road Jack, I Can't Stop Loving You, Ruby, Swanee River Rock, What'd I Say, Baby Grand, A Bit of Soul, Born To Lose, Come Live With Me, Crying Time, Don't Change on Me, Hallelujah I Love Her So, In The Heat Of The Night, I Ain't Gonna Worry My Mind, Let The Good Times Roll, Living For The City, No One, One Mint Julep, Shake Your Tail Feather, Swanee River Rock, You Are My Sunshine, You Don't Know Me

A multitalented blind black musician, Ray Charles pioneered soul music, which became enormously popular among both black and white audiences beginning in the late '50s. In secularizing certain aspects of gospel music (chord changes, song structures, call and response techniques, and vocal screams, wails, and moans) and adding blues based lyrics, he virtually invented a new genre of music. He brought a soulful sound to country music and pop standards through his Modern Sounds recordings and who Frank Sinatra called "the only true genius in the business" This Pro Vocal series contains the lyrics, melody, and chord symbols for eight of his hit songs. The CD contains demos for listening, and then separate backing tracks so you can sing along. The CD is playable on any CD, but it is also enhanced for PC and Mac computer users so you can adjust the recording to any pitch without changing the tempo! Perfect for home rehearsal, parties, auditions, corporate events, and gigs without a backup band. Or for singing just for the fun of it!

Songlist: Born To Lose, Georgia On My Mind, Hallelujah I Love Her So, I Can't Stop Loving You, I Got A Woman, Unchain my Hear, What'd I Say, You Don't Know Me

Groove For Thought : Inspired   

We were first blown away by Seattle's 7-voice (6 men, 1 woman) Groove for Thought when they stepped onto the stage at the Harmony Sweeps 2005 National Finals, where they won "Best Original Song" and the National Championship. Their amazing arrangements, hot leads, and an infectious, unique blend of jazz and R&B left little doubt in our minds and the judges' who was the best group on stage. The second time was in 2010 on NBC's The Sing-Off, when this talented group survived three intense rounds of tough competition with great performances, gaining millions of fans and joining an elite group-the best performing a cappella ensembles on the planet! "Inspired" is a tour de force collection of 11 cuts that only underline that perception, and is certainly one of our early favorites for best jazz album of the year (although we'd also listen to arguments that it's the best R&B album of the year!) Some favorites are a cappella winners, Michael Jackson's "Human Nature," Ray Charles' hit "Hallelujah, I Love Her So," a sublime arrangement of Lennon/McCartney's "Got to Get You Into My Life" and Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors." Accompanied favorites are EWF's "Shining Star," Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" segued into Wilson Pickett's "Knock on Wood," Pickett's "Midnight Hour," Cyndi Lauper's "Who Let in the Rain," and Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet it Is." More accompaniment than we were expecting, but very cut is a gem here-don't miss "Inspired," a powerful album by one of America's best!

Songlist: Shining Star, Human Nature, Hallelujah I Love Her So, Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours / Knock on Wood, Got to Get You Into My Life, Straight to My Heart, In the Midnight Hour, Who Let In the Rain, How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), True Colors

The Idea of North : Extraordinary Tale   

"Extraordinary Tale" is a marvelously packaged CD that underscores why we love CDs over downloaded mp3s or such. The jewel case folds out to 6 panels, which are all decorated with moody, lowbrow children's book illustrations of mechanical birds, patchwork metal whales, and the group as children in a red-striped boat on a curly-cued sea. Inside a slot is a folded treasure map, where we see an old victrola, spouting fishes, the mechanical birds are singing, and the whale spouts a microphone-a metaphor on the group's experience as the top a cappella group in Australia, perhaps? The different islands on the map have the names of the 13 songs on them, plus the running times. On the flipside of that are the names of the singers, Sally, Naomi, Nick and Andrew, plus the welcome disclaimer: "This is an a cappella recording. All the sounds on this album were produced by the voices and/or bodies of the ION." For those not familiar with mixed Vocal Jazz quartet ION, they blew in from Down Under and won the 2003 Harmony Sweeps, and we joined everyone in the sold-out audience in becoming their fans for life. Our favorites among the 13 cuts? Their bluesy, scattish take on Chick Corea's "Armando's Rhumba," an understated, deliciously melodic, jazzy hit on the Swing tune "Don't Wait Too Long," a heartbreakingly fine soprano lead and background harmonics on Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," Sting's "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets" riffs into an unbelievable lovely scat tapestry; Lennon and McCartney's "In My Life" fits perfectly into the poignant mood. Group member Andrew Piper gives us a rare, wonderful original, "One Minute More," Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean A Thing" has a vocal muted trumpet and a vocal percussion solo that you should hear; Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Her So," Stevie Wonder's "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer," Sinead O'Connor's "In This Heart," Aretha Franklin's "Since You've Been Gone" and Peter Allen's "I Still Call Australia Home" are all amazing but this review has gotten absurdly long. Treat yourself to "Extraordinary Tale," and thank us later!

Songlist: Armando's Rhumba, Don't Wait Too Long, Both Sides Now, La Belle Dame Sans Regret, In My Life, One Minute More, It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing), Hallelujah I Love Her So, Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer, Give Me The Simple Life, In This Heart, Since You've Been Gone, I Still Call Australia Home