A TV talk show studio may not be the optimal environment for live music, but Ray Charles effortlessly transcends that limitation throughout his three early '70s appearances preserved on the two-disc set The Dick Cavett Show - Ray Charles Collection. Then in his early forties, Charles performs more than a dozen songs altogether, seven of them on the second show (taped in September '72, but not aired until the following year), on which he's the only guest. His genius lay in making any style sound like his own, and typically, his material here runs the gamut, from blues, gospel (Charles' inimitable "America the Beautiful" is nothing if not church-based), jazz (pianist Oscar Peterson's "Blues for Big Scotia"), and soul (Sam Cooke's "Shake") to pop (a unique interpretation of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby"), country ("I Can't Stop Loving You," one of his biggest hits), and his signature "Georgia on My Mind." The conditions aren't ideal, what with the antiseptic studio sound ("Television is death to me," Charles says); and while the Raelettes are on hand, musical backing is provided primarily by the house band, good players but not as simpatico as Charles' own musicians. Still, Cavett and Charles have a genuine rapport, and Ray is witty, candid (especially when talking about his blindness, admitting that he wouldn't want his sight back on a permanent basis), and thoroughly engaging. Other Cavett guests include anthropologist Margaret Mead and New York mayor John Lindsay (who's quite circumspect when discussing the then-burning issue of Watergate), but make no mistake: this is Ray Charles's show, and this collection is a must-have for his fans. --Sam Graham
Product Description
3 Complete Episodes of the Legendary Late-Night Talk Show
Features Candid Interviews, Unforgettable Moments and 14 Live Performances

Genius is a word that is often used too casually. That’s certainly not the case with Ray Charles. The word was so appropriate in his case that it became his nickname. The Genius was a guest on The Dick Cavett Show three times, including one where he was Cavett’s only guest. As a performer and a conversationalist, his magnetism is in full force. On this 2-DVD set Ray speaks candidly about his life and career and performs 14 songs.

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