Thursday 20 January 2011

Ray Charles At Newport - I Got A Woman (I Got A Sweetie) – London

Welcome back!

After an extended and extremely stressful weekend relocating home (again!), I return here pretty drained and in need of a soul charge! Sadly due to space issues, both moving and storage here, my entire collection didn’t make the trip back up to the ‘Big Smoke’ with me.



I have however packed up two flight cases with six hundred carefully handpicked 45s, which should see my (i)regular posts continue here unaffected. I have at least one trip a month planned to coincide with our monthly nights down on the South Coast, so I’ll be able to sub in a few ‘extras’ for your listening pleasure from the mother ship!

With the last couple of months output here at The H&S consisting mainly of Guest mixes, I felt it was time to get my act together, step up and bring something to the table.




Today’s offering is a 45 I picked up from one of my regular digging haunts a while back. As many of you will know I have a fascination for European and US 45 picture sleeves (does the geeky-ness ever stop?) and regularly snatch them up when the chance arises. This coupled with my love of all things Brother Ray, made this great live recording from the Newport Jazz Festival an essential acquisition for my collection!



I’ve picked the A side, which is quirkily retitled 'I've Got A Woman (I Got A Sweetie)' and is an extended version of ‘I’ve Got A Woman’ also released on his ‘Ray Charles At Newport’ LP from 1958. This cut really highlights the power and passion of Ray Charles' vocal delivery (Check out 3 mins 18 secs in!), not to mention just how perfectly honed his live performances were. I’ve also included the original 45 cut of ‘I’ve Got A Woman’ from 1954, so you can compare for yourselves just how tight he was live! Top stuff!

Ray Charles At Newport - I Got A Woman (I Got A Sweetie) – London


Ray Charles – I’ve Got A Woman – Atlantic



Stay safe and enjoy today’s 45 and don’t forget we return this Saturday 6th March to The Vestry in Chichester, West Sussex for our monthly Funk and Soul excursion. Don’t Sleep! Hopefully I’ll be back here before then with something cool for you!



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