Genius, Pure & Otherwise
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Included in the new eight-disc Ray Charles box set – “Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952-59)” (Rhino 74731) – is a videotaped interview with Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. In one anecdote, he tells of having just finished work on a 1956 instrumental jazz album spotlighting Charles’s piano playing, when, walking down West 57th Street near Atlantic’s office, he happened to run into Dave Brubeck. Mr. Ertegun was so enthusiastic about this new Charles album that he brought Mr. Brubeck up to his office to hear it. After listening to a track or two, Mr. Brubeck agreed it was some of the best jazz and blues piano he had ever heard.
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