Ray Charles - Now Playing

Now Playing distills Ray Charles's groundbreaking Atlantic years into ten songs that changed the course of American music.

In the 1950s, Charles was busy inventing something new. He took the fervor of gospel, the swing of jazz and the grit of the blues and fused them into what would become known as soul music. This compact collection traces that transformation, from his early boogie-woogie piano romps to the sanctified fire of his later Atlantic hits.

"Mess Around" kicks off with rolling, barrelhouse piano and a party-starting shout, while "Hallelujah I Love Her So" showcases the effortless swing and joyful confidence that made him a star. "Drown in My Own Tears" is a slow-burning, church-steeped ballad that shows just how deep his voice could cut. And "What'd I Say" remains the ultimate party record, a call-and-response stomp with electric piano and backing singers that still sounds dangerously alive.

The production is lean and punchy, putting Charles's voice and piano front and center, with tight horn charts adding extra muscle where needed.

Ten songs is barely enough to scratch the surface of a career this rich, but as a starting point it is hard to beat. Drop the needle anywhere and you will hear where soul music came from.