Ray Charles: "Ray!: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" album is out (Rhino Records). This month the late, great Ray Charles is more visible than he has been in years. His final studio collection, "Genius Loves Company," debuted high on the Billboard charts and continues to sell well. "O Genio: Ray Charles Live In Brazil, 1963," a DVD of two concerts and rare rehearsal footage of Brother Ray in his prime is about to hit stores. An all-star tribute concert featuring the likes of Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and Norah Jones will air on CBS-TV on October 22. And Hollywood will immortalize The Genius Of Soul with the October 29 premiere of Universal Pictures' "Ray," starring Jamie Foxx in the title role.

The original motion picture soundtrack to the Taylor Hackford-directed film celebrates the soul music pioneer with 17 of his most memorable songs culled from such landmark albums as Ray Charles (aka "Hallelujah I Love Her So"), "The Genius Sings The Blues," and "Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music".
The collection includes studio versions of "Mess Around," "Georgia On My Mind," "I've Got A Woman," "(Night Time Is) The Right Time," "Drown In My Own Tears," "Mary Ann," "Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)," "Hit The Road Jack," "Unchain My Heart," "Born To Lose," and "Bye Bye, Love."

Ray Charles, who died June 10 at the age of 73, was personally involved with the film and hand-picked three of the six live tracks that appear on the Ray Charles: "Ray!: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" album: "Hallelujah I Love Her So," "What'd I Say," and "You Don't Know Me," which were taken from a 1964 concert at the fabled Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The music on the Ray soundtrack - all sung by Ray Charles himself - is a fitting tribute to this American legend.

Ray Charles: "Ray!: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" album tracklisting:
1. Mess Around (Studio)
2. I Got A Woman
3. Hallelujah I Love Her So (Live)
4. Drown In My Own Tears
5. Night Time Is The Right Time (Studio)
6. Marianne (Studio)
7. Hard Times (Studio)
8. What'd I Say(Live)
9. Georgia On My Mind (Studio)
10. Hit The Road Jack (Studio)
11. Unchain My Heart (Studio)
12. I Can't Stop Loving You
13. Born To Lose (Studio)
14. Bye Bye Love (Studio)
15. You Don't Know Me (Live)
16. Let The Good Times Roll (Live)

Ray Charles "O Genio - Live in Brazil 1963" DVD to be raleased (on Rhino):
Featuring a very rare 1963 performance of Ray Charles in Sao Paulo, Brazil, recorded one day before his 33rd birthday, the concert material showcased on this disc is a remarkable find. Beyond its historical significance, the video provides enormous pleasure: we get to see and hear Ray, the Genius (O-Genio means "The Genius" in Portuguese), at his absolute best, exactly as it was shown then, complete with Brazilian commercials.