James Ray with the Hutch Davie Orchestra & Chorus (LP, full album, Caprice SLP1002, stereo)

Side 1
1. The Old Man and the Mule (0:04)
2. Lazy Bones (2:21)
3. I've Got My Mind Set on You--Pt. I Pt. II (4:44)
4. St. James Infirmary (8:13)
5. Come Rain or Come Shine (10:56)
6. If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody (13:00)

Side 2
1. Without a Song (15:01)
2. Teach Me Tonight (17:39)
3. A Miracle (20:18)
4. It's Been a Drag (22:21)
5. Welcome to the Floor (24:36)
6. Itty Bitty Pieces (26:59)

"When speaking of vocalists, one often hears, in the music business, conversations that go something like this: 'He has a great sound'; 'She sings with a lot of soul', etc etc.
"Sound and Soul! Here is the dream combination that everyone looks for. To be more specific, the record business is obsessed by it, and for good reason: these intangibles, this combination of qualities, this peculiar mixture which emanates from a vocalists's throat, is the key which every so often opens the door to stardom.
"In this instance SOUND + SOUL = JAMES RAY!
"James first received recognition and national prominence with his initial record, 'If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody'. To say that this was the most talked about record of the year would be an understatement. It was a complete departure from any of the records on the national charts and established James as a dynamic new talent. His next record, 'Itty Bitty Pieces', was equally as popular and James embarked on a series of one nighters and nightclub appearances all over the country.
"In this album you will discover for yourself the true meaning of the word Soul. In the first cut of the album we get a first-rate reading of 'The Old Man and the Mule'. This is, we would venture to say, a contemporary Folk song and we are moved by Jame's sympathetic interpretation of an old man's love for his son.
"It is one thing to sing a song and quite another to interpret a song and evoke the exact mood that the author is trying to convey. James does this expertly in 'Lazy Bones'. In fact, in all the 'story' and 'mood' songs on this album ('Lazy Bone', 'The Old Man and the Mule', 'St. James Infirmary', 'It's Been A Drag'), James becomes the very essence of the true Soul Singer. Not only does he sing the songs for you but more important, he is living these stories within himself.
"There are many, many sides to this diminutive singer's art which are exploited in this album. A most pleasant and rather surprising experience awaits you on bands 1 ('Without A Song') and 3 ('Come Rain Or Come Shine'). Here we have two strong standards treated, in an entirely different and exciting way. Each one of these songs builds to an almost unbearable climax and we hear James as the complete Rhythm singer.
"These are just a few of the highlights of one of the most exciting albums of the year. The proof is in the listening.
"As an added delight we have the outstanding piano and arrangements of Hutch Davie, the musical director for Caprice Records. He is the driving force behind this album. We would say that 'taste' is the word that best describes Hutch's approach to every project he undertakes to do. The Davie touch is glowingly evident on every band in this album.
"So sit back and enjoy this outstanding LP by one of the country's newest and most exciting singers... JAMES RAY!"
-Jess Strum

Видео James Ray with the Hutch Davie Orchestra & Chorus (LP, full album, Caprice SLP1002, stereo) канала Matthew Gies