O Genio: Live in Brazil 1963 (2004) {Zone 1/NTSC}

O Genio: Live in Brazil 1963 is a fairly astonishing document, and an invaluable addition to the catalog of one the great artists of the 20th Century. Here's Ray Charles, "O Genio" ("The Genius" in Portuguese), 32 years old and in his absolute prime, a few years after he essentially "invented" soul music with his classic Atlantic Records recordings and just a year after he'd transformed popular music again with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. The DVD finds Charles and his orchestra performing two full sets in Sao Paulo, the Brazilian capital; both are in black and white and contain many of the same songs (although for some reason the sound and visual quality of the first set is far superior to that of the second). And what songs they are. When a guy opens his set with one of his biggest hits, "What'd I Say," you know you're in for something special. And Charles doesn't disappoint, drawing on the all aspects of his repertoire, including some C&W (only Ray Charles could turn the hokey "You Are My Sunshine" into a funky, swinging affair), blues ("In the Evening (When the Sun Goes Down)"), and jazz ("Birth of a Band" and Bobby Timmons's classic "Moanin'," both instrumentals, are among the highlights), in addition to "Hit the Road Jack," Hallelujah I Love Her So," and other Charles standards. One wishes the musicians were identified; Charles's recording band at the time included saxophonists David "Fathead" Newman and Hank Crawford, who may or may not be on hand here (Margie Hendrix, perhaps the greatest Raelette of all, does seem to be part of the orchestra). But the star of this show is Ray Charles, and O Genio: Live in Brazil 1963 is a wonderful opportunity to experience the master at work.