“From The Heart”
Song by Ray Charles
Ray Charles’ own composition “From The Heart” leads off his 1961 instrumental jazz album Genius + Soul = Jazz. One of three tunes on the LP written by Ray himself (a rarity by then), “From The Heart” acts as a statement to the fans he had picked up since signing with ABC Records. He wasn’t all R&B or orchestrated vocal standards; bluesy, spaced-out jazz and the hip syncopations of late-night whiskey ‘n’ cigarette-fuelled sessions were a beloved part of his musical personality too.
Ray plays his electric piano on “From The Heart”, but the song is built around a simple brass riff that repeats throughout the song. Underneath, repetitive drums are led by cymbals that sizzle like sausage in a diner at midnight. The horns play the riff, Ray fills in the gaps with his unusual-sounding, electronic-but-funky keys, and ample room is made for a few solos, mostly from the fleet-fingered Ray Charles.
The first two Ray solos shine the spotlight on that electric keyboard, which the liner notes of the LP go out of their way to defend – such was the novelty of the sound at the time that it hadn’t been fully accepted by listeners or by jazz tastemakers. (As usual, Ray didn’t care what anyone thought; he put out what he wanted to put out.)
Finally Ray gives way to the trumpet of new hire Phillip Guilbeau, who would go on to play with Ray for years both in the studio and at live shows. Guilbeau’s solo on “From The Heart” is singled out in the song’s blurb in the gatefold LP’s liner notes, which in its entirety reads:
This is basically the Basie band in all its glory. The arrangement is by Quincy Jones, and it features a fine trumpet solo by Ray Charles’ discovery, Phillip Guilbeau, who has worked steadily with Charles’ own band.
Ray himself spoke of how he was thrilled with what Guilbeau could bring to the album:
Quincy put together the band, and I brought along my own trumpet player, Phil Guilbeau, to do his nasty little business behind me. I was pleased with the results…
Quincy Jones’ arrangement on “From The Heart” shapes the performance by contrasts: the clamorous brass wails the main theme, but during the solos the band quietens down considerably. Most of the time, anyway; they are always waiting in the wings, ready to inject a blast of sound when needed.
“From The Heart”, while it is awash in excellent performances and tight musicianship, ultimately exists as an introductory number: “I’m Ray, you know me, and this is what I want to do now. Here’s the band, and here’s a taste of what we can do.” Lest anyone question why he is doing this, the title of the song says it all: this music is from the heart. Love of the style, that’s all that brought us here.
Listen to “From The Heart”
Songs on Genius + Soul = Jazz