The Ray Charles Singers Proclaim 'Spring Is Here'

The Ray Charles Singers return to tell us that spring is here, just a bit before the calendar does so.

Spring Is Here is a follow-up to my recent post of the singers' 1957 Summertime LP, which was popular with those of you who like good singing or pine for better weather, or both.

In terms of recording dates, this is the second in Charles' traversal of the seasons. It appeared in 1955, following 1954's Autumn Nocturne. Winter Wonderland would arrive in 1956. All will be featured here eventually.

As before, the effect of the Charles group is markedly different from the vocal groups popular in the 1950s, ranging from the Hi-Lo's to the jazz styles of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. This is not jazz, certainly. The liner notes make the case that Charles was attempting to blend vocal and instrumental effects into a new kind of mood music. And yes, as with the Summertime album, the instrumentalists are not just accompanists: their lines are an active part of the scene setting.

Ray Charles frowns at someone's intonation

But my own view is still that the arrangements are influenced by Ray's appearances on Perry Como's television show, where songs would have had to set a scene or carry out a mini-story. The first song, "Spring Is Here," opens with Katie Wallace's acapella singing of "Maybe it's because nobody loves me." The ensemble then enters with the verse. Lorenz Hart's chorus only appears in the middle of the arrangement, with Katie Wallace again soloing.

Also as with the summer LP, the settings reflect the arranger's need to provide a basic scenario for the songs used on the Como show. "Paris in the Spring" starts off with a man and a woman intoning a few French words of love, for example. (It also has a few welcome solo lines for Charles.)

The liner notes do provide the background of the various songs, which frees me from the need to do so. (Let me mention, however, that the sleeve writer did not have the correct order of songs, so that may be a little confusing.) As before, the program includes familiar items interspersed with less-remembered numbers such as "Paris in the Spring," "A Young Man's Fancy," "Lovelier than Ever" (a wonderful song), "June Night" and "When It's Springtime in the Rockies."

Also as before, the singing is superb, the instrumentalists are excellent, and the recording is good. The Columbus Boychoir makes a few appearances. I suppose Ray wanted to use them on "A Young Man's Fancy," but they don't sing as well as Charles' superb professionals.

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