Ray Charles Live In Japan (1982)

The series of clips shown below represent a - seemingly complete - video registration of concerts at the Nippon Budōkan in Tokyo on 17 and 18 December 1982*. The sound quality (of the YouTube clips or of the original registration?) is mediocre at best. But the quality and the impact of the close-ups of Ray is high. And seeing George Yanagi (Japan's coolest R&B artist) having the day of his life is big fun.

1. Intro
2. Riding Thumb
3. Busted
4. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning
5. Just Because
6. Born To Love Me (with Elaine Woodard)
7. Hit the Road Jack
8. I Can't Stop Loving You (with intro: Hit The Road Jack + A Fool for You) 
9. Hallelujah I Love Her So (with George Yanagi)
10. Georgia On My Mind (with George Yanagi)
11. What'd I Say
12. Outro** 

The brief - strange and slurring - improv on Hit The Road Jack almost sounds like a mistake; Ray quickly lets it fade over in a few notes of A Fool For You, a much more usual intro to I Can't Stop Loving You.

Personnel:***
Musicians: Dean Congin, Carlos Chavez, Doug Martin, Phil Guilbeau - trumpets; John Boice, Dan Marcus, Mayo Tiana, Steve Davis - trombones; Brian Mitchell, Rickey Woodard, Rudy Johnson, Clifford Solomon (bandleader), Louis Van Taylor - saxophones; Ricky Kirkland - drums; Tony Matthews - guitar; Jeff Takiguchi - bass; Ernest Vantrease - Hammond B3. The Raelettes: Trudy Cohran, Estella Yarbrough, Elaine Woodard, Janice Mitchell, Ann Johnson.

*Information kindly provided by my friend sk4260volt, who entitled his YouTube playlist as Joyful Christmas Concert. **Setlist reconstructed by Hector Tarín. ***Information kindly provided by Doug Martin, Dean Congin, and Janice Mitchell.

[Intro +] Riding Thumb:

Busted:
 
Oh, What A Beautiful Morning:

Just Because:

Hit The Road Jack (+ intro I Can't Stop with elements of A Fool For You):

I Can't Stop Loving You:
 
Hallelujah I Love Her So (with George Yanagi):

Georgia On My Mind (with George Yanagi):

Born To Love Me (with Elaine Ross):
 
What'd I Say: