Never-before-Released Ray Charles Tapes Discovered; Resulting Concord/Starbucks Hear Music's Album is a Ground-Breaking Hybrid of Archival Tracks and Exclusive New Performances

Concord Records and Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) Hear Music, the twoCompanies that co-released Genius Loves Company, announced today thatthey will partner again to co-release and co-market Ray Sings, BasieSwings, which marries archival, never-before-released Ray Charlesrecordings with brand-new performances by the Count Basie Orchestra. Apainstaking labor of love that combines cutting-edge technology andmusical ingenuity, Ray Sings, Basie Swings due out October 3rd, 2006at Starbucks Company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada and attraditional music retail, showcases the late artist at his dazzlingpeak. Although Ray Charles and Count Basie shared the same bill duringtheir careers, Ray Sings, Basie Swings marks the first and onlyrecordings in which the "Genius" is backed by the legendarybandleader's orchestra.

John Burk, Concord Records' A&R chief and producer of Ray Charles'2004 multiple GRAMMY(R) Award-winning blockbuster album Genius LovesCompany, came upon the lost tapes simply marked "Ray / Basie," in late2005 while surveying the label's vaults in Berkeley, CA. Whiledocumentation about the original recordings is scarce, the archivalreels that served as source material for Ray Sings, Basie Swings wereapparently concert tapes made in the 1970s by legendaryimpresario-producer Norman Granz.

"The quality of these reels wasn't great," Burk recalls. "Theyappeared to be recordings from the live soundboard with Ray's vocalway up front, and the band way in the background. At first, the tapesseemed unusable, but Ray sounded amazing." Further investigation foundthat Charles was in fact performing with his own band and that theBasie Orchestra played earlier in the set. "I was disappointed thatRay wasn't performing with the Basie band. But, then I thought that wecould re-record the music with the current Basie Orchestra."

Ray Sings, Basie Swings gives listeners the unprecedentedexperience of hearing Ray Charles at the height of his powers with thelegendary Count Basie Orchestra. "The end result is a beautiful,authentic and irreplaceable piece of music," muses Burk. "These tapeswere just waiting for technology to catch up so we can help Ray dowhat he always did so naturally-make magic happen."

Joe Adams, Charles' longtime manager, describes the discovery ofthe lost tapes as "extraordinary," adding, "Ray had such tremendousrespect for Basie and often expressed a desire to work with him on arecording project. Now through the miracles of technology, we are ableto fulfill one of Ray's unfulfilled dreams. His vocal performance hereis one of the best I have ever heard." Indeed, Ray Sings, Basie Swingsfeatures superb renderings of such classics as "Georgia on My Mind,""I Can't Stop Loving You," "Busted," "How Long Has This Been GoingOn?," "Let the Good Times Roll," "Crying Time," "Feel So Bad," "LookWhat They've Done to My Song," "The Long and Winding Road," the setopener "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning," and "Every Saturday Night" along-time concert favorite never- before-released on record.

Concord Records and Starbucks Hear Music first collaborated in2004 when the two Companies co-released and co-marketed Ray Charles'last recording, Genius Loves Company. The ground-breaking partnershiphelped to establish Starbucks as a major player in the music industrywhen the multi-platinum-selling CD won a record-tying eight GRAMMY(R)Awards, including Album and Record of the Year. To date, Genius LovesCompany has sold nearly 6 million copies worldwide, with Starbucksrepresenting 25 percent of overall sales in the U.S.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with RayCharles' estate and Concord Records yet again to make theseextraordinary, archival Ray Charles recordings available to the worldfor the first time," said Ken Lombard, president of StarbucksEntertainment. "Our customers have demonstrated their passion for RayCharles' music and this project offered an exciting opportunity toleverage state-of-the-art technology to realize John Burk and GreggField's musical vision." Glen Barros, president of Concord Music Groupadded, "We are so thrilled to once again team up with Starbucks HearMusic and the genius of Ray Charles for this very special follow-uprecord to Genius Loves Company. The historical significance ofdiscovering Ray's tapes and the brilliance of the Basie orchestramakes Ray Sings, Basie Swings a particularly exciting and meaningfulrecording to all of us."

To undertake the intricate and laborious task of re-working theRay / Basie tapes, Burk solicited the help of multi-talented musician,producer and engineer Gregg Field, who toured and recorded with bothCharles (as drummer and arranger) and with Basie's band, including onthe GRAMMY(R) Award-winning "A Warm Breeze." In addition to hisintimate familiarity with the music, Field is also renowned for hisstudio wizardry; virtually all of his skills and experience wereinstrumental in bringing Ray Sings, Basie Swings to fruition. "Greggworked with both Ray and Basie. He lived the music and he's brilliantin the studio, which made him perfect for this project," notes Burk,who, like Joe Adams, believes Charles' vocals often surpass his finestrenditions.

Field and Burk brought the current Basie orchestra -- under thedirection of Bill Hughes -- into the studio to recreate theinstrumental backdrop for Charles' towering vocals. "Our goal was tocreate a recording that would retain Basie's stylistic sound whileutilizing Ray's original music, expanded wherever possible to featurethe Count Basie band," Field explains.

A coterie of musical luminaries lent their abilities to Ray Sings,Basie Swings including multi-GRAMMY(R) Award-winning singer PattiAustin, who arranged and sang with the new Raelettes to providecritical vocal counterpoint. Jazz pianists Shelly Berg and Jim Cox,Tom Scott and notable B-3 organist Joey DeFrancesco also added theirdistinctive touch either as arrangers or players on the new recording.

Field, Burk and the other players and technicians walked atightrope, striving to build an instrumental structure around Charles'vocals that matched the faded original band but was also sufficientlyvibrant and nuanced to avoid sounding forced. "We worked so hard toretain the artistic integrity of each artist," Field relates, "and theresult is an amazing combination of the Ray vocal style and the Basiesound. I can't tell you how many times we'd turn the vocal down in thestudio to work on the track, and when we brought Ray back into themix, the hair on the back of your neck would stand up."

Once the orchestra tracks were recorded to their satisfaction, "itwas a lesson in Pro Tools editing," adds Burk, referring to theubiquitous recording and mixing application. It took four months, butthe diligent effort proved highly rewarding. "It was a fusion ofcutting-edge technology and the enormous depth of these greatartists," he asserts.

"More and more, we saw how emotionally compelling Ray's vocaltracks were," Burk marvels. "As the mixes came into focus, we began torecognize that these were clearly some of his best performances. Ray'sbrilliant, one-of-a-kind rhythmic phrasing is a perfect complement tothe Basie sound."

About Concord Music Group:

Concord Records merged with Fantasy, Inc. in 2004 to create theConcord Music Group, strengthening its preeminent position as one ofthe largest independent record companies in the world and keeper of anextraordinarily rich and, in many cases, historically significantcatalog of recordings. They include titles from some of the mostadmired and enduring names in music, including Rosemary Clooney, JohnColtrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald,Isaac Hayes, Little Richard, Thelonious Monk, Tito Puente, DaveBrubeck, George Shearing, Ray Brown, Oscar Peterson and Mel Torme. Thegroup's current roster of world-class artists includes: KarrinAllyson, Regina Belle, Michael Feinstein, Nnenna Freelon, JohnFogerty, LaToya London, Sergio Mendes, Ozomatli, Eddie Palmieri, TheRippingtons, Sonny Rollins and Poncho Sanchez. Late last year, Concordacquired Telarc International and Heads Up International, renowned fortheir roster of artists including Tierney Sutton, John Pizarrelli,Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Spyro Gyra.

About Starbucks Entertainment

Starbucks Coffee Company launched Starbucks Entertainment in 2004to help customers discover quality entertainment options as part oftheir daily coffee routines. Starbucks Coffee Company first acquiredHear Music in 1999 to become Starbucks Hear Music, the sound of musicat Starbucks. Starbucks Hear Music has made a transformative impact onthe music industry by providing a new and convenient way for consumersto discover, experience and acquire all genres of great music throughits Hear Music(TM) CD compilations, its innovative partnerships withother music labels to co-release, market and distribute both exclusiveand non-exclusive music, its 24-hour digital music channel on XMSatellite Radio (XM Channel 75) and its breakthrough Hear Music(TM)Coffeehouses in Santa Monica, San Antonio and Miami. Starbucks HearMusic(TM) CD selections can be purchased at Starbucks retail locationsaround the world, as well as online at www.starbucks.com/hearmusic. In2006, Starbucks Entertainment extended beyond music and announced aunique partnership with Lionsgate to market and distribute theinspirational film "Akeelah and the Bee." The company expects the filmto be the first of many such partnerships that help customers discoverunique and rewarding entertainment.