POP MUSIC REVIEW : Ray Charles in Symphonic Soul Concert

Ray Charles, reputed to play a mean game of chess, forfeits some of his most potent pieces when he fronts a symphony orchestra rather than his own band, as he did Thursday night in a pops concert with the Pacific Symphony at Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa.

There were no Raelettes for soul-style call-and-response, no horn-driven band to help him stomp through the rough-and-tumble R&B; that made him a charter member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Few performers could sacrifice such a cornerstone of their greatness, such a chunk of their most memorable material, and still come up with a winning show. But Charles did just that, proving along the way that soul can manifest itself in subdued hues as well as splashier, swaggering tones.

Most of the concert, just under an hour long, was an affecting lament, full of unforced sadness and convincing pain expressed with a number of thrilling vocal inventions on such familiar songs as “Georgia on My Mind” and “Eleanor Rigby.” Whether Charles sobbed in a low register or rose to a keening falsetto, the Pacific Symphony, led by the singer’s own conductor, Sid Feller, generally underscored his emotions with sensitivity and dignified restraint.

There were some obstacles to overcome--microphone troubles that sabotaged the opening number, occasional chestiness in Charles’ voice, some overbearing symphonic flourishes in the few upbeat songs. But they were overcome, and the result was a richly emotive performance worthy of the grandmaster that Charles is.