An instrumental jazz album,[1] it features cover art designed by Marvin Israel.

Later CD re-issues of The Great Ray Charles often include six out of the eight songs from the 1961 album The Genius After Hours, as bonus tracks.

The Great Ray Charles was released by Atlantic Records in August 1957.

[2] Due to frequent airplay of two tracks off the album, "Doodlin'" and "Sweet Sixteen Bars", Atlantic released those two tracks as an EP later that same year.

[3] All music is composed by Ray Charles, except where indicatedNote: Some sources list "Ain't Misbehavin'" in place of "Black Coffee".