On Thursday April 27, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival will pay a well-deserved tribute to one of the greatest musicians of the ages, Ray Charles, at a $500 a ticket benefit featuring Allen Toussaint, Ellis Marsalis, and of course “The Genius.” Unbeknownst to many, Charles has strong ties to New Orleans and in fact was briefly a resident of the Crescent City. Although this period has often been downplayed by music historians, biographers, and even the man himself, New Orleans, and...