Just like a breath of fresh air comes a brand new album from acclaimed jazz musician and three-time Grammy winner Ramsey Lewis. Lewis’ 80th album release, entitled Ramsey, Taking Another Look is being released on the Los Angeles based Hidden Beach Recordings. The inspiration for Ramsey, Taking Another Look comes from an appearance at The Blue Note jazz club in Tokyo where he was asked if he would consider bringing an electric band. Then his agent suggested the same idea, however, with a more specific focus – and that was to revisit Sun Goddess, his most successful album of the seventies (and his fifth to be certified gold by the RIAA). Soon afterwards came a decision to re-record some old songs where Lewis and his Electric Band breathe new life into many of Lewis’ favorite tunes from the mid-seventies, including a new rendition of the Stevie Wonder penned ‘Living for the City” as well as a new edit of the original “Sun Goddess” recording featuring Earth, Wind & Fire. The ten tracks on the album cover a wide range of emotions but not so much to lose the project’s “concept album” perception. They reveal more than rehashed 1970’s funk. While they don’t “blow the roof off the sucka,” they do win you over with their tender grooves; their fresh vibrant sounds; as well as being breezy, and organic all at the same time. You really need to give it a listen to understand what I am taking about. My personal favorites include the smooth groove sounding rendition of the Stylistics “Betcha By Golly Wow,” Wonders “Living For The City,” “To Know Her,” and ‘Intimacy.” In other words, I love the sound and I guarantee you will too! For Ramsey, the idea of taking another look suggests the liberties he takes with these songs. Rather than turning back the hands of time, his goal is to bring this material into the 21st century for new audiences to enjoy.Ramsey Lewis on Ramsey, Taking Another Look
‘The idea of the electric quintet came up and having played mostly in an acoustic trio arrangement for 12-15 years, I decided to get together with the guys to see how it felt. The rehearsals went so well that I called in my engineer, Danny Leake and my producer/son, Frayne Lewis to come in and roll tape. I’ve recorded maybe 65-70 albums, and this album is definitely among the top five.”
In support of this upcoming release Ramsey Lewis will be touring into 2012 with a five piece electric band, including Henry Johnson, Tim Gant, Joshua Ramos, and Charles Heath.
“Living for the City” is accompanied by a music video created at Chicago’s Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, with Film & Broadcast and Recording Arts students taking the lead on production. Featuring an energetic performance by Ramsey Lewis and his Electric Band, the clip celebrates the visual vibrancy of Chicago at night time. Here is the link from Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXphoapoLUY
Composer, pianist and jazz legend Ramsey Lewis has been referred to as “the great performer,” a title reflecting his performance style and musical selections which display his early gospel playing and classical training along with his love of jazz and other musical forms. A native Chicagoan, Lewis represents the great diversity of music for which Chicago is noted. Ramsey Lewis first captivated fans with his first album Ramsey Lewis And The Gentleman Of Swing by the Ramsey Lewis Trio in 1956. By 1965, he was one of the nation’s most successful jazz pianists, topping the charts with “The In Crowd,” “Hang On Sloopy” and “Wade In The Water.” He has won three Grammy Awards and seven gold records to his credit. Often called legendary, Lewis concedes “It’s a high honor when someone says so, but I don’t see myself that way. What keeps me enthusiastic and energizes me, is the realization that the more I learn, the more I find there is to know.”
In addition to recording albums and performing live, Lewis hosted WNUA-FM Chicago’s weekday morning drive-time radio show, “The Ramsey Lewis Morning Show,” from 1997-2009. The syndicated ‘Ramsey Lewis Morning Show” ran from 2007-09, and today he continues to host the syndicated “Legends Of Jazz With Ramsey Lewis,” radio program.
Ramsey, Taking Another Look will be released on September 20, 2011.
Ramsey, Taking Another Look Track Listing:
1. Intimacy
2. Tambura
3. Love Song
4. Living For The City
5. Betcha By Golly Wow
6. To Know Her
7. The Way She Smiles
8. Jungle Strut
9. Sharing Her Journey
10. Sun Goddess
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