Ramsey Lewis • Plays The Beatles Song Book

Review
by Thom Jurek
The Great Performances/Great Songs series by Verve is a new attempt to get prospective buyers interested in its vast jazz catalog; introducing them to large-scale hits by artists who appeared either on its label proper or on one of its licensees'. In the case of Ramsey Lewis, it’s his famous Beatles covers that were cut for Cadet with producer Esmond Edwards. There are eight tracks here clocking at just under 36 minutes, including the live versions of "A Hard Day's Night" and "And I Love Her," from Hang on Ramsey, featuring the original trio with the rhythm section of Redd Holt and Eldee Young, and "Day Tripper" with Cleveland Eaton and Maurice White from Wade in the Water (both 1966). The remainder of these cuts were taken from an ambitious, all Beatles album released by Lewis in 1968 called Mother Nature’s Son on Chess. This was the first album on which he played Fender Rhodes piano, as well as acoustic and Hammond B-3 (check “Back in the U.S.S.R.”), and is backed by his own group and an orchestra arranged and conducted (brilliantly) by Charles Stepney. There is a stark contrast between the trio cuts and the orchestrated ones, but they all simply groove -- even the ballads “Dear Prudence” and “Julia.”
https://www.allmusic.com/album/plays-the-beatles-songbook-mw0001969247

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Reseña
por Thom Jurek
La serie Great Performances/Great Songs de Verve es un nuevo intento de hacer que los posibles compradores se interesen por su vasto catálogo de jazz, presentándoles grandes éxitos de artistas que aparecieron en su propio sello o en uno de sus licenciatarios. En el caso de Ramsey Lewis, se trata de sus famosas versiones de los Beatles que fueron grabadas para Cadet con el productor Esmond Edwards. Se trata de ocho temas que duran algo menos de 36 minutos, incluyendo las versiones en directo de "A Hard Day's Night" y "And I Love Her", de Hang on Ramsey, con el trío original con la sección rítmica de Redd Holt y Eldee Young, y "Day Tripper" con Cleveland Eaton y Maurice White, de Wade in the Water (ambos de 1966). El resto de estos cortes se extrajeron de un ambicioso álbum de los Beatles publicado por Lewis en 1968 llamado Mother Nature's Son en Chess. Este fue el primer álbum en el que tocó el piano Fender Rhodes, así como el acústico y el Hammond B-3 (véase "Back in the U.S.S.R."), y está respaldado por su propio grupo y una orquesta arreglada y dirigida (brillantemente) por Charles Stepney. Hay un marcado contraste entre los cortes en trío y los orquestados, pero todos son sencillos, incluso las baladas "Dear Prudence" y "Julia".
https://www.allmusic.com/album/plays-the-beatles-songbook-mw0001969247

www.ramseylewis.com ...

Tracks:
1 - A Hard Day's Night (Live)
2 - And I Love Her (Live)
3 - Blackbird
4 - Day Tripper
5 - Julia
6 - Back In The U.S.S.R.
7 - Dear Prudence
8 - Mother Nature's Son

Notes:
Tracks 1, 2 from The Ramsey Lewis Trio - Hang On Ramsey!.
Track 4 from Ramsey Lewis - Wade In The Water.
Tracks 3, 5 to 8 from Ramsey Lewis - Mother Nature's Son.

Label:    Verve Records – 2731135, Chess – 2731135
Series:    Great Songs, Great Performances
Released:    Apr 20, 2010
Genre:    Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/4524577-Ramsey-Lewis-Plays-The-Beatles-Songbook

 

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