Biography
Pianist and composer Ramsey Lewis has been a major figure in
contemporary jazz since the late '50s, playing music with a warm, open
personality that's allowed him to cross over to the pop and R&B
charts. Lewis was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 27, 1935, and was
introduced to music by his father, who directed the choir at a local
church and enjoyed the music of Duke Ellington and Art Tatum. Lewis
began studying the piano when he was four years old, and was soon
accompanying the choir at Sunday services. At the age of 15, he joined a
jazz combo called the Cleffs, who played at parties and dances. Lewis
was interested in a leaner, more bebop-oriented sound, and when the
group splintered after several members joined the military, he formed
the Ramsey Lewis Trio with two other former Cleffs, bassist Eldee Young
and percussionist Redd Holt. The trio became a fixture on the Chicago
jazz scene, and they were signed to a deal with Chess Records, releasing
their first album, Ramsey Lewis & His Gentlemen of Jazz, in 1956.
Lewis and his trio continued to record and tour steadily over the years,
building a sizable audience among jazz fans, but their career received a
serious boost in 1965, when they recorded a swinging version of Dobie
Gray's hit "The In Crowd" at a gig in Washington, D.C. Chess released
the track as a single, and it became a sizable pop hit, earning Lewis
his first gold record, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Jazz
Performance. As Lewis' star rose, he returned to the pop charts in 1966
with versions of "Hang on Sloopy" and "Wade in the Water." Meanwhile,
Young and Holt left Lewis' trio to form their own group, Young-Holt
Unlimited, and the pianist hired a new rhythm section, Cleveland Eaton
on bass and Maurice White on drums.
In 1970, White resigned to form his own group, and Morris Jennings
signed on as the trio's new percussionist. Lewis continued to record for
Chess until 1972, when he moved to Columbia Records, and as his music
developed a more contemporary groove, White's group, Earth, Wind &
Fire (also on Columbia), was beginning to enjoy considerable success on
the R&B charts. White produced Lewis' 1974 album, Sun Goddess, in
which he experimented with electronic keyboards for the first time, and
several members of EWF played on the sessions; it became a major
crossover hit and took Lewis to the upper ranks of the smooth
jazz/fusion scene. Lewis would record R&B-influenced material
through the '70s, but continued to explore his roots in more traditional
jazz sounds as well as Latin rhythms. In 1983, he went into the studio
with Eldee Young and Redd Holt for the album Reunion; in 1984, he
collaborated with Nancy Wilson on The Two of Us; in 1988, he recorded
with London's Philharmonia Orchestra for the album A Classic Encounter,
and in 1989, Lewis and Dr. Billy Taylor cut a set of piano duets, We
Meet Again.
In 1992, Lewis signed with the successful jazz label GRP Records, and in
1995, he launched the side project Urban Knights, in which he
collaborated with a handful of successful crossover jazz stars,
including Grover Washington, Jr., Earl Klugh, and Dave Koz. In 1997,
Lewis added disc jockey to his résumé, hosting a popular show on
Chicago's WNUA-FM that ran until 2009; the show went into syndication in
2006 under the name Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis, and is still on
the air. In 2005, Lewis looked back on his roots in gospel music with
the album With One Voice, which earned him the Stellar Gospel Music
Award for Best Gospel Instrumental Album. In 2007, he was commissioned
to write a jazz ballet for the Joffrey Ballet Company, and "To Know
Her..." debuted at Highland Park, Illinois' Ravina Music Festival, where
Lewis is artistic director of the festival's jazz series, and helped
found their Jazz Mentor Program.
Lewis has also written several pieces for string ensemble and orchestra
that have premiered at Ravina; highlights were featured on the 2009
album Songs from the Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey, his first release from
Concord Records. In addition to his work as a performer, composer,
educator, and disc jockey, Lewis has received five honorary doctorate
degrees, won the National Endowment for the Arts' Jazz Master Award in
2007, and is one of the few noted jazz artists to carry the Olympic
Torch, having briefly escorted the flame as it passed through Chicago en
route to the 2002 Winter Games. In 2011, he delivered Taking Another
Look, a reworking of his classic 1974 electric jazz-funk album Sun
Goddess. The album was reissued in a deluxe package with bonus tracks in
2015. Two years later, Lewis was a featured guest on pianist Alan
Storeygard's trio album New Directions.
///////
Biografía
Pianist and composer Ramsey Lewis ha sido la mayor figura en el jazz
contemporáneo de los 50 ', la música de la música con el calentamiento,
la posibilidad de abrir la puerta a través de que el punto de
intersección hacia el pop y los R & B. , Que se estrenó en Chicago,
Illinois el 27 de mayo de 1935, y fue introducida a la música por su
padre, quien dirigió el choir a la iglesia local y disfrutó de la música
de Duke Ellington y Tatu. Lewis inició el piano cuando era cuatro años,
y estaba pronto acompañando el choir at Sunday services. En la edad de
15, he unido el jazz combo llamado los Cleffs, que jugó en partidos y
danzas. Y en el caso de que el grupo se filtró después de varios
miembros se unió al ejército, se formó el Ramsey Lewis Trio con otros
dos viejos Cleffs, bassist Eldee Young y percussionist Redd Holt. En el
año 1956, Ramsey Lewis y su grupo de jazz, en 1956, se convirtieron en
el primer álbum, Ramsey Lewis y su Gentlemen de Jazz.
En el año 1965, cuando se registró la swinging version de Dobie Gray, el
éxito "The In Crowd" en el gigantes de la banda, en Washington, DC
Chess liberado el track a a single, y se convirtió en el pop pop pop,
earning Lewis su primer oro de registro, así como el Premio Grammy para
el mejor Jazz Performance. En el año 1966 con las versiones de "Hang on
Sloopy" y "Wade in the Water." , Y el pianist hired a new rhythm
section, Cleveland Eaton on bass y Maurice White on drums.
En 1970, White resigned a formar su propio grupo, y Morris Jennings
firmado en el trio's new percussionist. En el caso de que se trate de
una película de la saga de la saga de la saga de la saga de la saga, .
"White Chain Lewis '1974 álbum, Sun Goddess, in que he experimentado con
las teclas electrónicas para el primer equipo, y varios miembros de EWF
jugado en las sesiones; que se convirtió en el mayor crossover hit y
tomó Lewis a las ranas ranas del jazz / fusión de la música. En el caso
de que se produzca un error en el registro de R & B-sustan material a
través de los 70, pero continúe explorando su raíz en más tradicional
jazz de los sonidos así como Latin rhythms. En 1983, he estado en el
estudio con Eldee Young y Redd Holt para el álbum Reunion; en 1984,
había colaborado con Nancy Wilson en los dos de nosotros; y en el año
1989, Lewis y el Dr. Billy Taylor cortaron el set del piano duets, We
Meet Again.
En 1992, Lewis firmó con el éxito de la película de jazz Recordset, y en
1995, he lanzado el lado del proyecto Urban Knights, en el que he
colaborado con el handful de exitoso crossover jazz estrellas,
incluyendo Grover Washington, Jr., Earl Klugh, y Dave Koz. En 1997,
Lewis agregó disc jockey a su résumé, hospedaje el popular show en
Chicago's WNUA-FM que ran hasta 2009; , que se estrenará en el mes de
septiembre. En el año 2005, Lewis miró sobre su raíz en la música de la
música con el álbum con una voz, que fue el himno de la música de la
música de la música. En el año 2007, se le pidió a escribir el jazz
ballet para la Joffrey Ballet Company, y "To Know Her ..." debuted at
Highland Park, Illinois 'Ravina Music Festival, donde Lewis es director
artístico del festival de las series de jazz, su Jazz Mentor Program.
Lewis también ha escrito varias piezas para la cadena de conjuntos y
orquestaciones que han premiered at Ravina; , que se estrenará en el
2009 álbum de canciones del Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey, su primera
versión de Concord Records. En el año 2007, el Premio de la Academia de
los Premios Musicales en el 2007, es uno de los músicos de jazz, el
Olympic Torch, que tiene briefly escorted la llama que pasa a través de
Chicago en la ruta a los Juegos de invierno de invierno. En el 2011, he
emprendido otra cara, la reworking de su clásico 1974 jazz jazz-funk
álbum Sun Goddess. El álbum fue reestablecido en el paquete de lujo con
las canciones de las primas en el 2015. Dos años, Lewis fue un famoso
huésped en el pianist Alan Storeygard's trío álbum New Directions.
