The Ramsey LEWIS Trio - The In Crowd 1965

The Ramsey LEWIS Trio - The In Crowd 1965
LPS 757

Jazz

If Ramsey should pull a Grover Washington Jr. today, he would forever be known for this album and "Sun Goddess" with Earth Wind & Fire.This truly a classic. The grand piano he plays comes flowing out of my Bose speakers with so much soul and inspiration.Eldee Young's bass and cello solid to the core.Like the brother wrote the book with Ray Brown. Red Holt's drumming is right there every time you expect it to be.A must have for the collection. Jazz at it's best.
By Russell Fellezs.
**
This is the record that put the legendary Ramsey Lewis on the map. Lewis is known as an incredible stylist on piano, comfortably adapting almost any kind of music into his own jazz fusion vision. Film scores, pop, light classical hall fit comfortably into his music, and this album is an excellent example of his vision. But, it's not only Lewis alone. His absolutely fabulous rhythm section of Red Holt (drums) and Eldee Young on (basscello) frame all of Ramsey's performances with funk and grace and a superior forward momentum. Aside from the groovin' hit The in Crowd, the album contains fantastic readings of Duke Ellington's Come Sunday and the Love Theme From Spartacus. This album is one of the places where Afro and funk-jazz started, and aside from it's historical significance, it's a stone groove.
By Matthew Greenwald, All Music Guide.
**
Eldee Young- Bass, Cello
Red Holt- Drums
Ramsey Lewis- Piano
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A1. The 'In' Crowd 5:47
A2. Since I Fell For You 4:04
A3. Tennessee Waltz 5:53
A4. You Been Talkin' 'Bout Me Baby 2:56  
B1. Spartacus (Love Theme From) 6:10
B2. Felicidade (Happiness) 4:25  
B3. Come Sunday 4:42
**

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Ramsey LEWIS - And His Gentle-Men Of Swing 1956

Ramsey LEWIS - And His Gentle-Men Of Swing 1956

Jazz

The trio started as primarily a jazz unit and released their first album, Ramsey Lewis And The Gentlemen of Swing , in 1956.
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Isaac Red Holt- Drums
Eldee Young- Bass
Ramsey Lewis- Piano
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A1 Carmen  
A2 I'll Remember April  
A3 The Wind  
A4 Bie Mir Bist Du Schoen  
A5 My Funny Valentine  

B1 Fantasia for Drums  
B2 Dee's New Blues  
B3 Tres  
B4 Limelight
**
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The Ramsey LEWIS Trio - Never On Sunday 1961

The Ramsey LEWIS Trio - Never On Sunday 1961

Jazz

This album was released in 1961 on Argo, on this LP I had difficulties as well to remove the background noise completely.
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The playing time on this LP (under half an hour) means that the ten selections are a bit briefer than usual. Pianist Ramsey Lewis, bassist Eldee Young, and drummer Red Holt had one of the most popular groups in jazz of the era, playing soulful and melodic versions of standards that were both swinging and accessible. Highlights of this LP include "I Got Plenty of Nothing," "The Breeze and I," and "Exactly Like You."
By Scott Yanow. AMG.
**
Ramsey Lewis- Piano,
Eldee Young- Bass
Isaac Red Holt- Drums,
**
A1. The Ripper  
A2. I Got Plenty of Nothing  
A3. Waterboy  
A4. Thanks for the Memory  
A5. Ceilito Lindo  

B1. You Just Don't Care  
B2. Never on Sunday  
B3. You've Changed  
B4. The Breeze and I  
B5. Exactly Like You
**
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The Ramsey LEWIS Trio – Upendo Ni Pamoja 1973

The Ramsey LEWIS Trio – Upendo Ni Pamoja 1973

Jazz

This marked Ramsey Lewis' third album for Columbia and the first to feature the Ramsey Lewis Trio. The most famous members had gone on to other successes. Red Holt and Eldee Young were signed to Atlantic as Young-Holt Unlimited, and of course later member Maurice White founded Earth, Wind and Fire. Upendo Ni Pamoja has the rhythm section of bassist Cleveland Eaton and drummer Morris Jennings. Unlike many early-'70s sets, Upendo Ni Pamoja is a pretty straight-ahead date without Lewis indulging in tracks with funky overtones. Covers predominate here. The trio does a fairly true though subdued take on War's "Slippin' into Darkness" with Lewis on Fender Rhodes. Lewis' gentle playing is found throughout "People Make the World Go Round," although this version of the trio did an even better live take on the Save the Children soundtrack. The best cover, Michael Jackson's "Got to Be There," has Lewis playing a Steinway Concert Grand with an arrangement that spotlights the trio sound. The smooth title is one of Lewis' finest songs of the period. The problem with this is that few tracks stay with the listener. This is a cut or two away from being truly essential.
By Jason Elias, All Music Guide.
**
Cleveland Eaton- (Bass),
Ramsey Lewis- (Piano),(Keyboards),(Fender Rhodes),
Morris Jennings- (Percussion), (Drums).
**
A1. Slipping Into Darkness 6:13 
A2. People Make The World Go Round 4:51 
A3. Please Send Me Someone To Love 4:31  
A4. Got To Be There 3:01 
A5. Concierto De Aranjuez 8:54 

B1. Upendo Ni Pamoja (Love Is Together) 7:22  
B2. Trilogy 8:45  
B3. Put Your Hand In The Hand 3:51 
B4. Collage 6:34
**
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The Ramsey LEWIS Trio - Choice! The Best of the Ramsey Lewis Trio 1965

The Ramsey LEWIS Trio - Choice! The Best of the Ramsey Lewis Trio 1965
Label: Cadet

Jazz

Before assaulting the R&B and pop charts with "The in Crowd," the Ramsey Lewis Trio recorded exemplary swinging club jazz. This 1965 package came out in the same year that "The in Crowd" exploded and represents the Ramsey Lewis Trio's most popular recordings prior to their emergence. There's more improvising and the arrangements are intricate enough to display each member's chops. The selections revisit the trio's debut, Ramsey Lewis & His Gentlemen of Swing (Argo, 1956), with "Carmen." The Ramsey Lewis Trio recorded for three labels under Chess' umbrella: Argo, Cadet, and Chess. A good LP if you can find a copy; it represents their early years well.
By Andrew Hamilton.AMG.
**
Ramsey Lewis has long straddled the boundary between bop-oriented jazz and pop music. Most of his recordings (particularly by the mid-'60s) were very accessible and attracted a large non-jazz audience. In 1956, he formed a trio with bassist Eldee Young and drummer Red Holt. From the start (1958), their records for Argo/Cadet were popular, although in the early days, they had a strong jazz content. In 1958, Lewis also recorded with Max Roach and Lem Winchester. On the 1965 albums The In Crowd and Hang On, Ramsey made the pianist into a major attraction and from that point, on his records became much more predictable and pop-oriented. In 1966, his trio's personnel changed with bassist Cleveland Eaton and drummer Maurice White (later the founder of Earth, Wind & Fire) joining Lewis. In the 1970s, Lewis often played electric piano, although by later in the decade he was sticking to acoustic and hiring an additional keyboardist. He can still play melodic jazz when he wants to, but Ramsey Lewis has mostly stuck to easy listening pop music during the past 30 years. In 2004 he released Time Flies, a look back at some of his most popular songs through new recordings.
By Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.
**
01. Something You Got
02. Little Liza Jane
03. Memphis In June
04. Travel On
05. Delilah
06. C C Rider
07. Lonely Avenue
08. Look-A-Here
09. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
10. Hello, Cello!
11. Blue Spring
12. Carmen
13. Blues For The Night Owls
**
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Ramsey LEWIS - Routes 1980

Ramsey LEWIS - Routes 1980
Label: Columbia

Jazz

Standard Ramsey Lewis vehicle; good-to-routine pop-flavored and soulful material with some rousing piano solos and some not so energetic. Lewis was in the middle of another impressive run, making one hit album after another.
By Ron Wynn, All Music Guide.
**
Al McKay- Guitar
Byron Miller- Bass
Don Myrick- Saxophone
Leo Nocentelli- Guitar
Louis Satterfield- Trombone
Allen Toussaint- Keyboards
Warren Weinberg- Vocals
Fred White- Percussion
Ken Williams- Percussion
Kenneth "Afro" Williams- Percussion
Michael Davis- Trumpet, Vocals
Roland Bautista- Guitar
Ramsey Lewis- Keyboards,
David Barard- Bass
Keni Burke- Bass
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler- Drums
Paulinho Da Costa- Percussion
Rahmlee Michael- Davis Horn
Larry Dunn- Keyboards
Herman V. Ernest III- Drums
James Gadson- Drums
Sampson Henry- Guitar
Jon Lind- Vocals
Maurice White- Vocals
**
01. Whisper Zone
02. High Point
03. Tondelayo
04. Caribbean Blue
05. Looking Glass
06. Come Back Jack
07. Colors in Space
08. Crystals 'N Sequence
09. You Are the Reason
10. Hell on Wheels
**
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Ramsey LEWIS - Three Piece Suite 1981

Ramsey LEWIS - Three Piece Suite 1981
Label: Columbia

Jazz

Piano, Keyboards : Ramsey Lewis, Bobby Irving, Tom Washington
Bass : Bernard Reed, Felton Crews, Greg Williams
Guitar : Marlo Henderson, Randy Hall, Henry Johnson (soloist)
Drums : Morris Jennings, Vince Wilbourn, Frank Donaldson
Tambourine : Jimmy Tillmon
Congas, percussion : Master Henry Ginson, Tom Washington
Tempo blocks : Tom Tom '84
Trumpet : Murray Watson (contractor), Marvin Davis, Paul Howard,
Alto saxophone : George Patterson
Tenor saxophone : Sonny Seals (guest tenor saxophone and soloist)
Trombone : "Big Willie" Woods, Steve Berry, Mike Meyers (bass trombone)
Violin : Everett Zlattoff Mirsky (concertmaster), Phyllis McKenny,
Arnold Roth, Debbie Miller, Sheldon Gershon,
Arthur Ahlman, John T.Fredrickson, Elliott Folub
Viola : Harold Kupper, Roger Moulton
Cello : Alan Rostoker, Nancy Johnson  
Handclap : Tom Tom '84 (conductor), Genecieve S., Dimp Paco,
Big Willie, Keith and Alice, Bobby Lewis, Frayne Lewis,
Herbert Bertha, David Shultz, Jimmy Tillmon, Cheryl,
Archie, Phyllis, Vivian, Donnell Pitman, Carter Russell,
Ruderial B. (We Clapped For You)
Arthur Hoyle (guest trumpet and soloist)
Guest voice : Alice Sanderson Echos 
**
A1.  Lakeshore Cowboy (3:31)
A2.  Romance Me (4:50)
A3.  Will You (4:40)
A4.  Love Is (3:24)
A5.  Michelle (3:08)

B1.  Don't Ever Go Away (3:50)
B2.  So Much More (4:09)
B3.  Can't Wait Till Summer (3:32)
B4.  She's Out Of My Life (4:30)
B5.  Expansions (4:25)
**
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