RAMSEY LEWIS - An Hour with The Ramsey Lewis Trio
Groove Hug Records GH66723
Ramsey Lewis ( pno ) Eldee Young ( bass ) Isaac “Redd” Holt ( drs )
Tracks 1 to 12 Recorded Chicago, 22 April 1959
Track 13 Recorded Chicago,30 April 1960
Track 14 Recorded Chicago, 9 February1958
Bonus track 15
Clark Terry ( tpt ) Mark Simpson ( fl ) Porter Kilbert ( alto ( Paul Gonsalves ( tnr ) Ramsey Lewis
( pno ) Jimmy Woode ( bass / vocal ) Sam Woodyard ( drs )
Recorded Chicago, 2 September 1957
Ramsey Lewis had private piano lessons from the age of sixand went on to study at Chicago Music College and De Paul University. In 1956 he formed his own trio with the bass player and drummer present on this recording.
His first recording on the Chess label was well received and sold well and probably led to his residency at Birdland. In 1965 his album “The In Crowd” was a runaway bestseller and the album and single both received Gold Discs. After this success there developed friction between members and the trio disbanded.
In 1971 Lewis signed for CBS and developed a more middle of the road approach playing easy listening and disco music with some success.
The present album was recording was made during his early period and contained a larger degree of jazz content with a fairly tight knit trio.
The album opens with a seven and a half minute rendition of “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise” with the trio playing with great precision and swing, Ramsey Lewis constantly moves from single note figures to block chords and the whole piece is a great success.
The Trio’s version of Gershwin’s “It Ain’t Necessarily So” comes over like a prelude to the Peterson / Brown / Thigpen version on their Gershwin Songbook album in 1959 but without the crispness of that trio.
The Trio’s version of Angel Eyes” features the arco bass playing of Eldee Young and Ramsey Lewis in two tempos and turns out to be one of the best tracks on the album.
There are two tracks which feature alternate takes and many fans have differing views on these, some treat them as makeweight fillers and others think they offer a different perspective to the performance.
There is also a second rendering of “The Way You Look Tonight” which offers a pitiful vocal by bassist Jimmy Woode and the only redeeming factor is nicely thought out solo by Paul Gonsalves.
For anyone interested in an example of Ramsey Lewis piano style prior to his claim to fame this is the one for you or lover of piano trios.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Groove Hug Records GH66723
Ramsey Lewis ( pno ) Eldee Young ( bass ) Isaac “Redd” Holt ( drs )
Tracks 1 to 12 Recorded Chicago, 22 April 1959
Track 13 Recorded Chicago,30 April 1960
Track 14 Recorded Chicago, 9 February1958
Bonus track 15
Clark Terry ( tpt ) Mark Simpson ( fl ) Porter Kilbert ( alto ( Paul Gonsalves ( tnr ) Ramsey Lewis
( pno ) Jimmy Woode ( bass / vocal ) Sam Woodyard ( drs )
Recorded Chicago, 2 September 1957
Ramsey Lewis had private piano lessons from the age of sixand went on to study at Chicago Music College and De Paul University. In 1956 he formed his own trio with the bass player and drummer present on this recording.
His first recording on the Chess label was well received and sold well and probably led to his residency at Birdland. In 1965 his album “The In Crowd” was a runaway bestseller and the album and single both received Gold Discs. After this success there developed friction between members and the trio disbanded.
In 1971 Lewis signed for CBS and developed a more middle of the road approach playing easy listening and disco music with some success.
The present album was recording was made during his early period and contained a larger degree of jazz content with a fairly tight knit trio.
The album opens with a seven and a half minute rendition of “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise” with the trio playing with great precision and swing, Ramsey Lewis constantly moves from single note figures to block chords and the whole piece is a great success.
The Trio’s version of Gershwin’s “It Ain’t Necessarily So” comes over like a prelude to the Peterson / Brown / Thigpen version on their Gershwin Songbook album in 1959 but without the crispness of that trio.
The Trio’s version of Angel Eyes” features the arco bass playing of Eldee Young and Ramsey Lewis in two tempos and turns out to be one of the best tracks on the album.
There are two tracks which feature alternate takes and many fans have differing views on these, some treat them as makeweight fillers and others think they offer a different perspective to the performance.
There is also a second rendering of “The Way You Look Tonight” which offers a pitiful vocal by bassist Jimmy Woode and the only redeeming factor is nicely thought out solo by Paul Gonsalves.
For anyone interested in an example of Ramsey Lewis piano style prior to his claim to fame this is the one for you or lover of piano trios.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
