Album review: RAMSEY LEWIS – Funky Serenity, Solar Wind, Sun Goddess (reissue)

June 9th, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

RAMSEY LEWIS - Funky Serenity (reissues)

BGO Records www.bgo-records.com [Release date 18.05.18]

I immediately recognised three of the albums on this 2-disc four album compilation. In fact that’s the great thing about BGO releases. They tend to bring together a series of albums spanning a couple of discs, offering great value and a great way to replace and replenish (or re-buy) your musical youth.

Ramsey Lewis is best known for his 1960s hits ‘Wade In The Water’ and ‘The In Crowd’ which appear here on the album Newly Recorded, All-Time, Non-Stop Golden Hits.

In the 1970s he released a series of albums for Columbia which pursued a soul jazz vibe and started a new era for his music. Not unlike Booker T & The MGs in always including a sprinkling of cover versions but, compared to that hallowed soul/R&B outfit, Lewis was more of a soul jazzer. But he was never as jazzy as someone like contemporary Herbie Hancock or Weather Report which makes his music far more accessible and kind to the ear.

Lewis’ instrumental panache is evident on 1973′s Funky Serenity, whether on Rhodes or concert piano. And the upbeat sixties spirit of ‘Wade In The Water’ is omnipresent on ‘What It Is!’

Throughout this period he was accompanied by Cleveland Eaton (bass) and Morris Jennings (drums) providing a wonderful backbeat and groove, especially on a track like ‘My Love For You’.

The curveball in this second album for Columbia is a cover of ‘Nights In White Satin’ featuring Ed Green’s violin which although juxtaposing the predominant funk workouts (of which ‘Dreams’ is the most “progressive”) is nevertheless intriguing.

1974′s Solar Wind was produced by Steve Cropper and saw Lewis expanding the trio format with contributions from additional musicians including Cropper adding guitar to several tracks as well as compositions.

Highlights include Cropper’s ‘Sweet And Tender You’ , ‘Love For A Day’ and the title track, sounding like Booker T on steroids, whilst the longer ‘Jamaican Marketplace’ revives the classic sixties trio vibe along with a cover of Sonny Rollins’ ‘The Everywhere Calypso’.

This album is more immediate and mainstream and provided a walkway to the following release, in 1974. Sun Goddess is generally regarded as Lewis’ landmark album in the seventies and marked a collaboration with the production and writing talent of Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White. White had actually worked with Lewis in his trio for a time in the sixties when they recorded for the legendary Chess label.

It is no surprise, therefore, that the album’s glorious title track (and ‘Hot Dawgit’) has a strong EWF vibe with additional assistance from that band’s Philip Bailey and Verdine White. Given that Maurice White and his crew were beginning their assault on the charts at this time, Lewis would get a much-deserved boost in terms of wider attention/association.

This excellent slip-cased collection is enhanced by a reprint of the original liner notes and a new essay by Charles Waring, plus new remastering. And if you’re tempted, BGO also has several other Ramsey Lewis packages; the obvious next base would be the four album on 2-CD set which takes the story from 1975-1977. ****

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

Album review (Les Fleurs/Fantasy/Keys To The City, 2023)
Album review (Hang On Ramsey/Wade In The Water/Don’t It Feel Good/Salongo/Tequila Mockingbird/Love Notes, 2018)
Album review (Legacy/Ramsey/Live At The Savoy/Chance Encounter, 2018)

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)