Review: Ramsey Lewis

Ramsey Lewis. Photo credit: Roger Thomas

Ramsey Lewis
(Union Chapel, July 2nd 2011. Part of Bluesfest London. Review by Roger Thomas)

I'm looking around the Union Chapel as the audience select their seats for the last of the five BluesFest London concerts in this house of worship. My ears home in on some of the conversations. I can feel the mood of expectancy in the air surrounding these ardent Ramsey Lewis admirers. Can this just be a concert? Or, since Lewis had to cancel his last London date, are some of these devotees anticipating the second coming of the messiah?

Tumultuous applause greets the arrival onstage of a dignified Ramsey Lewis. He walks on stage and stands graciously between the classic Fender Rhodes keyboard and the grand piano. Looking serene, he waits for the applause to die down before expressing his heartfelt thanks and giving some explanations.

Though the event is billed as the Sun Goddess performance Ramsey settles at the grand piano and starts off with a new composition, Perchance,taken from the Colors:The Ecology of Oneness suite. He fidgets and adjusts as he unfurls his musical tapestry of jazz, classical, gospel and blues.

Looking closely you can see how he conducts various parts of the proceedings with a serious eye that I'm sure would cause some musicians to sweat a little, but not these guys. Charles Heath - drums, Tim Grant - keyboards/vocals, Joshua Ramos - bass, Henry Johnson - guitar/vocals.

Every subtlety, every nuance of sound and shift in dynamics, these guys are on it. With such a great start to the evening an expression of pleasure fills all corner of the chapel.

Ramsey then announces, 'this next song is from the Sun Goddess album'. Joshua Ramos kicks off Tambura with a funky electric bass with Ramsey joining in with a bluesy rhodes eventually being filled out by Tim Grant with various electric keyboard sounds then further driven and spiced up by Johnson and Heath. You can now see all the Sun Goddess worshipers –trance like– moving head and body to the groove as if to signify that, yes, this is what they came for.

But no, as much appreciation was shown as they nestled back into easy listening positions and reflected as Ramsey starts a solo piano rendition of the Lennon/McCartney Here There And Everywhere. Eventually being joined by some wonderful call and response interplay from Henry Johnson on guitar before the whole band is adding to the palette of sound which eventually segues into the Stylistics' Betcha By Golly Wow.

Lewis has produced a proliferation of albums, scores and collaborations, always remaining contemporary. His mastery of mood and arrangement has led him down the various avenues of jazz, blues, soul, pop, gospel, classical and film music. This mastery was evident in another piece. Quotes from Melancholy Baby gave way to a gut wrenching arco bass solo over Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child. When Lewis suddenly and unexpectedly shifts the mood, he can locate and stir the very deepest of emotions.

Lewis made sure his sun worshippers were satiated, presenting them with Sun Goddess, a fresh arrangement suited to the current ensemble, in which Tim Grant put his array of electronic keyboards to effective use and Charles Heath's drums delivering energy and a steady funky groove.

The audience's rapturous applause yielded not one but two encores, the second of which was In Crowd. No need for questions, or ifs, or buts. Ramsey Lewis is In with this Crowd.
www.bluesfestlondon.com / Concert promoted by www.jazzfm.com

Review: Monty Alexander

Monty Alexander. Photo credit: Frederick  Bernas

Monty Alexander
(Union Chapel, N1, 27th June. Opening night of Bluesfest London. Review and Photo credit: Frederick Bernas)

Now into the 50th year of his performing career, Monty Alexander is well known as a charismatic showman who draws great pleasure from mixing, twisting and bending different genres into an accessible musical package – and stamping his own unique identity onto whatever style he desires.

At Union Chapel his chosen format was the simple piano trio, witnessed by a strong crowd on the opening night of BluesFest 2011. They were not disappointed. Starting up with Blue Mitchell's calypso ‘Fungi Mama,’ the group radiated a positive vibe that matched Alexander’s cheerful countenance as he strolled onto the stage.

He took the opportunity to showcase several tunes from his latest album, Uplift – a collection of live recordings that topped American jazz radio charts for a couple of weeks in June.

Familiar melodies such as ‘Come Fly With Me’ and ‘Django’ were punctuated by Alexander originals – none more impressive than ‘Renewal’, another cut from the new release. Its dark, brooding overture blossomed into a bustling groove before bassist Hassan Shakur produced one of the evening’s most remarkable solos, effortlessly juxtaposing his own ideas with memorable lines from R&B hits and even the Pink Panther.

Alexander reinforced his credentials as a mischievous musical adventurer with ‘No Woman, No Cry’. Swashbuckling runs were replaced by a delicate touch that did full justice to Bob Marley’s classic anthem, a fitting tribute to both the great songwriter and the rich Jamaican culture in which Alexander grew up.

As a consummate entertainer with genuine international pedigree, he is a man who never forgets his roots, fusing the creative essence of his native land with the jazz legacy of past collaborators like Gillespie, Rollins and Sinatra. Monty Alexander really is a musician who has it all – and he was fully appreciated with a rapturous standing ovation.

www.bluesfestlondon.com / www.montyalexander.com