NEA Jazz Master and three-time Grammy Award-winning pianist Ramsey Lewis has been a legendary leader in the contemporary jazz movement for more than 50 years. On Jan. 14, 2017, he will bring the sound of the Chicago jazz scene to a special concert commemorating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the iconic Gem Theater. The concert starts at 8 p.m., with a public reception and Q&A session with the renowned pianist starting at 6 p.m.
Lewis’ unforgettable sound and outgoing personality has allowed him to cross over to the pop and R&B charts. The Ramsey Lewis Trio became a fixture on the Chicago jazz scene throughout the 1950s and 1960s, releasing their debut album Ramsey Lewis & His Gentlemen of Jazz in 1956.
Lewis earned his first gold record, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance, for his swinging version of Dobie Gray’s hit The In Crowd. He returned to the pop charts in 1966 with versions of Hang On Sloopy and Wade In The Water.
After Young and Holt left Lewis’ trio to form their own group, the pianist hired a new rhythm section with Cleveland Eaton on bass and Maurice White on drums. When White left the band to form Earth, Wind & Fire, Morris Jennings signed on as the trio’s new percussionist. White returned to produce Lewis’ 1974 smash album entitled Sun Goddess, in which Lewis first experimented with electronic keyboards and featured Earth, Wind & Fire.
Throughout his illustrious career, Lewis has joined forces with countless other artists to create new and innovative music, including Earth, Wind & Fire and London’s Philharmonic Orchestra. Lewis also launched the Urban Knights during this time, and collaborated with a handful of successful crossover jazz stars, including Grover Washington Jr., Earl Klugh, and Dave Koz. He was the longtime disc jockey of the national broadcast Legends of Jazz radio program and hosted the 13-episode PBS television series, also named Legends of Jazz.
This concert is part of events commemorating MLK Day by the Kansas City Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster or the American Jazz Museum box office, 816.474.6262.
Valentine’s Day Celebration with Pieces of a Dream
Pieces of a Dream will present a concert at the Gem Theater on Feb. 11, 2017, to help set the stage for a head start to Valentine’s Day. The concert starts at 8 p.m. with a public reception and Q&A session with the remaining members of the smooth jazz trio starting at 6 p.m.
Pianist James Lloyd and drummer Curtis Harmon, two of the original members of the Pieces of a Dream trio, which emerged out of Philadelphia’s music scene in 1976, define the essence of smooth jazz. Lloyd and Harmon both use words like “thankful,” “blessed” and “grateful” to describe how they feel about their work and their fans, who have continued to make it all possible.
It was another jazz legend, the late Grover Washington Jr., the sax man who made Philadelphia his home, who helped Pieces of a Dream become the internationally known stars they are today. The mentor took Pieces of a Dream under his wing as the first group he signed with his brand new production company. Performing for over three decades, with Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart-topping albums and hits that include Warm Weather and Mount Airy Groove, Pieces of a Dream has a fresh and authentic jazz style unlike any other.
Celebrating 40 years of making music is no small feat, and both Lloyd and Harmon are looking forward to sharing new material with their fans. Harmon sums it up like this: “For me personally, I’m always trying to push the boundaries of what’s accepted as cool or playable. I’m not one to say ‘OK, that worked; let’s do that again,’ but rather, ‘that worked well and let’s do something else.’ It’s a hard line to walk, staying true to what people expect of you but being true to yourself and your creativity.”
Pieces of a Dream continues to explore new territory, yet remains aware of the amazing history and the core sound and style that have gotten the band this far. Pieces fans will definitely enjoy this moment and the ride. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster or the American Jazz Museum box office, 816. 474.6262.
–Jessica Thompson
