Record - VG+

Cover - G+

Few jazz groups were as successful at bridging the gap between sophisticated jazz and popular appeal as the Ramsey Lewis Trio. This compilation, The Greatest Hits Of Ramsey Lewis Trio, brings together a selection of the trio’s most memorable recordings, showcasing the distinctive piano style of Ramsey Lewis alongside the tight, rhythmic interplay that made the group one of the most commercially successful jazz acts of the 1960s.

Combining soul-jazz grooves, blues influences, gospel undertones and accessible melodies, these recordings demonstrate why Ramsey Lewis attracted both dedicated jazz fans and mainstream listeners. Tracks such as The In Crowd and Wade In The Water helped establish the trio as pioneers of crossover jazz, paving the way for future generations of artists who blended jazz with soul and popular music.

This collection is an excellent introduction to Ramsey Lewis’s work and an enjoyable listen for collectors of jazz, soul-jazz, lounge, and easy-listening instrumental music. The Fontana release remains a desirable addition to collections focused on classic 1960s and 1970s jazz recordings.

Genre

Jazz, Soul Jazz, Piano Jazz, Easy Listening

Track Listing

Side One

• Dark Eyes
• Come Back To Sorrento
• Soul Mist
• John Henry
• Greensleeves

Side Two

• We Blue It
• Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
• Suzanne
• Billy Boy
• Decisions

Pressing & Collectibility Notes

Released on the Fontana label as part of The Stars Present series.

Features recordings by the acclaimed Ramsey Lewis Trio, one of the most influential and commercially successful jazz trios of the post-war era. Ramsey Lewis’s blend of jazz, gospel, blues and soul helped broaden the audience for instrumental jazz during the 1960s and beyond.

A strong collector’s title for fans of soul-jazz, piano jazz and accessible instrumental music from the golden era of jazz crossover recordings.