Renowned jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis has died, age 87

By Associated Press

CHICAGO: Renowned jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, whose music entertained followers over a greater than 60-year profession that started with the Ramsey Lewis Trio and made him one of many nation’s most profitable jazz musicians, has died. He was 87.

Lewis is revered in jazz circles for Sixties hits like “The ‘In’ Crowd,” “Hang on Sloopy” and “Wade in the Water.” He earned three Grammy awards and 7 gold data. The trio’s first report in 1956 was “Ramsey Lewis and the Gentlemen of Swing.”

Lewis died Monday in his sleep at his Chicago house, in accordance with his son, Bobby Lewis.

“He was just at peace,” Bobby Lewis advised The Associated Press on Monday evening. “Most people say when they met dad that he was a class act. He was that way even through his last breath.”

Ramsey Lewis described his method to composing and performing in a 2011 interview with the AP.

“Life is a solo, and it continues,” Lewis mentioned, sitting on the eating room desk in his downtown Chicago house. “I just know that when I put my hands on the piano it’s going to flow.”

Lewis first took piano classes at age 4. He spent his early days in Chicago utilizing his gospel and classical roots to create his personal jazz model within the many neighborhood venues that employed younger jazz musicians.

“It gave us a lot of opportunity to try our ideas and learn what it means to perform in front of an audience,” Lewis mentioned as he was named National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2007. He accepted the award from his mentor and fellow Jazz Master, pianist Billy Taylor.

During his profession, Lewis carried out with musical stars comparable to Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Al Jarreau and Pat Metheney. Lewis had greater than 80 albums to his credit score — three dozen of them with Chicago-based Chess Records. He toured all over the world and carried out on the 1995 state dinner that then-President Bill Clinton hosted for President Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil.

“I believe that my father — his love for the piano and his passion for the piano and how he coveted this love and how he protected it — that gave him longevity,” Bobby Lewis mentioned. “He recognized the gift God had given him.”

The Chicago native started composing large-scale musical works later in his profession. His first was an eight-movement piece for Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. He additionally accomplished a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln — “Proclamation of Hope: A Symphonic Poem by Ramsey Lewis.”

Lewis additionally hosted radio reveals within the Nineteen Nineties and 2000, together with “The Ramsey Lewis Morning Show,” on WNUA-FM and the syndicated “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis.” In 2007, he hosted “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis,” a weekly program that aired on public tv stations nationwide.

The present’s creators mentioned it was the primary time jazz was featured on a weekly foundation on community tv in 40 years. It featured jazz greats and up-and-comers.

Lewis additionally frolicked engaged on behalf of charities that introduced music to younger folks.

“Ramsey’s passion for music was truly fueled by the love and dedication of his fans across the globe,” his spouse, Janet Lewis, mentioned in a Facebook put up. “He loved touring and meeting music lovers from so many cultures and walks of life. It was our family’s great pleasure to share Ramsey in this special way with all those who admired his God-given talents.”

Brett Steele, whose Tampa, Florida-based Steele Management represented Lewis since 2011, mentioned Lewis spent the final 12 months of his life engaged on his memoirs that are accomplished and scheduled to be printed subsequent 12 months.

In addition to his spouse and son, Lewis is also survived by daughters Denise Jeffries and Dawn Allain; two different sons Kendall Kelly Lewis and Frayne Lewis; and a lot of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

CHICAGO: Renowned jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, whose music entertained followers over a greater than 60-year profession that started with the Ramsey Lewis Trio and made him one of many nation’s most profitable jazz musicians, has died. He was 87.

Lewis is revered in jazz circles for Sixties hits like “The ‘In’ Crowd,” “Hang on Sloopy” and “Wade in the Water.” He earned three Grammy awards and 7 gold data. The trio’s first report in 1956 was “Ramsey Lewis and the Gentlemen of Swing.”

Lewis died Monday in his sleep at his Chicago house, in accordance with his son, Bobby Lewis.

“He was just at peace,” Bobby Lewis advised The Associated Press on Monday evening. “Most people say when they met dad that he was a class act. He was that way even through his last breath.”

Ramsey Lewis described his method to composing and performing in a 2011 interview with the AP.

“Life is a solo, and it continues,” Lewis mentioned, sitting on the eating room desk in his downtown Chicago house. “I just know that when I put my hands on the piano it’s going to flow.”

Lewis first took piano classes at age 4. He spent his early days in Chicago utilizing his gospel and classical roots to create his personal jazz model within the many neighborhood venues that employed younger jazz musicians.

“It gave us a lot of opportunity to try our ideas and learn what it means to perform in front of an audience,” Lewis mentioned as he was named National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2007. He accepted the award from his mentor and fellow Jazz Master, pianist Billy Taylor.

During his profession, Lewis carried out with musical stars comparable to Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Al Jarreau and Pat Metheney. Lewis had greater than 80 albums to his credit score — three dozen of them with Chicago-based Chess Records. He toured all over the world and carried out on the 1995 state dinner that then-President Bill Clinton hosted for President Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil.

“I believe that my father — his love for the piano and his passion for the piano and how he coveted this love and how he protected it — that gave him longevity,” Bobby Lewis mentioned. “He recognized the gift God had given him.”

The Chicago native started composing large-scale musical works later in his profession. His first was an eight-movement piece for Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. He additionally accomplished a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln — “Proclamation of Hope: A Symphonic Poem by Ramsey Lewis.”

Lewis additionally hosted radio reveals within the Nineteen Nineties and 2000, together with “The Ramsey Lewis Morning Show,” on WNUA-FM and the syndicated “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis.” In 2007, he hosted “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis,” a weekly program that aired on public tv stations nationwide.

The present’s creators mentioned it was the primary time jazz was featured on a weekly foundation on community tv in 40 years. It featured jazz greats and up-and-comers.

Lewis additionally frolicked engaged on behalf of charities that introduced music to younger folks.

“Ramsey’s passion for music was truly fueled by the love and dedication of his fans across the globe,” his spouse, Janet Lewis, mentioned in a Facebook put up. “He loved touring and meeting music lovers from so many cultures and walks of life. It was our family’s great pleasure to share Ramsey in this special way with all those who admired his God-given talents.”

Brett Steele, whose Tampa, Florida-based Steele Management represented Lewis since 2011, mentioned Lewis spent the final 12 months of his life engaged on his memoirs that are accomplished and scheduled to be printed subsequent 12 months.

In addition to his spouse and son, Lewis is also survived by daughters Denise Jeffries and Dawn Allain; two different sons Kendall Kelly Lewis and Frayne Lewis; and a lot of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.