Sky Islands (Ramsey Lewis album)

Sky Islands
Studio album by
Ramsey Lewis
ReleasedOctober 5, 1993 (1993-10-05)
Recorded1992–93
GenreJazz
Length56:11
LabelGRP
ProducerDave Grusin, Larry Rosen, Ramsey Lewis, Frayne Lewis, Maurice White, Carl Griffin,
Ramsey Lewis chronology
Ivory Pyramid
(1992) 		Sky Islands
(1993) 		Urban Knights I
(1995)

Sky Islands is a jazz album by American jazz musician Ramsey Lewis, released in October 1993 on GRP Records. The album reached No. 6 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.[1][2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
USA Today[4]

James T. Jones IV of USA Today praised Sky Islands saying "The pianist includes a medley of his '60s hits, yet he's hardly resting on his laurels with this collection of instrumentals, occasionally spiced by vocals...Lewis juxtaposes backbeats with sounds of swirling strings, while his solos sparkle with sparse, yet melodic, high arpeggios."[4] Scott Yanow of AllMusic, who gave the album a 2/5 stars rating wrote, "Ramsey Lewis has long been content to record lightweight pop/R&B grooves. Occasionally on this set the acoustic pianist sounds like he would like to break away a bit from the predictable but he keeps the impulse in check."[3]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Julia"John Lennon, Paul McCartney5:18
2."Après Vous"Ramsey Lewis4:13
3."Who Are You?"Bill Cantos7:21
4."Suavecito"Ramsey Lewis4:53
5."Tonight"Frayne Lewis, Robert Lewis, Ramsey Lewis, Mike Logan5:18
6."Sky Islands"Larry Dunn[5]4:20
7."A Song for Jan"Ramsey Lewis4:52
8."Medley: Wade in the Water, Hang On Sloopy, The in Crowd"Wes Farrell, Ramsey Lewis, William Page, Bert Russell4:55
9."Love Will Find a Way"Greg Phillinganes, Lionel Richie5:14
10."Come Back to Me"James Harris, Terry Lewis, Janet Jackson5:18
11."Tonight (instrumental)"Frayne Lewis, Robert Lewis, Ramsey Lewis, Mike Logan5:18

Personnel

  • Ramsey Lewis – piano, background vocals
  • Art Porter Jr. – alto saxophone
  • Michael Logan – keyboards, background vocals
  • Henry Johnson – guitar
  • Chuck Webb – bass guitar, double bass
  • Steve Cobb – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Tony Carpenter – percussion, background vocals
  • Eve Cornelious – lead vocals on "Tonight" and "Love Will Find A Way"
  • Sheila Fuller – background vocals
  • Carl Griffin – background vocals
  • Robert Lewis – background vocals
  • Mark Ruffin – background vocals
  • Brenda Stewart – background vocals
  • Morris Stewart – background vocals

Production

  • Ramsey Lewis - Producer
  • Frayne Lewis - Producer
  • Carl Griffin - Producer
  • Larry Rosen - Executive Producer
  • Michael Logan - Associate Producer
  • Rich Breen - Engineer, Mixing
  • Sharon Franklin - Production Coordination
  • Ted Jensen - Mastering
  • Michael Landy - Post Production
  • Sonny Mediana - Production Director
  • Dennis Tousana - Assistant Engineer
  • Maurice White - Producer

Charts

Chart (1993) Peak
osition
US Top Contemporary Jazz Albums[2] 6

References

  1. ^ Ramsey Lewis: Sky Islands. GRP Records. 1993.
  2. ^ a b "Ramsey Lewis – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Yanow, Scott. "Ramsey Lewis: Sky Islands". AllMusic.
  4. ^ a b Jones, James T (December 2, 1993). "New from three mature artists". USA TODAY. p. 8D. ProQuest 306608693.
  5. ^ "ACE Repertory". ascap.com. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
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