Ramsey Lewis

Composer and pianist Ramsey Lewis has been referred to as “the great performer”, a title reflecting his performance style and musical selections which display his early gospel playing and classical training along with his love of jazz and other musical forms. A native Chicagoan (born May 27, 1935), Mr. Lewis represents the great diversity of music for which Chicago is noted.

Ramsey Lewis first captivated fans with his first album “Ramsey Lewis And The Gentlemen of Swing” by the Ramsey Lewis Trio. By 1965, he was one of the nation’s most successful jazz pianists, topping the charts with The In Crowd, Hang On Sloopy and Wade In The Water. He has three Grammy Awards and seven gold records to his credit. Often called legendary, Ramsey concedes “It’s a high honor when someone says so, but I don’t see myself that way. What keeps me enthusiastic and energizes me, is the realization that the more I learn, the more I find there is to know.”

To his credit, he has been honored with three (3) honorary doctorate degrees, the Recording Academy Governor’s Award in 2000 and he was “Person of the Week” on ABC Nightly News in February 1995. Mr. Lewis performed at the White House State dinner President Bill Clinton held for President Fernando Henrique & Mrs. Cardoso of Brazil in April of 1995. He was awarded the prestigious Lincoln Academy of Illinois “Laureate” Award in Springfield, Illinois in April of 1997, and was one of the Olympic Torch runners who carried the Winter 2002 Olympic Torch during its journey to Salt Lake City in January of 2002.

In addition to recording albums and performing live, Mr. Lewis hosts WNUA-FM Chicago’s weekday morning drive-time radio show for which he has been awarded R&R’s 1999 and 2000 Personality of the Year Award. He also hosts the syndicated “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis”, a two-hour radio program which airs in over 65 cities throughout the U.S. Active in community affairs, especially on behalf of youth, he helped organize the Ravinia Festival’s Jazz Mentor Program and also serves as the Artistic Director for that festival’s jazz series. He is constantly his own trio composed of Larry Gray on bass and Leon Joyce on drums. Check the tour page for current dates.

Mr. Lewis has performed concerts and has played many of the jazz festivals and summer venues in the U.S. He has performed with over 25 symphony orchestras in the U.S. and Canada and has performed in concert and at festivals throughout Europe, Japan, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Ted Kurland Bio

Pianist and composer Ramsey Lewis has been referred to as “the great performer,” a title reflecting his performance style and musical selections that display his early gospel roots and classical training. They are coupled with his love of jazz and other musical forms. A native Chicagoan, Mr. Lewis began taking piano lessons at the age of four, studying the basics. He is quoted as saying, “It wasn’t until I started studying with the late Dorothy Mendelson that I responded to some of the startling things she was teaching me, such as ‘Listen with your inner ear,’ and ‘Make the piano sing.’ These concepts were revelations!” Except for records his father played around the house—Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, Mead Lux Lewis and others—young Ramsey had no experience playing jazz. He was 15 years old when a fellow church musician, Wallace Burton, asked him to join his jazz band and took the time to coach and help the young musician learn the language of jazz.

Ramsey Lewis captivated fans with his first album “Ramsey Lewis and the Gentlemen of Swing” by the Ramsey Lewis Trio in 1956. By 1965, he was one of the nation’s most successful jazz pianists, topping the charts with “The In Crowd,” “Hang On Sloopy” and “Wade In The Water.” He has three Grammy Awards and seven gold records to his credit and he has been honored with three honorary doctorate degrees. He was “Person of the Week” on ABC Nightly News in February 1995 and received the NARAS Recording Governor’s Award in 2000. In 1996 Mr. Lewis performed at a State Dinner at the White House honoring the President of Brazil and was awarded the prestigious Lincoln Academy of Illinois “Laureate” Award in Springfield, IL in April 1997. He carried the Olympic torch, kicking off the Winter Olympics, on its route through Chicago in January 2002. Mr. Lewis’ most recent awards include the National Endowment for the Arts highest award in the field of music in the jazz category, the Jazz Master Award in January 2007 along with the Illinois honor of “Living Landmark” award in March 2007. Often called legendary, he concedes, “It’s a high honor when someone says so, but I don’t see myself that way. What keeps me enthusiastic and energizes me, is the realization that the more I learn, the more I find there is to know.”

In addition to recording albums and performing live, Mr. Lewis hosts WNUA-FM Chicago’s weekday morning drive-time radio show, “The Ramsey Lewis Morning Show,” for which he has been awarded R&R’s (Radio&Records) 1999 and 2000 Personality of the Year Award. “The Ramsey Lewis Morning Show” will also begin syndication nationwide in January 2007. He also hosts the syndicated “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis,” a two-hour radio program that airs in over 75 cities throughout the U.S and also airs in London. In 2003, Mr. Lewis along with Larry Rosen (founder and former president of GRP Records) and Lee Rosenberg formed LRSmedia, the company that produced for the first time in forty years a series of thirteen one-half hour television programs. This acclaimed series “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis” has aired on PBS featuring emerging and established jazz musicians. He is currently collaborating with the Joffrey Ballet Company, choreographer Donald Byrd and the Ravinia Festival to produce a ballet of original music that will premiere in June 2007 at the Ravinia Festival. Active in community affairs, especially on behalf of youth, he helped organize the Ravinia Festival’s Jazz Mentor Program and also serves not only as the Artistic Director for that festival’s jazz series but was elected Trustee in 2002. Mr. Lewis serves on the Board of Trustees of the Merit School of Music in Chicago as well. Early 2005 saw the formation of the Ramsey Lewis Foundation that will help provide youth with the opportunity to play musical instruments and develop those and other skills to enhance self-confidence and a sense of personal accomplishment. Mr. Lewis tours nationally and internationally in various musical configurations, but primarily performs with his trio composed of Larry Gray on bass and Leon Joyce on drums. His latest release is a gospel album on the Narada Jazz label entitled “With One Voice” (2005).