"The Movie Album/Dancing In The Street" by RAMSEY LEWIS [both from 1967] featuring Cleveland Eaton on Bass and Maurice White (later of Earth Wind & Fire) on Drums (September 2010 UK Beat Goes On (BGO) Compilation - 2LPs onto 1CD - Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Like A Heat Wave..."

 

Jazz Pianist and period hipster Ramsey Lewis issued three albums in his busy summer of love schedule - March 1967 saw "Goin' Latin" on Cadet LPS-790 which peaked at No. 16 on Billboard's US R&B Album Charts and although recorded in 1966, "The Movie Album" came in July 1967 on Cadet LPS-782 (peaked at No. 124). That finally left the live album "Dancing In The Street" released October 1967 on Cadet LPS-794 in the USA that peaked at No. 16 (charted November 1967).

 

There were Mono variants of each album too (Cadet LP-790 etc), but this September 2010 Beat Goes On (BGO) twofer onto 1CD out of England concentrates on the later two and uses the STEREO mixes. I can't reiterate enough that this is a great sounding CD - I just wish half the material justified it. Because in January 2023 as I write this - both albums are seriously dated fodder – one to three-star material that at least comes with four-to-five-star audio and presentation that will keep those that do want the albums happy.

 

They were probably categorized back in the 60ts day as Jazz or Soul Jazz or R&B even and on occasion have a nugget or two for the Northern Soul Dancers and Mod Jazz circuits - the three-piece band including future Earth Wind & Fire main-man drummer and singer Maurice White in the ranks (the other was Double-Bassist Cleveland Eaton). But today (2023) - you would have say that much of it is Lounge - Elevator Music cover versions that occasionally rise to something higher depending on the song choice. Anyway, to the nitty gritty...

 

UK released 6 September 2010 (14 September 2010 USA) - "The Movie Album/Dancing In The Street" by RAMSEY LEWIS on Beat Goes On Records BGOCD948 (Barcode 5017261209481) offers Two Stereo Albums Fully Remastered onto 1CD and plays out as follows (74:39 minutes):

 

1. Theme From "The Pawnbroker" [Side 1]

2. Saturday Night At The Movies 

3. The Gentle Rain 

4. China Gate

5. Emily 

6. Goin' Hollywood 

7. From Russia With Love [Side 2]

8. The Shadow Of Your Smile 

9. Girl Talk 

10. Matchmaker, Matchmaker

11. Return To Paradise 

Tracks 1 to 11 are the studio LP "The Movie Album" - released July 1967 in the USA on Cadet LP-782 (Mono) and Cadet LPS-782 (Stereo) and in the UK on Chess CRL 4531 in Mono only. Recorded July 1966 at the Universal Recording Studios in Chicago (album's gatefold sleeve photos taken December 1966) - it was arranged and Produced by RICHARD EVANS.

 

12. Dancing In The Street [Side 1]

13. Mood For Mendes 

14. Struttin' Lightly 

15. You Don't Know Me

16. Django 

17. "Black Orpheus" Medley: 

Felicidade/Manha de Carnaval/Samba de Orpheus [Side 2]

18. What Now My Love 

19. Quiet Nights (Corcovado)

Tracks 12 to 19 are the live album "Dancing In The Streets" - released October 1967 in the USA on Cadet LP-794 (Mono) and Cadet LPS-794 (Stereo) and February 1968 in the UK on Chess CRLS.4533 (Stereo only). Recorded at Basin Street West in San Francisco (undisclosed date) - Produced by ESMOND EDWARDS.

 

Personnel for both instrumental albums:

RAMSEY LEWIS - Piano 

CLEVELAND EATON - Upright Bass

MAURICE WHITE - Drums

 

The card slipcase that these BGO reissues have gives this twofer a classy look and the new 16-page booklet with JOHN TOBLER liner notes (April 2010) goes deep into his hugely successful career (reputedly in excess of 80 album releases). The bulk of "The Movie Album" gatefold sleeve artwork is here as are Herb Wong's 1966 liner notes on the original LP sleeve that go into real detail. There's also biogs on both CLEVELAND J. EATON and MAURICE WHITE on Pages 14 and 15.

 

All very tasty - but it's the stunning audio that will captivate - new 2010 ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters done in the Sound Performance Studios in London. The clarity reflects the original Production qualities that even on the 'voices in the crowd' vibe for "Dancing In The Street" LP never feels intrusive or forced - the Bass Notes of Cleveland Eaton sliding out of your speakers with precision whilst Lewis is never anything other than impressive and cool – even if the material choices do not always thrill (Matchmaker, Matchmaker for God sake). To the tunes...

 

Voices, Strings and Brass arrangements all crescendo for the serious Lounge Lizard Quincy Jones piano ballad "Pawnbroker Theme", but far catchier and a Mod Jazz CD surety is Richard Evans' own "Saturday Night At The Movies" - a piano-funky coolsville tune. Brazilian Guitarist Luiz Bonfa provides "The Gentle Rain", but again it veers dangerously into schmaltz with a capitol 'sch'. Things get Girly-Vocals awful with the themes to the 1957 film "China Gate" by Victor Young and "Emily" from the 1964 flick 'The Americannization of Emily'. Finally Side 1 produces the first usable 007-boogie in "Goin' Hollywood" - another song from album Producer Richard Evans. Side 2 offers the obligatory Bond theme with "From Russia With Love", a bit better is the big and brassy sounding "Girl Talk" but it's quickly ruined by saccharine male/female vocals from some terrible square white people behind microphones. The album ends with "Return To Paradise" and it becomes obvious why this disappointing set didn't really go into the top 100. 

 

Although it doesn't state it as a 'live in front of a small invited audience' set - the second LP opens with that Martha & The Vandellas Motown classic "Dancing In The Street" - Smokey and Marvin's tune surviving a 'yeah man' hipster render. Billy Taylor's "Mood For Mendes" sees the Trio settle in shuffling drums, flicked double Bass notes and piano-plinking mode - and a gorgeous listen it is too even if a few bodies in the audience can't help yacking. Another contender for Mod Jazz CD compilations everywhere is the very Georgie Fame-esque "Struttin' Lightly" - the band's playing so spot on it feels tighter than the screws on Maurice White's high-hats. The ballad "You Don't Know Me" (made famous by Ray Charles) elicits 'awl right' from the mellow crowd. And on it goes into Latin and Samba moments with the three-piece 'Black Orpheus' section. 

 

You wouldn't want to call either album essential, but if you're a Ramsey Lewis fan - then the audio and typically excellent presentation from England's Beat Goes On of these now obscure 1967 LPs once again proves why this reissue label is a punter favourite...