Ramsey Lewis - Hot Dawgit - The Anthology: The Columbia Years (2016)

Hot Dawgit - The Anthology: The Columbia Years is a luxurious set by the legendary Ramsey Lewis, spanning the award-winning musician, producer and composer's 17-year tenure with Columbia Records. Features 37 tracks including all of Ramsey's charted hits for the label, selected key singles and notable LP cuts drawn from among the eighteen albums he recorded for the label. The Chicago-born octogenarian began his journey as a recording artist at Chess Records in 1966, achieving chart success with his soulful covers of such tracks as 'The In Crowd', 'Wade In The Water' and 'Hang On Sloopy'. In 1972, Ramsey - initially with his famed trio (whose ranks had included a young Maurice White, founder of Earth, Wind & Fire as drummer) - began recording a series of critically-acclaimed albums for Columbia including Upendo Ni Pamoja, Funky Serenity and Solar Wind. In 1974, teaming with White - whose EW&F group was in it's ascendancy - Ramsey scored his biggest across-the-board hit with the now-timeless classic 'Sun Goddess' (the full eight-minute-plus version of which is included here). This stellar anthology, compiled by SoulMusic Records' David Nathan with superb notes by renowned UK writer Charles Waring including extensive quotes from Ramsey himself, with top grade remastering by Nick Robbins, features production work from a range of producers including Ramsey, Larry Dunn, Tom Tom Washington and Bert DeCoteaux. Also included are three tracks from Ramsey's initial 1984 pairing with song stylist supreme Nancy Wilson as well as full length versions of some of Ramsey's charted hits including 'Kufanya Mapenzi' and 'Brazilica'.

TRACKLIST

CD1

01. Slipping Into Darkness - the Ramsey Lewis Trio
02. Eternal Peace - the Ramsey Lewis Trio
03. Kufanya Mapenzi (Making Love)
04. What It Is!
05. Hang on Sloopy (Funky Reggae Style)
06. Hi-Heel Sneakers
07. Wade in the Water
08. The Everywhere Calypso
09. Summer Breeze
10. Hot Dawgit - Ramsey Lewis & Earth, Wind & Fire
11. Tambura
12. Sun Goddess - Ramsey Lewis & Earth, Wind & Fire
13. Jungle Strut
14. That's the Way of the World
15. Don't It Feel Good
16. What's the Name of This Funk (Spider Man)
17. Brazilica (LP)
18. Spring High
19. Tequila Mockingbird

CD2

01. All the Way Live
02. Aquarius / Let the Sunshine in (From "Hair")
03. Wearin' It Out
04. Whisper Zone
05. Come Back Jack
06. So Much More (Featuring Alice Echols Sanderson)
07. Lakeshore Cowboy
08. You Never Know (Featuring Alice Echols and Morris Gray)
09. Sassy Stew
10. Up Where We Belong (Featuring Morris Gray & Pat Shannon)
11. The Two of Us - Ramsey Lewis & Nancy Wilson Featuring Daryl Coley
12. Midnight Rendezvous - Ramsey Lewis & Nancy Wilson
13. Quiet Storm - Ramsey Lewis & Nancy Wilson
14. This Ain't No Fantasy
15. Slow Dancin'
16. 7-11
17. My Love Will Lead You Home
18. Eye on You