Ramsey Lewis Announces SATURDAY SALON - SOUND OF CHRISTMAS

GRAMMY Award-winning pianist and NEA Jazz Master Ramsey Lewis presents an exclusive concert experience Saturday November 28 at 1PM CT - Sound Of Christmas. For this performance Ramsey revisits his classic Holiday record Sound Of Christmas.

One of the best-selling Christmas jazz albums of all time Ramsey and his classic trio with Redd Holt and Eldee Young served up a tight set of grooves based around Holiday favorites like "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Winter Wonderland", "Here Comes Santa Claus", "The Christmas Song", and "Sleigh Ride" - and also carved out a few nice originals like "Christmas Blues" and "The Sound Of Christmas". The "Saturday Salon" takes place on the last Saturday of every month and features a 60-minute performance at 1PM Central Time. A portion of the proceeds from each performance benefits The Jazz Foundation of America.

The JFA is one of the leading non-profit organizations focused on aiding jazz musicians in this international time of need. Tickets are $20 and available at stageit.com/JanetLewis/90732

Ramsey Lewis has been an iconic leader in the contemporary jazz movement for over 50 years with an unforgettable sound and outgoing personality that has allowed him to crossover to the pop and R&B charts. The Ramsey Lewis Trio, with bassist Eldee Young and percussionist Redd Holt, became a fixture on the
Chicago jazz scene, releasing their debut album, Ramsey Lewis & His Gentlemen of Jazz, back in 1956. Lewis earned his first gold record, as well as a Grammy award for Best Jazz Performance, for their swinging version of Dobie Gray's hit "The In Crowd." He returned to the pop charts in 1966 with versions of "Hang On Sloopy" and "Wade In The Water."

After Young and Holt left Lewis' trio to form their own group, the pianist hired a new rhythm section with Cleveland Eaton on bass and Maurice White on drums. When White left the band to form Earth, Wind &;Fire, Morris Jennings signed on as the trio's new percussionist. White returned to produce Lewis' 1974 smash album entitled Sun Goddess, in which Lewis first experimented with electronic keyboards and featured Earth, Wind & Fire on the album.

Throughout his illustrious career, Lewis who is a NEA Jazz Master, has also joined forces with countless other artists to create new and innovative music. In 1984, he collaborated with Nancy Wilson on The Two of Us, in 1988 he recorded with London's Philharmonic Orchestra for the album A Classic Encounter, and in 1989 Lewis and Dr. Billy Taylor cut a set of piano duets in We Meet Again. In 1995, Lewis launched the side project Urban Knights, in which he collaborated with a handful of successful crossover jazz stars, including Grover Washington, Jr., Earl Klugh, and Dave Koz. In 1997, Lewis added disc jockey to his resume, hosting a popular show on Chicago's WNUA-FM that ran until 2009. A new show was syndicated in 2006 under the name Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis and was broadcast on jazz radio stations across the country. In
2006,a well-received 13-episode Legends of Jazz television series hosted by Lewis was broadcast by PBS on public TV nationwide and featured live performances by a variety of jazz artists including Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Kurt Elling, Pat Metheny and Tony Bennett. Lately, Ramsey has been touring with Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind & Fire), John Pizzarelli and Ann Hampton Callaway. Showing no signs of slowing down, Ramsey just released his latest record Urban Knights VII on the Ropeadope label. Urban Knights is an all-star jazz, R&;B and funk band that features Grammy nominated guitarist Henry Johnson, drummer Charles Heath, bassist Joshua Ramos and keyboardist Tim Gant.

In response to COVID -19 shutting down our concert venues Ramsey has introduced a digital program available to audiences worldwide. Lewis provides his fans with an exclusive concert experience streaming on the platform, Stageit. The "Saturday Salon" takes place on the last Saturday of every month and features a 60-minute performance at 1:00 PM CT.

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