Breaking Down Ramsey Lewis' SUMMER BREEZE (1973)
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- #bass #jazz #analysis #transcription #reaction #paulthompson
Let's dig into one of the most popular Jazz performance videos on RUclips - Ramsey Lewis' incredible interpretation of Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze". I'll break down what makes this arrangement so special harmonically and how Cleveland Eaton and Morris Jennings show us how to communicate without a word on a gig while laying down a DEEP GROOVE. I'll also talk about why people seem to love the sound of the bass in this video.
The anatomy of a great song, and the other songs it birthed!
Seals & Crofts - • Seals & Crofts - Summe...
Ramsey Lewis Trio - • Ramsey Lewis Trio - Su...
Isley Brothers - • Summer Breeze, Pts. 1 & 2
Website - www.paulthompso...
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Thank you for posting this! Ramsey deserves so much more credit than he gets for his musical contributions. I had the pleasure and honor of playing in his band for 10 years (1990-2000) and it was an amazing time of learning, growth and experimentation. Ramsey did many versions of popular songs including this version of People Make the World Go Round which he also recorded with the trio years earlier:
ruclips.net/video/fMklujOlZns/видео.html
Great job on the channel!
That´s a real gift of life!
Man you made me go down a rabbit hole with this one - I never knew there was a Ramsey Lewis version of People Make The World Go Round ... sounds fantastic though! My favorite has always been by Young Holt Unlimited.
Cleve Eaton lived right here in Birmingham, Alabama for many years prior to his passing. I’ve seen him perform several times here in town. The one time he heard me performing, he came up after the set and complimented me on my bass playing… You could have knocked me over with a feather! 😲🤯 Glad I didn’t see him before hand. I would have been a bundle of nerves! Rest well Sir!
Love me some Ramsey Lewis. I remember carrying my Boom Box and blasting Ramsey and others while waiting for the bus on my way home from school. And I had that shirt back in the day except in green! For real! One of my favorite of all time.🤣🤣🤣
I used to listen to Ramsey's radio show as a kid. He was huge in getting me into jazz listening and even performing
This was amazing!!! I only knew of the Isley Brothers doing Summer Breeze. So much greatness in this video. Thank you for the lessons!
Isley's version is amazing!
definitely my fave.
Another amazing insight into a (for me) hidden gem. What a heavy cover of this song! Now summer can come.
One of the most magnificent bass tones I've ever heard in my life
Love this so much. That bass is dancing... and the broken triplet run at 5:23 reminds me so much of the break in the solo of Rush's Closer To The Heart...!
HOLY BLEEP!!! Never heard this version! Amazing! RThanks for sharing!
Thank you for this video.I was blessed to see Ramsey live in concert the summer right before he passed here in Chicago one of my favorite jazz musicians ❤
Analysis is on Point!! Thanks so much!! I played with Mr. Cleve Eaton many years!! He played just like this(with energy and power) on EVERY song!! Rest well Cleve!!
thank you for introducing so many amazing songs and players
This bassist is awesome ... So funky and clear ... Having a lot of fun holding down the groove ...
Your videos always make me really happy. I get a certain level of peace hearing your breakdown of your favorite songs!
1st!!! I am here for the education! 💋😘🤗 I love the versions by Seals & Croft, Ramsey Lewis and The Isley Brothers!
I'm on the grill as I watch this post. This my all time favorite version of this song. Thank you for ushering in Summer.😊
A complex bass line.. but oh so smooth... gem of a song.. even more of a gem of a bass player... I think though that Ramsey''s version is much more alive than the Seals and Croft radio hit.. love your channel, bass player brother..
Love the breakdown brotha. I always loved this Ramsey Lewis rendition. Now it’s great to have a better understanding of why I love it so much!
WOW! What a 4th of July treat! Great piece, great work! Exemplary, of what makes live jazz performances so amazing to absorb in person! I got goose bumps just watching this clip! Thanx again & keep up the fantastic work!
Great version. Love George Benson and Al Jarreau's version ,as well.
I love this video too, and the bass line inspire me so much ramsey lewis is one of the best descoverys I made this year
So great! I have loved this song since I was a kid but I never knew Ramsey Lewis did a version of it. (I have also dug Ramsey Lewis since I was a kid, but I only knew his tune "The In Crowd," which was on the same K-Tel collection as "Summer Breeze." My parents rarely listened to that record but I nearly wore it out!) Great to hear the subtle differences here, and the amazing band interplay.
Dr. Lewis was one of a kind. May He Rest In Peace 🕊️. This was a great breakdown. If I might suggest, you should have a Join option to your channel so your subscribers can support your work financially every month. Just a suggestion. Be well Brother.
That was just pure genius. I've seen that video before but after an analysis, it's just pure genius . Thanks so much
Was going to say: THAT SHIRT. Epic. Also: bottomless respect for Eaton and Jennings -- titans both. Your channel is an absolute go-to, sir. The perfect blend of discovery and affirmation.
"Bring on the Summer!" Amen brother! This and Kool and The Gangs "Summer Madness" two classics that mark the beginning of summer. I was fortunate to see Ramsey Lewis Trio in 1983 perform this song live as well as the Isley Brothers numerous times in concert perform "Summer Breeze" Also Al Jarreau and George Benson recorded as a duet on their Concord Recording "Givin' It Up" I am old school and I don't care who knows it.
I had to play this with a few mates on my screen. This was insane. Down the summer breeze rabbit hole we go!
God love this channel… 💙
Dammit, the show you grabbed that from was one of the big TV events of my teenage years. And I fkn hadn't seen it!!!! Thanks for unearthing this gem.
I saw Ramsey once, maybe 25-years ago, and personality was so exposed and mined through out his entire performance. Great video, thanks.
Found this song this year and was amazed that I'd missed this perfection! Also, on the same album Mr. Lewis and the bank covers Seals and Crofts' 'Hummingbird', which I also found this year and now I listen to it at least once a day. It's just pleasure to experience the soul and spirit of real musicianship. RIP Ramsey Lewis
Thank you for bringing this version to my attention. One of my all time favourite songs. Great channel. I always enjoy your posts.
Really enjoyed that! I came up during the years when the pickup through the amp was the sound. A lot has changed in terms of people's taste (mine too), but for live performance - just doing a gig, it's still the default setup. Thankfully, there are more choices now... I think I recognize Cleveland's tone to be the (in)famous Marcus Berry pickup.
Breathtaking. Thankyou
Funny how I found this video at the beginning of the year. It was mesmerising.
Great lesson on a wonderful example of the soulful intelligent Ramsey Lewis trio.
This channel never lets you down, THE best bass and groove focused RUclips channel!
I 2nd your comment. 🎶
@@deeliciousplum Indeed! 😁
FACT!!! 😁👍🏾🙏🏾👊🏾
True dat!
Thanks so much for this really great version of this classic. damn ! Thats funky. 👌💖🎶
Wow! I had not heard the performance of the trio that pdbass shared. Sounds so good! 🌺
7:59 When the bassist of the trio was playing the part that pdbass explored, I cannot but experience my lower jaw dropping quickly to the dusty wooden floor from listening to the trio bassist's tone. 🌺
Great video! I worked at WNUA, the former Smooth Jazz station here in Chicago throughout the years of his syndicated radio shows and spent many sessions in-studio when it was just Mr. Lewis and myself in the room. He was always a class act and a kind & gentle spirit who laughed during every session and I’m forever grateful to have spent this time with him.
Epic analysis of a masterful version of this song. Isley brothers version is my favorite but this is right there also. Thank you so much for what you do. Because of your channel, I now listen to music much differently! Can’t wait for the next upload. 🙏🏾
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this terrific video - I didn't know about this version of Summer Breeze, but now I'm sure to share it with anyone that will listen! Your breakdown of the performance is just spot on, I love the bit about the Picardy Third. High quality music education going on here...
Wow! this rendition blew my mind. I am going to listen to Ramsey Lewis Trio now
This was something I did not know about. Thanks for analyzing this great performance.
Another banger. My fav version of the song is by the Isley Brothers. Would a semi hollow bass work to simulate an upright? That added some awesome thump to the song.
Great analysis of an underrated cover of this pop gem. Had to go pull my CD copy of this Ramsey Lewis jam and listen again for the bass work. Thanks again for the knowledge!
Thanks for this juicy video, Sir
Man I love your breakdown of this master piece
This is a great video: funky as hell! The best part is the Stank face during the solo.....and then the "arrangement".... woooo!
Great video! I learned a lot and really enjoyed being introduced to the music, the musicians and your breakdown (as always). I didn't know any of these musicians before watching. Also, I've used a "picardy third" before because it sounded cool. I knew it came from somewhere but didn't know where, and definitely didn't know it had a name. Love it!!
When Ramsey Died in September 2022,
I ran into This version of
Ramsey and Cleveland Eaton
playing the Tune.
Cleveland was killing in this Live Performance.
Also, I love (Bass Faces)
he was making in video....
I learned about Cleveland Eaton,
when he 1st Started playing with
Count Basie.......
Nice to see you highlight Mr. Cleveland.
Thanks from Brasil!
I play This a lot been a fan my entire life!!!
Thanks for this great post, that change at 5:25 is BAD!! love it and all your posts!
Amazing. I never knew this existed. Thanks for the breakdown and the great listening faces! I’ll be stealing this arrangement as best I can for upcoming summer gigs!
That was an awesome breakdown!
You're really doing a huge service to folks like me (read: white mid-90s kids who grew up on nu-metal and Britney Spears, both of which I love for the record) covering this music we didn't grow up with. All it takes is a curious mind to see all new kinds of greatness, like all that smooth 70s music I was too angry to listen to as a child, lol.
The bass line is incredible and does have a huge voice on this live version! Thank you so much for the detailed analysis and the tutorial. Especially the crazy octave bass fill drop down to the open E string for a repeat.. I had such a challenging time trying to decipher this one on my own, ( I personally thought it used an open G string pluck in the middle of the flurry, whereas you do a G octave and its 4th only). Very hard to duplicate what Eaton was doing there, and i think because he had the help of the drummer to get that effect. But now that i have heard your duplication of it, it now makes sense. Thank you!
Great video Paul. One of my favorites on You Tube too. So good! Thanks for breaking it down so well! 😁🤙🏽
I am from the South side of Chicago. The neighborhood is called Brownsville. Brownsville is adjacent to Hyde Park heading east to Lake Michigan. Ramsey Lewis and Quincy Jones just to name a few lived in this neighborhood. By the way so did Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole just to name a few more, but trust me there are many more musicians from this neighborhood. I am a bass player and record producer. I love Ramsey Lewis' rendition of Summer Breeze. I also love Ramsey Lewis' rendition on The In Crowd played with the same trio as in the Summer Breeze video. The bass player is amazing.
Love your breakdowns. Always love the standup bass. Wish I had learned it as a kid.
Excellent video… very interesting and educational and… I love your bass playing too!!! Thank you for this!
absolute magic touch on that upright ❤
Best theory vids. Yeah, good shirt. Your intensity playing Cleveland's line was cool. Now I know about the Picardy, really appreciate that.
riiight😎 !
Cleveland Eaton-whaaaat?!!
some dopeazz 70s sh*t
Skool these kidz 😄!
I have been waiting for this one! Cleve and Ramsey were a hell of a team. Losing Ramsey and Ahmad Jamal in the same year was a bummer.
Content like this is why i love this channel...be carefull Jazz is the og Soul music :)
Xmas Blues, So What and Night in Tunesia are my top 3 Bass intro's.
I love this!
Dude! Where have I been that I have never heard this rendition?!? Under a rock apparently! LOL!
Thanks for putting this video out there. I think I am going to have to bring this tune and rendition to my students soon!
By the way, I love the stank-face right around 5:00. I was making the same one!
amazing song
Thanks for introducing me to this song, this bass line is sampled for Jurassic 5 - concrete schoolyard (the beat change nearer the end).
Also check out Ramsey Lewis cover of The Mighty Quinn - sick upright bass sampled for Leaders of the new school - case of the PTA
Always AMAZING educational videos on musicianship, THANK YOU!!!
Nice man! Thanks for the gem.
Yeah, this is a new favorite, supplanting Type O Negative’s cover.
Thank you for posting this!
DAMN !!!!.....Nuff Said.
Nice love
I absolutely love Summer Breeze. I just think it's kinda funny that such a "white bread" song inspired so many funky versions. Like hearing the raw funk inside Horse With No Name by America or getting soulful with If by Bread.
Never heard this version before, but DAMN is it smoking.
Ramsey Lewis is brilliant in his own right, Cleveland Eaton is top-notch on the upright bass (listen to his bass playing on Gemini Rising on the Ramsey Lewis Sun Goddes LP) - Excellent Mastering!
Even in my early '70s Hard Rock daze, have always loved Pop tunes like "Summer Breeze". Even recently, I was not 100% sure of the bassist on that record...have heard it was Joe Osborn (from JO's son, David). IIRC, Wiki sez Harvey Brooks. Maybe the LP has detailed Liner Notes? Help. ;-)
Anyway, yes...this live video is amazing! The Isleys, the studio & the live version...fantastic!
And thanks for the reminder: I have had a Cleveland Eaton album in my Want List for too long!
Music Appreciation 101: .........this video
Gotta watch the whole video after this one 👌🏼😀
Thank you for your analysis of Ramsy's version. When I heard Ramsey's version when it came out, it hurt to listen to Seals and Croft's original. Yes, I also enjoyed the Isley's version, but Ramsey's was the best.
Great job my brother.
To re-quote you: "I love THIS video"!!!
Thank YOU 🙏🏽
The album of the Beatles he did (" Mother Nature's Son" ) is an absolute revelation too
Can’t believe it’s 55 years old!! Still have original vinyl which traveled across the Atlantic with me when I moved from UK.
I'm learning the piano after a life joking that I was born with two left ears. I'm diving into music theory now, but I really see that I need to develop my ear.
The famous Lewis Trio, after young and Holt moved, also Jennings replaced Maurice White who played with Ramsey Lewis for about a year, then he founded Earth Wind & Fire, yes that band.
1973 album Funky Serenity, and 1974 Sun Goddess are my favorite pieces from Mr Lewis.
A little suggestion for jazz funk fusion lovers, Jack Wilkins - Red Clay.
Great ❤
Thanks!
THANK YOU! 🙏🏽
Love it
I’m sure this is spam
Ridiculously funky...
Collectively we still have lots of Ramsey Lewis music to listen to, along with "Summer Breeze" from Seals and Crofts.
My pianist Mother had impeccable taste in music! I'll bet you touch on Wes Montgomery's 'Road Song' soon, if you haven't already.
The great Morris Jennings on drums who taught Buddy Rich how to play a backbeat in the 60s.
I would love to hear your take on "Eighteen and a bullet", either Derrick Harriott or Pete Wingfield, or even a comparison of the styles.
Great video!
and take a listen to the Ramsey version of People Make the World Go Round listed in the tallbass comment ...... WOW
Ramsey's aldo showing the full range of the Fender Rhode's dynamics, getting great overtones and making it bark. That's not a dx7 patch but a real piano that can be played pianissimo or forte.
I think I was 7, or 8 the first time I heard the LEGENDARY Mr. Lewis, may he RIP. SERIOUS take on that classic. You know MUSIC, and COOL shirts.
The Main Ingredient version is worth checking out as well.