Nat King Cole put his life on the line playing music. He was an inspiration to many a young pianist who saw the way to communicate musically. To break down all the barriers that people put in there way.
Nat King Cole and Oscar Peterson inspired cats like my guest who grew up in Chicago.....which was brimming with the baddest cats around Elliott Randall, Richard Evans, Morris Jennings, Cash McCall, Charles Stepney and an unlimited amount of Young/Holt. These cats contributed to my guests albums, movie soundtracks and live performances at the Lighthouse or the Jazz Workshop.
These melting pot of brethren thrived on commerce based record labels like Chess Cadet which fostered African American roots music like Ahmad Jamal and my guest.
It was a month at the London House growing up with those who were inspired by Monk and Blakey Playing with the late great Cedar Walton.
My guest is an ambassador of music taking his bands from Bahrain to Tucson. He has lived in the Windy City scene developing the groove, the feel keeping the African swing element into the music.....developing relationships within the urban community which fostered the community integral to melodic invention.
My guest has seven children and 14 grandchildren his legacy is cemented and now he will try to pour wisdom and faith into the younger brethren
Just a link in the chain Ramsey Lewis welcome to the JFS.