Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ramsey Lewis & Nancy Wilson: Meant to Be

Ramsey Lewis & Nancy Wilson: Meant to Be

By AAJ Staff
January 17, 2003
View read count

Ramsey Lewis & Nancy Wilson: Meant to Be

"Meant to be" indeed! After years of playing and performing together, two of the jazz world’s most underappreciated contemporary legends have once again gotten it together enough to get together on record, and the results are well intended to say the least. The album is a bit misnomered, however, for though both stars get their names above the title, only one appears on every track. In fact, Wilson wraps her worn but wonderfully willing cords around fewer than half of the selections, making herself more of a featured highlight than an equal partner. Still, highlights they are!

The opening skinning of "Peel Me a Grape" could teach Diana Krall a thing or two about how it’s really done. On the other hand, Wilson uses "Did I Ever Really Live" to demonstrate the lessons she has learned from Jimmy Scott. "Moondance" and "Piano in the Dark" are both squeaky but soulful, and "First Time Love" takes Ms. Wilson out in a romantic whisper. Otherwise, this is a Ramsey Lewis album— not that that is a bad thing! Except for Fareed Haque’s "Tranquilissimo," all of the other compositions — from the rhythmic keys and ribboned bass on "Truthfully," to the smooth and gentle trio work of "Velvet Night" — are credited to Ramsel Publishing Co., making Wilson’s contributions enticing interludes that pull listeners through some of the mellower moods Lewis sets alone.

Track Listing

1. First Time Love 2. Meant to Be 3. Moondance 4. Peel Me a Grape 5. Truthfully 6. A Moment Alone 7. Velvet Night 8. Did I Ever Really Live 9. Piano in the Dark 10. Tanquissimo 11. Time Peace

Personnel

Ramsey Lewis

piano

Album information

Title: Meant to Be | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Narada Jazz

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Peter Kowald Memorial in Frankfurt
< Previous

Meet Steel Sensation Robert Randolph
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.