Pianist Ramsey Lewis here revisits his 1974 successful Sun Goddess with a team of Henry Johnson/g, Mike Logan/key, Joshua Ramos/b and Charles Heath/dr. Lewis has made a career of making jazz accessible to the current generation, and this one had (and has) him plug into the electronic funk and soul sounds for dancing and strutting the streets. Modernized and freshened up material such as “Tambura” and “Jungle Strut” have rubber neck wacka wooka guitars and Headhunter-type keyboards that create irresistible grooves. Electronic strings and guitar droplets create a romantic mood on “Love Song” and Ramos creates the bass lick of a lifetime with Lewis delivering a dramatic read of Stevie Wonder’s “Living for The City.” The title brings in the sizzling Maurice White/dr, Philip Bailey/cong and Verdine White/b-voc from Earth Wind and Fire and along with Johnny Graham’s guitar, make you feel like Big Bad Benson is in town. Dr. John brings his piano in for “Jungle Strut” while Kung Fu and TAUK join in for “Tambura” and “Sharing Her Journey” respectively.
Lewis and company definitely put the fun back in funk here.