Tequila Mockingbird

Ramsey Lewis has long straddled the boundaries between jazz and pop. In fact, some of his music sounds more in the realm of easy listening than anything else. This 1977 effort combines elements of what some have termed "elevator music" with funk, soul, and jazzy melodies and harmonies. We even hear a dash of disco thrown in for good measure. Indeed, TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD is a time piece of sorts--all eight tracks have a distinct '70s flair. Lewis plays Rhodes keyboard on most tracks, the drums are heavily muffled, the electric bass is strictly used to add the element of funk, and unison horn riffs jump out of the music. However, a fine soprano saxophone solo is heard on the title track, and Lewis' own solos employ a jazz vocabulary that is more advanced than many of his crossover contemporaries. Highlights include "Intimacy" (mainly for the lovely piano introduction) and Lewis' instrumental version of the pop hit "Wandering Rose," which is quite soulful and danceable (perfect for anyone planning a retro party).

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