Ramsey Lewis - Mother Nature's Son

LIMITED EDITION 180-GRAM VIRGIN VINYL

Ramsey Lewis' album Mother Nature's Son, consists exclusively of instrumental versions of songs by The Beatles, featuring ten of the songs from the band's White Album. Recorded in December of 1968, shortly after the November 22, 1968 release of The Beatles' album, it showcases Lewis on piano and keyboards playing with members from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. According to producer and arranger Charles Stepney, Lewis had expressed his admiration for the sounds achieved by The Beatles' producer George Martin in a 1970 Down Beat interview. However, during a later interview with Mojo magazine, Lewis himself explained: "I wasn't a Beatles fan. I'd recorded 'A Hard Day's Night, "Day Tripper and 'And I Love Her before, but I didn't really get them. But my producer Charles Stepney told me to think about doing a Beatles covers album. I didn't think that they had enough songs to do an entire album but he gave me a copy of the White Album and told me to listen. I did, but couldn't see how I could do anything with it. He was like 'You didn't really listen. So he arranged a few songs for me and then it was, I get it now." Lewis added that he produced the "electronic texture" effect on the album using the Moog synthesizer, an instrument he anticipated "working with for about 10 years". Mother Nature's Son peaked at No.4 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 10 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Mother Nature's Son
2. Rocky Raccoon
3. Julia
4. Back in the U.S.S.R.
5. Dear Prudence

Side B

1. Cry Baby Cry
2. Good Night
3. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
4. Sexy Sadie
5. Blackbird


Personnel
Ramsey Lewis – keyboards
Cleveland Eaton - double bass
Maurice White - drums
Charles Stepney – producer, conductor, orchestra arrangement, Moog synthesizer
Ron Malo – engineer
Ray Komorski – photography
Jerry Griffith – cover design
Marshall Chess – album supervision

Woodwind amplification by MAESTRO, Chicago musical instrumental company, Lincolnwood, Illinois