Webster Lewis was American pianist, composer, arranger, and producer. In the late '60s and early '70s, he led an early European jazz-funk band and cut a pair of albums for
Sonet. After returning to the states, he played piano and keyboards with
Tony Williams,
George Russell, and
Herbie Hancock.
Lewis' catalog contains four oft-sampled albums for
Epic:
On the Town (1976),
Touch My Love (1978),
8 for the 80's (1979), and
Let Me Be the One (1981).
Expansion's
Give Me Some Emotion: The Epic Anthology 1976-1981, compiled by
Will Fox and
Ralph Tee, is an overview of his label tenure in 16 killer tracks.
The compilation is sequenced aesthetically rather than chronologically.
Lewis hired dozens of top-flight jazz musicians and singers for his recordings. The two openers, "Hideaway" and "Barbara Ann," are among four selected from
Touch My Love. The former is frenetic and joyous, fueled by a massive bassline and hyper-stummed wah-wah guitars over
Lewis's piano, sweeping strings, a female vocal chorus, and a righteous tenor sax solo from
Harold Vick. "Barbara Ann,"
Lewis' best-known track, endures as a club anthem in the 21st century. Wedding kinetic Latin grooves to disco, soul, and funky-butt jazz, it sounds like
Eddie Palmieri jamming with
the Love Unlimited Orchestra (
Lewis worked with them in the 1980s). His Rhodes solo is at once musically expansive and meaty. The other two tracks from the album are its glossy title jam, with an infectious, vocally rich,
Earth Wind & Fire-esque groove, and the relentlessly funky "Hideaway," with production that recalls
George Clinton.
8 for the 80s was the only charting album
Lewis released; chock-full of brilliant songs and production, three of its tracks appear here. "You Deserve to Dance" is transcendent with punchy drums, co-producer
Herbie Hancock's edgy clavinet, as well as handclaps, sweeping strings, and soaring female vocals. This set's title track was a smash single for
Merry Clayton. Sung by
Johnny Baker backed by a female chorus, it's a bouncy love song rather than the passionate baby-maker in
Clayton's read. "The Love You Give to Me" is a midtempo jazzy soul ballad that is among the set's finest moments thanks to an astonishing vocal from
Sylvia Cox. Five tracks appear from
Let Me Be the One, co-produced with
Skip Scarborough. While "Dancer" is a steamy,
Ramsey Lewis-esque dancefloor cranker, "El Bobo" is a summery Afro-Brazilian-cum-Latin-jazz-funk vehicle for master percussionist
Willie Bobo. That album's title number is a stomping disco jam with passionate vocals and chants, while "You Are My Life" is the most passionate love song
Lewis recorded. The unreleased tracks include the Rhodes-drenched "Reach Out" (
Lewis was a spectacular pianist) the sophisticated jazzy soul of "Boston," and an alternate take of
Touch My Love's "Japanese Umbrella." This compilation is essential. It offers fantastic sound and a fine liner essay from
Fox. The only complaint is that only half of
Lewis'
Epic titles are in print. Hopefully, a company is planning to make them all available again. ~ Thom Jurek
