UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Prolific, powerhouse jazz artists Ramsey Lewis and John Pizzarelli will celebrate the music of Nat King Cole — “the best friend a song ever had” — with their tribute concert “Straighten Up and Fly Right” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13 in Eisenhower Auditorium.
The program will feature Lewis on piano and Pizzarelli on vocals and guitar performing some of Cole’s unforgettable hits, including “Route 66,” “This Will Make You Laugh,” “Paper Moon,” “Nature Boy” and “Hit That Jive Jack,” as well as classic songs by Lewis.
At a young age, Lewis studied classical piano, performing works by composers including Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms. He was 15 when his church asked him to join the jazz band, where a congregant-musician coached him.
The Chicago-based pianist-composer first piqued jazz fans’ interest with Ramsey Lewis Trio’s debut album, “Ramsey Lewis and The Gentlemen of Swing,” in 1956. But he kept them entertained with chart-toppers, such as the 1965 hits, “The In Crowd” and “Hang on Sloopy,” and his leanings toward gospel and smooth-jazz styles.
Since then, Lewis has released more than 80 recordings highlighting his jazz, funk and pop compositions. He won three Grammy Awards (as both a jazz and rhythm-and-blues artist), and five of his albums went gold.
Lewis’ musical expertise has landed him wide-ranging career opportunities, including a 13-episode “Legends of Jazz” public-television show. He is the artistic director of Jazz at Ravinia in suburban Chicago and is on the board of trustees for an inner-city music school in his home city. He also helped to form the Ramsey Lewis Foundation, which aims to connect at-risk youth with the world of music. He has hosted radio shows in Chicago, including the “The Ramsey Lewis Morning Show,” and his current syndicated program, “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis,” airs in various cities throughout the United States.