Salongo
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Salongo
| type = studio
| artist = Ramsey Lewis
| cover = Salongo (cover art).jpg
| released = {{Start date|1976}}
| recorded = 1975–1976
| studio = Wally Heider Recording, Burbank Studios, Los Angeles, California
| genre = Jazz
| length =
| label = Columbia
| producer = Charles Stepney, Maurice White
| prev_title = Don't It Feel Good
| prev_year = 1975
| next_title = Love Notes
| next_year = 1977
}}
Salongo is a studio album by jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, released in 1976 by Columbia.{{cite book|title=Ramsey Lewis: Salongo |date=1976|publisher=Columbia Records}} The album rose to No. 7 on the US Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 17 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ramsey-lewis-mn0000334770/awards|title=Ramsey Lewis: Billboard Charts (Archived)|publisher=AllMusic|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103012013/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ramsey-lewis-mn0000334770/awards |via=archive.org|access-date=January 3, 2025|archive-date=3 November 2013 }}
Overview
Salongo was produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney.
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 =AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/salongo-mw0000711980|title=Ramsey Lewis: Salongo|author=Elias, Jason|publisher=AllMusic|website=allmusic.com}}
|rev2 = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide
| rev2Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite book
|editor-last=Swenson
|editor-first=J.
| author-link =
| year = 1985
| title = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide
| publisher = Random House/Rolling Stone
| location = USA
| isbn = 0-394-72643-X
| pages = 126
}}
|rev3 = Stereo Review
|rev3Score = (favourable){{cite magazine|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Audio/Archive-Stereo-Review-IDX/IDX/70s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1976-11-OCR-Page-0120.pdf|title=Ramsey Lewis: Salongo|author=Albertson, Chris|volume=37|issue=5|page=122 & 123|date=November 1976|publisher=Stereo Review|website=americanradiohistory.com}}
|rev4 = Variety
|rev4Score = (favourable){{cite magazine |id={{ProQuest|1401286762}} |title=Music Records: Tull, Campbell, Nightingale, Black Oak, Bellamys, Aces, Rainbow, Originals Top LPs |magazine=Variety |volume=283 |issue=3 |date=26 May 1976 |pages=68, 72 }}
}}
Variety wrote: "More excellent jazz and jazz-rock from Ramsey Lewis and other fine musicians. Hear Slick, Aufu Oodu, Rubato, Brazilica, Nicole and the title tune, much with Brazilian and/or African rhythms running wild." Jason Elias of AllMusic wrote: "Those shocked or even dismayed by the lack of jazz on 1975's Don't It Feel Good would no doubt be pleasantly surprised by this. Released in 1976 and produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney, Salongo offers a more substantial look at African and Latin styles." Elias added that "Salongo earns most of its raves by being one of the few albums of the time to sidestep commercial considerations. The effort is also one of Lewis's best at getting his eclectic nature and is more enjoyable than the better-selling Sun Goddess." Chris Albertson of Stereo Review called the album "very good" and described Lewis' performance as "sly." Albertson also stated: "Sure, Ramsey Lewis has a commercial that is, salable-sound, but it's a good one, and he still plays dynamic, funky piano. The influences here range from Sly Stone to Weather Report. This is by no means music that will live forever, but neither is it stillborn, which is more than can be said for much of what we hear today."
Track listing
{{track listing
| headline = Side one
| title1 = Slick
| writer1 = Charles Stepney, Maurice White
| length1 = 6:22
| title2 = Aufu Oodu
| writer2 = Derf Reklaw-Raheem
| length2 = 4:51
| title3 = Rubato
| writer3 = George Gershwin, Charles Stepney
| length3 = 0:42
| title4 = Salongo
| writer4 = Byron Gregory
| length4 = 4:42
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side two
| title5 = Brazilica
| writer5 = Maurice White, Martin Yarbrough
| length5 = 7:16
| title6 = Nicole
| writer6 = Jon Lind
| length6 = 3:49
| title7 = Seventh Fold
| writer7 = Charles Stepney
| length7 = 7:54
Personnel
- Ramsey Lewis – piano
- Derf Reklaw Raheem – flute, percussion, vocals
- Jimmy Bryant – clavinet
- Byron Gregory – guitar
- Ron Harris – bass guitar
- Steve Cobb – drums, vocals
- Tang – vocals
- Ndugu Leon Chancler – drums (on "Slick" only)
- Ernie Watts – saxophone (on "Brazilica" only)
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;" |
| Chart (1976)
! Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Top LPs & Tape
| 77 |
| scope="row"|US Top Soul LPs
| 17 |
| scope="row"|US Top Jazz LPs
| 7 |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="3"| Chart positions |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="40"| US |
| 1976
| align="left"| "Brazilica" | 88 |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Ramsey Lewis|state=autocollapse}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Columbia Records albums
Category:Jazz fusion albums by American artists
Category:Albums produced by Maurice White