Funk, gospel and bee-bop jazz will come together tonight as The Ramsey Lewis Trio joins Penn State's gospel choir, Essence of Joy, in the Eisenhower Auditorium.
"I speak for the whole choir when I say that this concert is an amazing way to start off our year as Essence of Joy," group treasurer Elizabeth Kernion said. "The Ramsey Lewis Trio is an extremely talented and well-known group, and we as students feel privileged to be part of his performance."
George Trudeau, executive director of the Center for the Performing Arts, said the idea of collaboration between the two groups came about when he heard Lewis was releasing a new gospel CD last year.
"We always like to try to bring one of the masters of jazz in each year to play," Trudeau said. "Because he was also releasing an album that returned him to his gospel roots, I thought it would be a perfect fit to have him perform a few of his songs with our gospel choir."
Laura Sullivan, marketing and communications director for the Center for Performing Arts, said she thinks it's amazing to have Lewis performing at Penn State with students.
"Ramsey Lewis is a legend in the area of jazz, and it's so great that he has come to Penn State," Sullivan said. "I think the highlight of the show will really be when Essence of Joy and Lewis come on stage to perform together."
Ann Clements, interim director of Essence of Joy, said the group is thrilled to be able to perform with such a well-known musician.
Trudeau said he believes Lewis is one of the country's most prominent jazz artists, which is one of the reasons students should attend the concert.
"He's an amazing musician, and students don't have many opportunities to hear an artist like Lewis play," he said. "Also you get to see Penn State students on stage as well, and that's always a cool thing. It should be a very special evening."
In the first half of the concert, Lewis will play selections from his new gospel CD With One Voice, accompanied by bassist Larry Gray and drummer Leon Joyce, Sullivan said.
The Ramsey Lewis Trio released its first album in 1956. Since then, members of the group have changed, but the music has consistently topped the charts, earning Lewis three Grammys and seven gold records in the past half century.
Essence of Joy, a student group created in 1991, performs both sacred and secular music from the African and African-American traditions.
The group will join Lewis on stage to sing three songs off his newest CD.
Sullivan said students should attend to see their classmates and friends singing alongside a living legend.
"It's a great way to experience jazz and gospel, and it will be amazing to hear the mix of a national legend and our own local students," she said.
The show is scheduled for 7:30 tonight. Ticket prices are $34 for adults, students are $18 and children under 18 are $27.
