Meant to Be (Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson album)
2002 studio album by Ramsey Lewis & Nancy Wilson
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Meant to Be is a studio album by American jazz artists Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson released in 2002 on Narada Records. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.[1][2]
| Meant to Be | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 16, 2002 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 56:14 | |||
| Label | Narada | |||
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| Nancy Wilson chronology | ||||
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Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Miami Herald |  [4] |
| Chicago Sun-Times | [5] |
Howard Cohen of the Miami Herald praised the album saying "Genre-hoppers Ramsey Lewis and vocalist Nancy Wilson have teamed before in the mid-'80s and once again make for a winning pair. Their latest, Meant to Be, a mix of instrumentals and vocal tracks, clings to the more romantic, mellow side of jazz with hospital-clean acoustics and refined accompaniment from pianist Lewis' trio. As such, the elegant Wilson, who sings on five of the 11 tracks, is in her element."[4] Laura Emerick of the Chicago Sun-Times noted "though Lewis' pianism might serve as the equivalent of aural wallpaper for many jazz purists, their work here will delight their fans."[5]
Matt Collar of AllMusic declared "Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson's 1984 project, The Two of Us, featured synth pop, smooth jazz, and disco-lite covers of tunes such as Paul McCartney's "Ram." While it was a solid attempt at mid-'80s mainstream pop radio airplay, it had little to do aesthetically with the jazz heritage that Lewis and Wilson built their careers on. Fast-forward to 2002 and you find the duo teaming up again on Meant to Be, an album of straight-ahead acoustic jazz. Some fans of The Two of Us may be a little disappointed with the classicist nature of the project, but anyone who's enjoyed the varied work of these two legends should revel in the lush sound they've achieved.[3]
Mario Tarradell of the Dallas Morning News found "Piano man and song stylist unite again, and it's another exquisite effort. Several of Mr. Lewis' instrumentals are sprinkled throughout the 11-song disc, the most ambitious being "A Moment Alone." But the proceedings turn sensual and alluring when Ms. Wilson sings."[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Peel Me a Grape" | Dave Frishberg | 5:10 |
| 2. | "Truthfully" | Ryan Cohan, Ramsey Lewis | 5:51 |
| 3. | "Did I Ever Really Live" | Albert Hague, Allan Sherman | 2:36 |
| 4. | "Velvet Night" | Ramsey Lewis | 4:46 |
| 5. | "A Moment Alone" | Ramsey Lewis | 7:12 |
| 6. | "Moondance" | Van Morrison | 5:20 |
| 7. | "Meant to Be" | Larry Gray, Ramsey Lewis | 5:01 |
| 8. | "Piano in the Dark" | Scott Cutler, Jeff Hull, Brenda Russell | 4:34 |
| 9. | "Time Peace" | Ramsey Lewis | 6:01 |
| 10. | "First Time Love" | Patti Austin, Dave Grusin, Harvey Mason, Sr. | 5:31 |
| 11. | "Tanquissimo" | Fareed Haque | 4:08 |
Credits
- Acoustic bass – Larry Gray
- Concert Grand Piano – Ramsey Lewis
- Drums – Ernie Adams, Leon Joyce, Jr
- Vocals – Nancy Wilson