The careers of singer Nancy Wilson and pianist Ramsey Lewis have followed parallel lines since the early 1960s. Although both began as jazz artists, they soon found greater fame and fortune in contemporary pop and have rarely looked back since. In 1982, Mr. Lewis and Ms. Wilson teamed up for a vapid, forgettable collection of smooth jazz/contemporary pop called The Two of Us. For jazz fans, the record represented all the wrong turns taken by these two obviously talented musicians.
"Funky Notes from the West Coast" collects some of the finest soul-jazz, funk and soul released by Capitol/EMI. One of the Blue Note's best-selling reissues, "Funky Notes" includes tracks like "She's My Summer Breeze" by the Reflections, Maze's "While I'm Alone," A Taste of Honey's "I Love You" and Gene Harris' "Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong." Worthwhile for any fan of jazzy, funky soul.