Search - Young-Holt Trio :: Wack Wack

The Ramsey Lewis Trio Continued...

Chris Covais | 03/31/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is basically just a continuation of the Ramsey Lewis Trio, minus Ramsey Lewis. Nothing new. Nothing original. Nothing gained, nothing losed. There's still the light pop melodies over the latin rhythms.

Never the less, The Ramsey Lewis Trio was great, so any continuation of that is great. This neat little trio does swing! Their hit, Wack Wack is good, and the cover of popular tunes are also good. Young Holt Unlimited, just continued what they were doing in the Ramsey Lewis Trio, without Lewis who was the reason for the disbanding of them. There are other Young Holt Unlimited songs to check out like, Soulful Strut, they're best cut, in my opinion.

The Ramsey Lewis Trio broke up officially in 1965, but Eldee and Red kept it going in their neat little trio called Young Holt Unlimited.

Happy Listening."

Wacking Soulfully

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 10/09/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

""You know that I love you with the wind & rain in your hair and the moon shining down through the trees," Eldee Young says on the opening track of this re-release of Young Holt Trio's, later called Young Holt Unlimited, debut 1967 release. Brunswick has done a nice job of digitally remastering the disc, giving it a very clean contemporary sound. When Eldee Young and Red Holt split from Ramsey Lewis, they wanted to capitalize on the association, thus pianist Hysear Don Walker's whose Lewis-style piano figures so heavily in their sound was not titled in the band name. They do some classics in decent fashion here. Lennon & McCartney's "Yesterday" is given a bit more upbeat treatment than the original with Red Holt splashing the cymbals feverishly. Bobby Hebb's classic "Sunny" is also goosed with some righteous bopping. The Mamas & the Papas' classic "Monday Monday" by John Phillips is given a loose treatment with Walker's piano fleshing the melody. The title tune sounds a bit like Booker T & the MGs, but is a lot of fun with the guys shouting out "Wack Wack" as the piano bangs the note. The classic "Red Sails in the Sunset" is given an epic treatment. This set sounds remarkably fresh 36 years after it was recorded. This is one that jazz and rock fans will want to seek out! Enjoy!"