Now, A Jazz Moment...

MUSIC: "The In Crowd" CD: Ramsey Lewis's Finest Hour, Verve 314 543 763-2 (cut 1)

2007 NEA Jazz Master Ramsey Lewis is still probably best known for his 1965 surprise hit "The In-Crowd." The title track appeared on his trio's 17th album to date.

Ramsey Lewis: We had a habit on all the albums up to that one of having at least one song that we called sort of a fun song. Something light, something easy. And somebody suggested "The In-Crowd." And we said, "Yeah, that'll work." So we decided to name the album that. And this is the part where I get to say, "The rest is history!"

MUSIC: up for punctuation and fades

"The In-Crowd" was recorded live at Washington DC's subterranean hot spot, Bohemian Caverns.

The Bohemian Caverns was the place in Washington, DC. where Thelonious Monk, Johnny Griffin, all the big name guys played there. And we weren't sure about "The In-Crowd." Because once people said who had played there I said, "Oh, these are hard-nosed beboppers. The In-Crowd may not..." We were all wrong. I mean, if you listen to that record, we did not coerce or ask any of those people to join in. We started playing that song -- and it was dancing in the aisles!

MUSIC: up and fades

"The In-Crowd" live in 1965 from Washington, DC's Bohemian Caverns. This Jazz Moment with pianist Ramsey Lewis was created by the National Endowment for the Arts. I'm Delfeayo Marsalis.