Tequila Mockingbird

For the television episode, see List of Get Smart episodes § Season 4 (1968–69).

Tequila Mockingbird
designed by John Berg
Studio album by Ramsey Lewis
Released	1977 (1977)
Studio	Burbank Studios, Burbank, CA Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, CA Wally Heider Studios, Hollywood, CA
Genre	Jazz
Length	38:45
Label	Columbia
Producer	Bert DeCouteaux, Larry Dunn
Ramsey Lewis chronology
Love Notes (1977) Tequila Mockingbird (1977) Legacy (1978)
Singles from Tequila Mockingbird
"Skippin" Released: November, 1977 "Tequila Mockingbird" Released: February, 1978

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Cashbox	(favourable) [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[3]
Variety	(favourable) [4]

Tequila Mockingbird is an album by the American jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, released in 1977 on Columbia Records. ^[5] The album peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart, ^[6] as well as becoming one of the top-selling record albums in Mexico City. ^[7]

"Skippin" was issued as the first single in November 1977. ^[8] The title track, composed by Larry Dunn, was issued as the second single in February 1978. ^[9]

Overview

Tequila Mockingbird was produced by both Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire and Bert DeCouteaux. ^[10] Artists such as Ronnie Laws, Eddie Del Barrio and Ernie Watts featured on the album. As well E,W&F's Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Al McKay, Fred White and Johnny Graham made guest appearances. ^{[5] [11]}

Skippin' was later covered by both Victor Feldman and The Bill Watrous Combo feat. Danny Stiles. ^[12]

The album cover was designed by Columbia Records art director John Berg, who also came up with the album title Tequila Mockingbird. ^{[13] [14]}

In May 2019, The Roots performed "Tequila Mockingbird" as Jeff Daniels walked to his guest seat on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon , as a nod to his role as Atticus Finch in the Broadway production of To Kill a Mockingbird . ^[15]

Critical reception

Robin Welles for the Lake Geneva Regional News praised the album saying the “melody and improvisation blend with jewel-like precision”. ^[16]

Emmett Weaver of the Birmingham Post-Herald noted "really solid percussion with a semi-Latin influence." ^[17]

Cashbox described the album as having "a strong beat, fluid melodies and a richly orchestrated sound," calling Lewis’ keyboard work "clear, unhurried and affecting" and noting the title track as a "funky jump." ^[18]

In a review published by The Lethbridge Herald, the album was described as featuring “new audio electronics combined with vibraphone and other familiar instruments”, resulting in “an easy listening amalgam of jazz that holds onto the Lewis tradition while remaining fresh.” ^[19]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Tequila Mockingbird"	Larry Dunn	5:22
2.	"Wandering Rose"	Neal Creque	5:41
3.	"Skippin'"	Victor Feldman	3:08
4.	"My Angel's Smile"	Maure Stewart	5:18
5.	"Camino El Bueno"		3:53
6.	"Caring For You"		5:31
7.	"Intimacy"		6:00
8.	"That Ole Bach Magic"	Eddie del Barrio, Larry Dunn	3:12

Personnel

Musicians

• Ramsey Lewis - piano (all tracks), harpsichord (all tracks), Fender Rhodes (all tracks), Mini-Moog (all tracks), rhythm tracks (2, 4–7)
• Larry Dunn - keyboards and synthesizer programming (1, 8)
• Verdine White - bass (1, 3, 8)
• Leon Ndugu Chancler - drums and timbales (1, 8)
• Philip Bailey - percussion (1), congas (3, 8)
• Al McKay - guitar (1, 3, 8)
• Ronnie Laws - soprano saxophone (1)
• Eddie del Barrio - horn arrangements (1, 3, 8), horn conductor (1, 3, 8), electric piano (8)
• George del Barrio - string conductor (1, 3, 8)
• Paul Shure - concertmaster (1, 3, 8)
• Ernie Watts - saxophone (1, 3, 8)
• Buzz Brauner - flute (2, 3), piccolo (4, 5)
• George Bohanon - trombone (1, 3, 8)
• Oscar Brashear - trumpet (1, 3, 8)
• Bert DeCoteaux - rhythm tracks, string and horn arrangements (2, 4–7)
• Keith Howard - drums (2, 4–7)
• Byron Gregory - electric guitar (2, 4–7)
• Derf Reklaw-Raheem - percussion (2, 4–7)
• Fred White - drums (3)
• Victor Feldman - electric piano (3), percussion (3)
• Ron Harris - bass (4–7)
• Johnny Graham - guitar (8)

Technical

• Larry Dunn (1, 3, 8) - producer
• Bert DeCoteaux (2, 4–7) - producer
• Jack Rouben & Robert Fernandez (1, 3, 8) - mixing
• Edward Sprigg & Michael Ruffo (2, 4–7) - mixing
• Paul Serrano (2, 4–7) - recording engineer
• Ray Janos - mastering ^[5]

Charts

Chart	Peak position
US Billboard Best Selling Jazz LPs [6]	3
US Billboard Top LPs [6]	111

References

1. Elias, Jason. "Ramsey Lewis: Tequila Mockingbird". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
2. "Jazz Album Picks". archive.org. Vol. 39, no. 28. Cashbox. December 10, 1977. p.  36.
3. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 424.
4. "Music-Records: ELP, Cooper, Players, Wynne, Ramones, Trammps, Preston, Garrett, Chic, Roberts Top LPs". Variety . Vol. 289, no. 6. December 14, 1977. p. 72. ProQuest   1401322413.
5. Ramsey Lewis: Tequila Mockingbird. Columbia Records. 1977.
6. "Ramsey Lewis: Billboard Charts (Archived)". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2025– via archive.org.
7. "top-selling record album in Mexico City these day is a new Ramsey Lewis called "Tequila Mockingbird"". Star Tribune. January 5, 1978. p. 4. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
8. "Singles Reviews - Pick of the week" (PDF). November 5, 1977. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
9. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. November 3, 1978. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
10. Fordham, John (June 30, 2017). "Ramsey Lewis review – grandmaster of jazz delivers wit, warmth and poignancy". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved July 13, 2025.
11. "Ramsey Lewis 'Don't It Feel Good' / 'Sãlongo' / 'Tequila Mockingbird' / 'Love Notes' 2CD (BGO) 4/5". UK Vibe. July 3, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
12. "Skippin' by Ramsey Lewis". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
13. "Freedom Within Madness - John Berg, art director Columbia Records by Tony Lang". The Cincinnati Enquirer. April 15, 1978. p. 25. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
14. "The Most Exotic Bird In Captivity" (PDF). Retrieved July 18, 2025.
15. "Music from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon - Season 2019, Episode 82". moviesost.com. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
16. "The World Of Music - Chic is dancing to a disco beat by Robin Welles, Ramsey Lewis". The Lake Geneva Regional News. February 23, 1978. p. 44. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
17. "Listening corner by Emmett Weaver, Record Reviewer". Birmingham Post-Herald. November 19, 1977. p. 8. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
18. Cash Box. William and Mary Libraries Special Collections Research Center. Cash Box Pub. Co. December 10, 1977.
19. "Lethbridge Herald Newspaper Archives, Mar 31, 1978, p. 45". NewspaperArchive.com. March 31, 1978. Retrieved July 21, 2025.