Urban Knights IV

Last updated
Urban Knights IV
Urban Knights IV.jpg
Studio album by
Released2001
Genre Jazz
Label Narada
Producer Ramsey Lewis (Exec.), Frayne Lewis, Kevin Randolph
Urban Knights chronology
Urban Knights III
(2000)
Urban Knights IV
(2001)
Urban Knights Presents the Chicago Project
(2002)

Urban Knights IV is the fourth studio album by the jazz group Urban Knights released in 2001 on Narada Records. In the US, the album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Overview

Urban Knights IV was produced by Frayne Lewis with rhythm guitarist Norman Brown and saxophonist Steve Cole appearing as guest artists. [1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]

Matt Collar of AllMusic favourably wrote "Due largely to the inclusion of trumpeter Ron Haynes — a one-time Donald Byrd protégé — the fourth entry by Ramsey Lewis' smooth jazz supergroup is reminiscent of Byrd's seminal 1970s recordings. While merely hinting at Byrd's proto-disco inventions, Urban Knights IV is nonetheless a modern update of the trumpeter's work with the Blackbyrds. Although this album is nowhere near as funky as, say, Electric Byrd, it does come off grittier than many albums by Urban Knights' contemporaries." [4]

Tracklisting

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Message feat: Ron Haynes"Frayne Lewis, Kevin Randolph, Sharay Reed05:03
2."Moving Pictures"Frayne Lewis, Ramsey Lewis, Kevin Randolph04:03
3."Slick feat. Norman Brown"Frayne Lewis, Kevin Randolph04:53
4."Alright feat. Opal"Frayne Lewis, Kevin Randolph, Bryan Sledge04:40
5."Latin Flavor feat. Ron Haynes"Frayne Lewis, Kevin Randolph, Lambert Waldrip05:05
6."Pretty"Frayne Lewis, Ramsey Lewis, Kevin Randolph05:18
7."Sign Your Name feat. Steve Cole" Terence Trent D'Arby 04:16
8."Thinking About Your Love"Kevin Randolph, Bryan Sledge04:36
9."The One"Kevin Randolph, Lambert Waldrip03:55
10."Hi-Heel Sneakers" 04:25
11."Clubland"Ron Haynes, Vince Lawrence, Frayne Lewis, Ramsey Lewis, Kevin Randolph05:03
12."Thinking About Your Love"Kevin Randolph, Bryan Sledge04:26

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References

  1. 1 2 Urban Knights: Urban Knights IV. Narada Records. 2001.
  2. "Urban Knights: Urban Knights Chart History (Top Contemporary Jazz Albums)". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 9, 2019.
  3. "Urban Knights Chart History (Contemporary Jazz Albums)". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 9, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Collar, Matt. "Urban Knights - Urban Knights IV". AllMusic . Retrieved January 2, 2025.