Mel Lewis

about

Mel Lewis (May 10, 1929 - February 2, 1990) was a drummer, jazz musician and band leader. He was born in Buffalo, New York to Russian immigrant parents. His birth name was Melvin Sokoloff. He started playing professionally as a teen, eventually joining Stan Kenton in 1954. His musical career brought him to Los Angeles in 1957 and New York in 1963. In 1966 in New York, he teamed up with Thad Jones to lead the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band. The group started as informal jam sessions with the top studio and jazz musicians of the city, but eventually began performing regularly on Monday nights at the famed Village Vanguard. In 1979 the band won a Grammy for their album Live in Munich. Like all of the musicians in the band, it was only a side line. The band became the Mel Lewis and The Jazz Orchestra in 1978, when Thad moved to Denmark. Lewis continued to lead the band, recording and performing every Monday night at the Village Vanguard until shortly before his death from cancer at age 60. The band still performs on most Monday nights at the Village Vanguard; today it's known as The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and has released several CDs. Lewis's cymbal work was unique and added qualities to his groups that are hard to describe, but that are recognized immediately and virtually impossible to emulate (Buddy Rich once said that "Mel Lewis doesn't sound like anybody except himself"). He insisted on playing genuine Turkish-made cymbals, switching from the Zildjian brand later in his

top songs

albums

Live At The Village Vanguard

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The Mel Lewis Sextet

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The Lost Art

Mel Lewis & the Jazz Orchestra Play the Compositions of Herbie Hancock Live in Montreux

Mel Lewis Sextet

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Ganaview Peninsula

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Mel Lewis Septet (Got 'Cha) & Sextet

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The Roar Of '74

50 Best Of Blue Note

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Nokocester Reef

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Live at Village Vanguard

And Friends

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