Last updated: 1 day ago
Although he was generally reluctant to solo, Mel Lewis was considered one of the definitive big band drummers, a musician who was best at driving an orchestra, but could also play quite well with smaller units. He started playing professionally when he was 15 and worked with the big bands of <a href="spotify:artist:5E84HDW1BoYkMZ7pQ9JU9a">Boyd Raeburn</a> (1948), <a href="spotify:artist:35hCHSRgl0dhCYfgGb4bwV">Alvino Rey</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5YRqxl4KfzKkFBMu408yv6">Ray Anthony</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7e9843xr17L5hRYAti3dtG">Tex Beneke</a>. Lewis gained a great deal of recognition in the jazz world for his work with <a href="spotify:artist:27hSR8e34ZM5vj5fUFixyb">Stan Kenton</a> (1954-1957), making the large ensemble swing hard. In 1957, he settled in Los Angeles, became a studio drummer, and worked with the big bands of <a href="spotify:artist:4vc7AQ05GYmIYTzly9xjbp">Terry Gibbs</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2gSkBqzo1VXaWnAyjhoYk7">Gerald Wilson</a>. Lewis went to New York to play with <a href="spotify:artist:6l40OFJhuTbHQ9V12evc9K">Gerry Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band</a> in 1960, and he toured Europe with <a href="spotify:artist:5RzjqfPS0Bu4bUMkyNNDpn">Dizzy Gillespie</a> (1961) and the Soviet Union with <a href="spotify:artist:1pBuKaLHJlIlqYxQQaflve">Benny Goodman</a> (1962). In 1965, Lewis formed an orchestra in New York with <a href="spotify:artist:6DbqS0X8cSFOPGsvyze2yh">Thad Jones</a> which grew to be one of the top big bands in jazz. When <a href="spotify:artist:6DbqS0X8cSFOPGsvyze2yh">Jones</a> surprised everyone by suddenly fleeing to Europe in 1979, Lewis became the orchestra's sole leader, playing regularly each Monday night at the Village Vanguard until his death. Lewis recorded as a leader in the 1950s for San Francisco Jazz Records, Mode (reissued on V.S.O.P.), and Andex and, after <a href="spotify:artist:6DbqS0X8cSFOPGsvyze2yh">Thad Jones</a> left their orchestra, Lewis recorded with his big band for Atlantic, Telarc, and Music Masters. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
Monthly Listeners
87,194
Monthly Listeners History
Track the evolution of monthly listeners over the last 28 days.
Followers
3,401
Followers History
Track the evolution of followers over the last 28 days.
Top Cities
1,608 listeners
1,230 listeners
1,155 listeners
1,141 listeners
965 listeners
Related Artists
Sammy Nestico
John La Barbera Big Band
Bill Watrous
The Big Band
Pepper Adams Quintet
Peter Herbolzheimer Orchestra
Bob Curnow's L.A. Big Band
