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Victor Lewis

Internationally acclaimed drummer and composer Victor Lewis was born on May 20, 1950 in Omaha, Nebraska. His father, Richard Lewis, who played saxophone and mother, Camille, a pianist-vocalist were both classically trained musicians who performed with many of the "territory bands" that toured the midwest in the forties. Victor grew up hearing jazz along with popular and European classical music at home, and would go to the local theater with his father to hear the big bands when they passed through Omaha. The first people he remembers seeing were Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Woody Herman.

Victor started studying music when he was ten and a half years old. He began on the cello because he was too small for the acoustic bass, but switched to the drums a year and a half later after watching the local drum corps marching on the Fourth of July and other holidays. He also studied classical piano which is when he learned how to read music.

Lewis began playing drums professionally on the local scene at the age of 15. Because few of the older drummers in Omaha could read music, the young percussionist was called up for a variety of commercial jobs, including jingles, the Bob Hope Show, even the circus. At first Victor's style reflected his attraction to the big band drummers he had seen with his father and heard on records, but after hearing a record of Miles Davis' Quintet with Tony Williams things changed. He began exploring Williams' sound and the styles of other great small group drummers like Art Blakey, Kenny Clarke, Max Roach and Philly Joe Jones. Soon afterwards he started his own small group to play around town. His first job with a nationally known jazz musician was accompanying Hank Crawford in Omaha.

On Victor's first gig in Manhattan, a night at Boomer's with bassist Buster Williams' group, he met trumpeter Woody Shaw. Lewis joined the trumpeter's band and a few months later, he made his recording debut on Shaw's classic, The Moontrane. The drummer also began making his mark on the burgeoning fusion and pop jazz scenes, providing the beat on records by Joe Farrell, Earl Klugh, Hubert Laws, Carla Bley and David Sanborn. It was on Sanborn's lps that Victor's compositional skills were first exposed to the public. They recorded Victor's "Seventh Avenue" and "Sophisticated Squaw" (a/k/a "Agaya") on their first outing together and Sanborn would call on Lewis' writing talents again in the future when he recorded "The Legend of the Cheops."

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Album Review

Kirk Lightsey: Live At Smalls Jazz Club

Read "Live At Smalls Jazz Club" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


The genesis of this brief (in terms of tracks; the Spotify version differs slightly) but satisfying recording merits some comment. During the salad days of the pandemic, Smalls Jazz Club in jny: New York (and many other venues) were shuttered. Many artists were forced to improvise (in more ways than one) both to find a place to play and to make a living, neither particularly easy even in “normal" times. The Smalls LIVE Foundation raised funds through what it describes ...

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Album Review

John Bailey: Time Bandits

Read "Time Bandits" reviewed by Jack Bowers


After working and recording for decades with some of the jazz world's best and brightest talents, trumpeter John Bailey released his first album as leader of his own group in 2018, the second in 2020 and, in 2023, his third, Time Bandits, which shares a name but nothing more with Terry Gilliam's 1981 film fantasy. Bailey leads an all-star quartet on this one, firmly anchored by drummer Victor Lewis (the timekeeper on all of Bailey's albums) and ...

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Album Review

George Cables: Too Close for Comfort

Read "Too Close for Comfort" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Maestro George Cables returns to the trio format on Too Close for Comfort, the twenty-first recording as leader of own groups. That means listeners are able to hear even more of his deft and delightful piano, always a welcome bonus. Cables is admirably supported throughout by bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Victor Lewis. Cables leads with the title song, which is played slightly off-kilter, modestly blurring its resemblance to Sammy Davis Jr.'s mega-hit from the Broadway musical ...

6
Album Review

Roni Ben-Hur: Stories

Read "Stories" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur, originally from Israel, has absorbed a lot of different cultures and styles into his music. That is reflected on this CD in the variety of music played here: straight ahead jazz as well as Latin and Middle Eastern folk melodies. Mexican singer Magos Herrera brings a sense of husky passion to the songs “La Serena" and “A Redoblar" that sits nicely beside Ben-Hur's warm guitar chords, Ingrid Jensen's soaring trumpet and George Cables' crafty piano ...

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Album Review

Roni Ben-Hur: Stories

Read "Stories" reviewed by John Chacona


Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur is an old soul. Uninterested in ostentation, the Israeli-born guitarist has been content to release a series of warm-hearted recordings that favor partnership over pomposity. Half his 12 leader dates have been duets or are co-credited. Stories isn't one of them, but it might as well be. This is an ensemble recording, patient and glowing with wisdom. Ben-Hur is helped by the elder masters he often chooses to bring gravity and wisdom to his dates. ...

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Album Review

Larry Willis: I Fall in Love Too Easily

Read "I Fall in Love Too Easily" reviewed by Jack Bowers


I Fall in Love Too Easily is subtitled “The Final Session at Rudy Van Gelder's," as it is not only descriptively but literally the last recording session by veteran pianist Larry Willis, who died at age seventy-six in September 2019, one year after the album was completed at the renowned Van Gelder studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The occasion also represented a homecoming of sorts for Willis who launched his six-decades-long career at that same studio in 1965, cutting ...

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Album Review

John Bailey: Can You Imagine?

Read "Can You Imagine?" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Letting his imagination roam free, trumpeter John Bailey envisions a world in which one of his musical touchstones, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, is president of the United States--one in which Gillespie's cabinet includes Duke Ellington (secretary of state), Louis Armstrong (secretary of agriculture) and Miles Davis (CIA director). The fact is, Gillespie did “run" for president in 1964, a crusade that was far more satirical than serious. Nevertheless, as was his fashion, Gillespie milked his “candidacy" for all it was worth, ...

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Performance / Tour

Pianist James Collins With Steve Wilson, Victor Lewis & More - April 10 In Philadelphia - One Night Only - Free!

Pianist James Collins With Steve Wilson, Victor Lewis & More - April 10 In Philadelphia - One Night Only - Free!

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations

Rising Star Pianist James Collins April 10, 3pm. FREE! Featuring: Steve Wilson Victor Lewis David Wong Noah Hocker First Presbyterian Church 35 West Chelten Ave. Philadelphia, PA 1914 (215) 843-8811 About James Collins James Collins is a young up-and-coming jazz pianist and composer in the jny: Philadelphia area. Born into a musical family, James was exposed to great music of all genres from a ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Russell Malone and Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Craig Hultgren and Luna Nova, Niu Jazz Ensemble and Victor Lewis, and More

Jazz This Week: Russell Malone and Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Craig Hultgren and Luna Nova, Niu Jazz Ensemble and Victor Lewis, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

It's a mixed bag of jazz and creative music happening this weekend around the St. Louis area, with performances including straight-ahead, mainstream jazz sounds from both small groups and big bands; a triple bill of female guitarists; a cabaret take on Southern rock; an innovative cellist who bridges free improv and contemporary compositions; and more. Let's go to the highlights: Tonight, guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Cyrus Chestnut and his trio will team up for the first time ever, beginning ...

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Performance / Tour

NIU Jazz Ensemble, Victor Lewis to Perform on Sunday, April 15 at the Sheldon

NIU Jazz Ensemble, Victor Lewis to Perform on Sunday, April 15 at the Sheldon

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

The Northern Illinois University (NIU) Jazz Ensemble will perform in concert with special guest drummer Victor Lewis at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, April 15 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. The NIU Ensemble is led by the noted jazz educator and saxophonist Ron Carter, who spent nearly 20 years teaching music in this area before accepting the job of director of jazz studies at NIU. The concert at the Sheldon will also feature jazz ensembles from SIUE, led by Rick Haydon, and ...

331

Recording

Tenor Saxophonist Joel Frahm Releases "We Used to Dance" with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Victor Lewis on Anzic Records

Tenor Saxophonist Joel Frahm Releases "We Used to Dance" with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Victor Lewis on Anzic Records

Source: DL Media

Frahm to Celebrate the CD Release with the Trio on May 2-6 at Sweet Rhythm

“Joel Frahm, one of the young band leaders often heard in New York's small jazz clubs, sounds supremely comfortable playing the tenor saxophone." - Ben Ratliff, New York Times

If you've spent time in the New York jazz scene during the last two decades, you have undoubtedly heard superlative statements like the one about the exceptional saxophonist Joel Frahm. His past recordings have been universally ...

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Recording

"Jazz My Soul" by the Jazz Explorers Features George Cables, Dave Liebman, Carmen Lundy, Billy Hart, Sonny Fortune, Victor Lewis and Cecil McBee Performing the Music of Tim Duffy

"Jazz My Soul" by the Jazz Explorers Features George Cables, Dave Liebman, Carmen Lundy, Billy Hart, Sonny Fortune, Victor Lewis and Cecil McBee Performing the Music of Tim Duffy

Source: All About Jazz

Bob Funk, Uptown Horns trombonist and producer, is proud to announce Jazz My Soul by The Jazz Explorers, released by Rhythm Dynamics. This extraordinary project features great performances by a unique gathering of jazz legends, including George Cables, Dave Liebman, Carmen Lundy, Billy Hart, Sonny Fortune, Victor Lewis and Cecil McBee and a strong supporting cast. The Jazz Explorers collective workshop performing the soulful original music of composer and band leader Tim Duffy move contemporary mainstream jazz forward with power ...

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Performance / Tour

JC Hopkins Biggish Band Featuring Andromeda Turre and Special Guest Victor Lewis at Sol Sunday, March 11th 8PM

JC Hopkins Biggish Band Featuring Andromeda Turre and Special Guest Victor Lewis at Sol Sunday, March 11th 8PM

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

JC HOPKINS BIGGISH BAND featuring ANDROMEDA TURRE and special guest VICTOR LEWIS at SOL 609 WEST 29TH NY,NY SUNDAY, MARCH 11TH 8PM DANCE LESSONS @ 7PM 212-643-6464 http://www.sol-nyc.com/

Legendary jazz drummer Victor Lewis (Sonny Rollins), joins Grammy nominated JC Hopkins and his Biggish Band for a night of hard bop and original swing. The band features “some of the finest musicians in the city" (NY Times) ...

108

Performance / Tour

Will Sellenraad & Root Down LIVE @ Detour feat: Victor Lewis, Abraham Burton, Gary Versace(fri), Gary Wang(sat)

Will Sellenraad & Root Down LIVE @ Detour feat: Victor Lewis, Abraham Burton, Gary Versace(fri), Gary Wang(sat)

Source: All About Jazz

get down... Friday, May 20th 9:30pm 1:30am Detour 349 East 13th Street @ 1st Ave. NYC :: 212.533.6212 ***Will Sellenraad & Root Down*** **Abraham Burton- saxophone** **Will Sellenraad- guitar** **Gary Versace- organ** **Victor Lewis- drums** *** Saturday, May 21st 9:30pm 1:30am Detour 349 East 13th Street @ 1st Ave. NYC :: 212.533.6212 ***Will Sellenraad & Root Down***

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Performance / Tour

Will Sellenraad & Root Down feat: Victor Lewis, Tonight at Detour NYC

Will Sellenraad & Root Down feat: Victor Lewis, Tonight at Detour NYC

Source: All About Jazz


179

Recording

A New Kind of Blue with Randy Brecker, Andy Snitzer, David Finck, Victor Lewis and more!

A New Kind of Blue with Randy Brecker, Andy Snitzer, David Finck, Victor Lewis and more!

Source: All About Jazz

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the release of “Kind of Blue" and Gary Guthrie has plied his “what if" curiosity by producing one of the more intriguing jazz records of 2004 - A New Kind of Blue, a fresh version of Miles Davis' classic. Featuring recent Grammy winner Randy Brecker channeling the spirit of Davis, Guthrie's studio group - dubbed “g.org" (pronounced “g - dot - org") - stretches the “New Blue" well past the 45-minute limits of ...

Primary Instrument

Drums

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Rutgers University and private lessons

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Time Bandits

Freedom Road Records
2023

buy

Live At Smalls Jazz...

Cellar Records
2022

buy

Stories

Dot Time Records
2021

buy

Too Close for Comfort

HighNote Records
2021

buy

Can You Imagine?

Self Produced
2020

buy

I Fall in Love Too...

HighNote Records
2020

buy

Time Bandits

From: Time Bandits
By Victor Lewis

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