Victor Lewis


Victor Lewis is an American jazz drummer, composer, and educator.

Early life

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. Consequently, Victor grew up with jazz as well as popular and European classical music at home. He would also go with his father to hear touring big bands as they passed through Omaha, such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Woody Herman.
Victor started studying music when he was ten and a half years old. Too small for the acoustic bass, he began on cello, but switched to the drums a year and a half later inspired by the drum line marching in holiday parades. As part of his formal studies, he also studied classical piano.

Career

By the time he was 15, Victor began playing drums professionally on the local scene. As one of the few drummers who could read music, he jumped ahead of many of the older musicians for calls on commercial jobs. His big band jazz drumming style was greatly changed after hearing a record of Tony Williams with Miles Davis' Quintet. In addition to Williams, he was greatly influenced by the jazz combo styles of Art Blakey, Kenny Clarke, Max Roach and Philly Joe Jones. He started his own small group to play around town and quickly ascended to playing with nationally known jazz musicians, the first of which was accompanying Hank Crawford in Omaha.
In 1974 Lewis moved to Manhattan, Victor's first gig there was a night at Boomer's with bassist Buster Williams, where he met trumpeter Woody Shaw. Lewis joined the trumpeter's band, becoming a steady member, and a just a few months later he made his recording debut on Shaw's classic, The Moontrane. In the early seventies, the fusion and pop-jazz scenes were becoming popular. Quickly adapting, the drummer was soon recording with Joe Farrell, Earl Klugh, Hubert Laws, Carla Bley and David Sanborn. On his first outing with Sanborn, Lewis recorded his own compositions, "Seventh Avenue" and "Sophisticated Squaw" and later "The Legend of the Cheops."
In 1980, Lewis left Shaw's group to join Stan Getz, in a long collaboration that lasted until the saxophonist's death in 1991. Throughout the eighties, Lewis was one of jazz's busiest freelancers, touring and recording with, among others, Kenny Barron, Art Farmer, J.J. Johnson, Mike Stern, John Stubblefield, Grover Washington Jr., The Manhattan Jazz Quintet, Bobby Hutcherson and Bobby Watson.
As an educator, Lewis has contributed as a freelance instructor with The New School University Jazz School-Mannes Music School Jazz Program in New York City and appears in drum clinics around the world. In 2003 Lewis joined the faculty of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ where he teaches drummers and coaches jazz combos.
In the press, there have been several feature articles about him in publications such as Downbeat, The Wire, Jazz Times and Modern Drummer.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Family Portrait Know It Today, Know It Tomorrow Ease On with John Abercrombie, Arthur Blythe, Jeff Palmer Eeeyyess!!
  • ''Three Way Conversations''

As a member

The New York Rhythm Machine

With John Hicks and Marcus McLaurineBlues March: Portrait of Art Blakey

As sideman

With Kenny BarronWhat If? Live at Fat Tuesdays Quickstep The Moment Other Places Sambao Things Unseen
With Andy BeyShades of Bey Tuesdays in Chinatown
With Carla BleyHeavy Heart Night-Glo Sextet The Very Big Carla Bley Band 4 x 4 Live in Montreal
With Paul BleySpeachless Reality Check
With George Cables
With James CarterGardenias for Lady Day Present Tense
With Stan GetzThe Dolphin Pure Getz Line for Lyons with Chet Baker Voyage The Stockholm Concert Anniversary! Billy Highstreet Samba Serenity Spring Is Here Stan Getz Quartet Live in Paris
With John HicksNaima's Love Song featuring Bobby Watson East Side Blues Lover Man: A Tribute to Billie Holiday Cry Me a River
With J. J. JohnsonStandards Heroes
With Carmen LundyGood Morning Kiss This Is Carmen Lundy Something to Believe In Jazz and the New Songbook: Live at the Madrid Night and Day
With Charles McPherson
With David MurrayLucky Four MX
With David SanbornDavid Sanborn Promise Me the Moon
With Woody ShawThe Moontrane Love Dance Rosewood Stepping Stones: Live at the Village Vanguard Woody III The Iron Men – rec. 1977For Sure!
With John StubblefieldBushman Song Countin' on the Blues
With Harvie SwartzUrban Earth Smart Moves
With Steve TurreRhythm Within Steve Turre TNT
With Bobby Watson & HorizonNo Question About It Post-Motown Bop The Inventor Present Tense Midwest Shuffle
With others