In this Book
- The View from the Back of the Band: The Life and Music of Mel Lewis
- Book
- 2014
- Published by: University of North Texas Press
- Series: Lives of Musicians
summary
Mel Lewis (1929-1990) was born Melvin Sokoloff to Jewish Russian immigrants in Buffalo, New York. He first picked up his father's drumsticks at the age of two and at 17 he was a full-time professional musician. The View from the Back of the Band is the first biography of this legendary jazz drummer. For over fifty years, Lewis provided the blueprint for how a drummer could subtly support any musical situation. While he made his name with Stan Kenton and Thad Jones, and with his band at the Village Vanguard, it was the hundreds of recordings that he made as a sideman and his ability to mentor young musicians that truly defined his career. Away from the drums, Lewis's passionate and outspoken personality made him one of jazz music's greatest characters. It is often through Lewis's own anecdotes, as well as many from the musicians who knew him best, that this book traces the career of one of the world's greatest drummers. Previously unpublished interviews, personal memoirs, photos, musical transcriptions, and a selected discography add to this comprehensive biography.
Table of Contents
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- Foreword: Uncle Mel
- pp. v-ix
- 1. Born a Drummer
- pp. 1-11
- 2. Mel Meets New York City
- pp. 12-27
- 4. Kenton Presents Mel Lewis
- pp. 38-46
- 6. Life in Los Angeles
- pp. 58-65
- 7. Terry Gibbs and “The Tailor”
- pp. 66-74
- 8. Webster and Mulligan
- pp. 75-84
- 10. The Soviet Union and a Move East
- pp. 91-105
- 11. Back in the Big Apple
- pp. 106-112
- 12. Thad and Mel Get Their Opening
- pp. 113-117
- 13. Opening Night at the Village Vanguard
- pp. 118-129
- 16. The Youth Movement
- pp. 158-173
- 18. Thad Leaves for Denmark
- pp. 192-201
- 19. Mel Lewis and The Jazz Orchestra
- pp. 202-211
- 20. The Musical Mentor
- pp. 212-225
- 22. Hello and Goodbye
- pp. 240-255
- 23. Memories of Mel
- pp. 256-273
- Transcriptions and Listening Guides
- pp. 275-330
- Mel Lewis Equipment Timeline
- pp. 331-334
- Selected Discography
- pp. 335-358
- Bibliography
- pp. 380-389
Additional Information
ISBN
9781574415872
Related ISBN(s)
9781574415742
MARC Record
OCLC
894102082
Pages
384
Launched on MUSE
2014-10-30
Language
English
Open Access
No