Thad Jones Mel Lewis Montreux 1974

[5701birchroad]

Horrible audio. Perhaps the worst I've ever heard on youtube.

[zerekx]

don't clap yet!!! Yeah, those K's sound cool too. His most famous cymbal was a 20'' old A that had a piece cut out of it, kind glad I have some old big stamp 50's A's now too. old A's sound pretty damn good too, just made here in USA and not Turkish K's

[jazzrrl]

Congratulations who put this video,because we have to listen these profesionals.

I had those Ki'sistanbul he had that original sounds The man behind the Drums Mr.Mel Lewis!

[vova47]

I was there and remember this concert vividly. Walter Norris just joined the band after Roland Hanna had left and that in itself was very interesting and exciting. Thad always left a lot of space for piano to feel and Walter had quite a different concept than either Hank Jones or Roland. I got to hear that band many times that summer in Europe, traveling from one jazz festival to another.

Thanks for the memories of my favorite big band.

[Phattlippz]

Mel Lewis of Buffalo NY! Yeah!

[mrsticks28]

I got the story from Mel directly. He played a concert in Hartford in 1968, and that's when they dissapeared. I would have had those cymbals chained to my wrist!

[mrsticks28]

The K's were stolen in Hartford, CT. Knowing I was a drummer, every time I saw Mel, he would ask me if I heard anything about those cymbals. Sadly, I never did. Wonder who has them?

[MarkR1957]

@mrsticks28 I heard from someone who claims to have known Mel that it might have been someone at The Vanguard. Any truth to that?

By the way, how did Mel let his cymbals get lifted?

You'd think he would have had an armed guard watching those beauties ~

[chebeiker]

Lew Soloff, Jon Faddis, Stephen Furtado and Jim Bossy recorded with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis orch. on Sept. 1st 1972.

[chasefreak]

this would have been after 1971 because both Jon Faddis & Lew Soloff are in the trpt. section. Faddis did not join the band 'till '72 and Soloff left BS&T in '73

[dandiacal]

If you look at the back of the album Potpourri all the guys in the band are wearing Dashikas and their zodiac sun signs are mentioned. It was both a 1970s thing and a show of pride and solidarity etc.

[reidjazz]

Mel Lewis was WAY more musician than either Buddy or Louie (IMHO)...he played SO much more to the music than anyone ... and swung so hard!!!! To me (maybe not to you), he was the consummate big band drummer.

[MarkR1957]

Not only the consummate big band drummer, but the consummate drummer, period.

There were many guys who were more well known to the public, but there was no one, then or now, who had Mel's concept.

Mel is my favorite drummer/musician of all time. He fit his bands to perfection, and there was not one preformance of his I have ever seen that I would call below his standard.

Mel was the kind of guy who flew in under the radar and kicked everyone's ass, but good.

Genius.

The Best ~

[bigbreadeaterellis]

i like mels drumming

yes his profile was not up there with the likes of buddy and louie

but maybe that was his personal choice?

the main thing was he was a competant drummer

otherwise anyone could throw up the name mel lewis and noone would know who you were referring to?

mention bigbreadeaterellis and that would definatly get a silent response!

lol...thats me btw ; )

[drjazz86]

You are right that Mel Lewis was not a household name - except around jazz musicians' households. There is a reason he was in this band. He was more than competent. He was arguably the best big band drummer of all time, if you care about playing the music and kicking the band in just the right places. His comping was superb and oh, those dark ride cymbals... No crashes, just rides. When he joined the Kenton band, it swung like never before. Check out "Contemporary Concepts" if you can.

[pazmk1]

Another reason he was in this band - his name was in the title.

[redhouse7]

haha at 1:06..what is mel lewis wearing?

[CardinalEgan]

I like the trombone player blowing his nose at 3:30 while Mel quotes the Mexican Hat Dance...

peace

[jazman49]

Although I don't think Thad was trying to make a political statement, the fact that he, Mel and a lot of the guys in the band were wearing dashikis is a statement to the importance and significance of the African and African American culture in all of society.

[tabnlu1]

I believe it was more of just a fashion thing of the times. It was very cool to wear those in the late sixties early seventies.

[MarkR1957]

The more I see of Mel, the more he becomes my favorite drummer of them all.

Such a unique style, and he was vastly under rated as a soloist. He didn't have a set of stock licks. You never knew where he was going. He made you listen, and anticipate. Plus, his drums and cymbals always sounded so great ~

[stpd1957]

Great, great band.

[MarkR1957]

Absolutely! Mel's cymbals here are astounding. Mel also used calf skin heads right up till the end.

A true Jazz Master ~

[trane1959]

Once Around