Herbie Lewis Dies

[ep1str0phy]

I heard at a gig yesterday that bassist Herbie Lewis has passed away. I can't find any confirmation at the moment, save a brief tag on his Wikipedia article--and there's been no discussion on any of the major boards, as far as I can tell. A tough, beautiful sound--he will be missed.

[Guy Berger]

He was on some fantastic albums -- Jackie's Let Freedom Ring, McCoy's Expansions, Booby's Stick Up -- and his bass playing was always an integral part of the ensemble.

Herbie, you'll be missed.

Guy

[sidewinder]

Damn, this is bad news. Wonderful, rock solid player - last time I saw him he was playing alongside Billy Higgins in George Coleman's 1979 quartet (sadly, only George from that group is still with us). RIP.

Wasn't there mention on this board that he was a golf pro?

Edited May 20, 2007 by sidewinder

[Chalupa]

Damn, this is bad news. Wonderful, rock solid player - last time I saw him he was playing alongside Billy Higgins in George Coleman's 1979 quartet (sadly, only George from that group is still with us). RIP.

Wasn't there mention on this board that he was a golf pro?

I think you are confusing him Grassella Oliphant

http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/golf-...asp?course=7351

Whoa. There is a Herbie Lewis listed on the bottom of this Grassella page...

http://www.eastorange-nj.org/Departments/R...ourse/Index.htm

Edited May 21, 2007 by J.H. Deeley

[Hardbopjazz]

Wow, another one.

RIP

[Big Al]

He was on some fantastic albums -- Jackie's Let Freedom Ring

Yes! That and Consequence. Pity he & McLean didn't record together more often. Another session of his that I really dug was the Jazztet's Here and Now.

A big beautiful sound indeed! RIP indeed.

Edited May 21, 2007 by Big Al

[sidewinder]

Whoa. There is a Herbie Lewis listed on the bottom of this Grassella page...

http://www.eastorange-nj.org/Departments/R...ourse/Index.htm

That's it.

[king ubu]

Indeed his deep big sound is something I enjoy on whatever album he appears.

Sad news to start the week with

[clifford_thornton]

Can't add much... excellent player.

RIP.

[Quincy]

He's on Harold Land's The Fox too...What a legacy.

[sidewinder]

..plus Turrentine's 'That's Where It's At', the Jazztet's 'Here and Now' and Lennie McBrowne on Pacific Jazz.

Great legacy !

[king ubu]

What's that Lenny McBrowne? All I know of his are some sideman appearances (with Booger, for instance).

As for Lewis, "Stick Up!" may be my one favourite session with him - probably my favourite Hutcherson (followed closely by "Happenings").

[sidewinder]

Another for 'Stick Up'. He anchors that one solidly throughout.

Here's the McBrowne, ubu:

"Date: ca. 1959

Location: LA

Label: Pacific Jazz

Lennie McBrowne (ldr), Don Sleet (t), Daniel Jackson (ts, a), Terry Trotter (p), Herbie Lewis (b), Lennie McBrowne (d), Elmo Hope (a)

a. Invitation (Bronislau Kaper, Paul Francis Webster, Mark Fisher)

b. Dearly Beloved (Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer)

c. McBrowne's Galaxy (Elmo Hope)

All titles on: - Pacific Jazz (Jpn.) LP 12": PJ-0001

- Pacific Jazz LP 12": PJ-1/ST-1 - Lenny McBrowne and the Four Souls

Elmo Hope (a) on c only. Omit Daniel Jackson (a) on c."

I have this one somewhere in the racks.

[ep1str0phy]

Stick-Up was my introduction to Herbie, but, aw man, I love Here and Now. Thankfully, I'll be reunited with the main body of my collection tomorrow--off to do some tribute listening!

[mikeweil]

Another for 'Stick Up'. He anchors that one solidly throughout.

Here's the McBrowne, ubu:

"Date: ca. 1959

Location: LA

Label: Pacific Jazz

Lennie McBrowne (ldr), Don Sleet (t), Daniel Jackson (ts, a), Terry Trotter (p), Herbie Lewis (b), Lennie McBrowne (d), Elmo Hope (a)

a. Invitation (Bronislau Kaper, Paul Francis Webster, Mark Fisher)

b. Dearly Beloved (Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer)

c. McBrowne's Galaxy (Elmo Hope)

All titles on: - Pacific Jazz (Jpn.) LP 12": PJ-0001

- Pacific Jazz LP 12": PJ-1/ST-1 - Lenny McBrowne and the Four Souls

Elmo Hope (a) on c only. Omit Daniel Jackson (a) on c."

I have this one somewhere in the racks.

That'a very good album - McBrowne's band was really underrated.

Can't add much to what's been said about Lewis either - he had his own sound. R.I.P.

[king ubu]

Thanks for providing the info - looks interesting, what with Don Sleet!

[Nate Dorward]

Saddened to hear this news. Hadn't heard much of Lewis's work outside the 1960s, with hte notable exception of Waldron/McLean's Left Alone '86, which captures his big sound nicely.

[sidewinder]

Thanks for providing the info - looks interesting, what with Don Sleet!

Yep, it's very good. I've got the mono version of the original LP - must find it !

[clifford_thornton]

I'd like to hear that one, too. Hell, I don't have All Members, either, though would like to...

Stick-Up I spun last night. Excellent LP that doesn't get enough credit!

[ValerieB]

does anyone here know what herbie had been doing in recent years?

[Chalupa]

One of the finest hard-bop bassists of the '60s and '70s, musician and educator Herbie Lewis died Thursday, May 17th in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Herbie Lewis played and recorded with many prominent jazz musicians, including Cannonball Adderley, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Harold Land, Jackie McLean, Archie Shepp, and McCoy Tyner. Herbie Lewis's recording credits read like a who's who of jazz. He can be heard on some of the seminal recordings of the era, including Jackie McLean's landmark masterpiece Let Freedom Ring, Bobby Hutcherson's Stick-Up and Now!, Stanley Turrentine's soul-jazz classic That's Where It's At, McCoy Tyner's Tender moments (Tyner's first recording leading a large ensemble) and Time for Tyner, and many more.

Born on February 17th, 1941, Herbie Lewis grew up in Pasadena where as teenagers, he and Bobby Hutcherson practiced together in Hutcherson's garage. It was Herbie who convinced Hutcherson to play vibes. Herbie was a solid, swinging musician both as accompanist and soloist. He recorded with Lennie McBrowne, Harold Land, the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet and Les McCann in the late '50s and early '60s. Herbie moved between California and New York several times during the '60s. At that time Lewis also recorded with Dave Pike, Stanley Turrentine, Jackie McLean, Sam Rivers, Bobby Hutcherson, and Freddie Hubbard. He played in Cannonball Adderley's group in 1966, and played and recorded with McCoy Tyner from 1967 to 1970. During the '70s and '80s Herbie recorded with Tete Montoliu, Chico Freeman, Billy Higgins, Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, Gary Bartz and Archie Shepp among others.

Herbie Lewis was founder of the Jazz Studies Program at New College of California in San Francisco where he taught for 15 years, from 1977 until 2002. Herbie married in 2002 and moved to the Twin Cities in 2002, and was still an active musician. Twin Citians have had the privilege to hear him perform occasional gigs at Twin Cities jazz clubs and festivals.

Herbie Lewis is survived by his wife Ruth, Daughter Kendall and granddaughter Jha' nee.

two photos here....

http://www.jazzpolice.com/content/view/7002/79/

[ValerieB]

One of the finest hard-bop bassists of the '60s and '70s, musician and educator Herbie Lewis died Thursday, May 17th in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Herbie Lewis played and recorded with many prominent jazz musicians, including Cannonball Adderley, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Harold Land, Jackie McLean, Archie Shepp, and McCoy Tyner. Herbie Lewis's recording credits read like a who's who of jazz. He can be heard on some of the seminal recordings of the era, including Jackie McLean's landmark masterpiece Let Freedom Ring, Bobby Hutcherson's Stick-Up and Now!, Stanley Turrentine's soul-jazz classic That's Where It's At, McCoy Tyner's Tender moments (Tyner's first recording leading a large ensemble) and Time for Tyner, and many more.

Born on February 17th, 1941, Herbie Lewis grew up in Pasadena where as teenagers, he and Bobby Hutcherson practiced together in Hutcherson's garage. It was Herbie who convinced Hutcherson to play vibes. Herbie was a solid, swinging musician both as accompanist and soloist. He recorded with Lennie McBrowne, Harold Land, the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet and Les McCann in the late '50s and early '60s. Herbie moved between California and New York several times during the '60s. At that time Lewis also recorded with Dave Pike, Stanley Turrentine, Jackie McLean, Sam Rivers, Bobby Hutcherson, and Freddie Hubbard. He played in Cannonball Adderley's group in 1966, and played and recorded with McCoy Tyner from 1967 to 1970. During the '70s and '80s Herbie recorded with Tete Montoliu, Chico Freeman, Billy Higgins, Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, Gary Bartz and Archie Shepp among others.

Herbie Lewis was founder of the Jazz Studies Program at New College of California in San Francisco where he taught for 15 years, from 1977 until 2002. Herbie married in 2002 and moved to the Twin Cities in 2002, and was still an active musician. Twin Citians have had the privilege to hear him perform occasional gigs at Twin Cities jazz clubs and festivals.

Herbie Lewis is survived by his wife Ruth, Daughter Kendall and granddaughter Jha' nee.

two photos here....

http://www.jazzpolice.com/content/view/7002/79/

thanks so much for posting this, j.h. deeley. i'm afraid that i would never recognize herbie from the pictures posted as i hadn't seen him since the '60s in ny. i'm sure he'd say the same about me! i'm very sorry to hear about his passing. so glad to hear that he remained active since i lost track of him.

[ep1str0phy]

Ah--that explains why the info got out on the Bay Area scene early. I regret never having the chance to see or meet him (got on the scene way too late...). Thanks for sharing the info/confirmation, J.H.

[Shawn]

Very sad news, one of my favorites. Listen to the song "Verse" from Stick-Up for a text book lesson on how to vary the line depending on which soloist is up to the plate.

[AndrewHill]

RIP. Like his contribution very much on both McLean's LFR as well as Hutch's Stick Up.