ep1str0phy Posted May 20, 2007 Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted May 20, 2007 Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 20, 2007 Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalupa Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 Wow, another one. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 Indeed his deep big sound is something I enjoy on whatever album he appears. Sad news to start the week with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 Can't add much... excellent player. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quincy Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 He's on Harold Land's The Fox too...What a legacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 ..plus Turrentine's 'That's Where It's At', the Jazztet's 'Here and Now' and Lennie McBrowne on Pacific Jazz. Great legacy ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ep1str0phy Posted May 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 Thanks for providing the info - looks interesting, what with Don Sleet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Dorward Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValerieB Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 does anyone here know what herbie had been doing in recent years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalupa Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValerieB Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ep1str0phy Posted May 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted May 22, 2007 Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewHill Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 RIP. Like his contribution very much on both McLean's LFR as well as Hutch's Stick Up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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