The Jazz Organ Scene

USA

Greg Lewis Born into a musical family, Lewis’ introduction to jazz came from hearing Monk records from the collection his late father, pianist David Lewis, who was a dedicated fan of Thelonious. "It all started there," the younger Lewis proclaims, also naming unsung master Elmo Hope as a major influence. Lewis started his own piano studies at the age of eleven and began playing professionally around New York as a teenager. He credits jazz legend Gil Coggins, who sent him as a sub one night to a gig where there was a Hammond B-3, for setting him on the path to becoming a bona fide organist. These days Lewis has so devoted himself to mastering the difficult instrument with such fervor that he considers himself to be an "organ monk".   Working weekly for the past five years at the hip Brooklyn club Night Of The Cookers, with his regular trio featuring Ron Jackson on guitar, Lewis has honed his skills on the B 3 to become one of New York’s first call organists. It was at the club that he first met drummer Cindy Blackman, who was so impressed with his playing that she sat in with the group and made arrangements to later perform with Lewis. An unwavering fan of the Tony Williams Lifetime group, featuring Larry Young on organ, Blackman is the perfect complement for Lewis’, who names Young as his primary influence on the instrument (along with, of course, Jimmy Smith as well as Sly Stone). Lewis cites Young’s landmark interpretation of "Monk’s Dream" from the classic Unity album as a further inspiration for his decision to devote this his first date to the music of Thelonious.

contact:	greg@greglewismusic.com
homepage:	www.greglewismusic.com
	www.myspace.com/thetruthgreglewis
	Click on the logo to see Greg's tour dates.

Organ Monk no label recorded 2010 in USA	Greg Lewis, organ Ron Jackson, guitar Cindy Blackman, drums
Uwo In The Black no label recorded 2012 in USA	Greg Lewis, Hammond organ Ron Jackson, guitar Nasheet Waits, drums, cymbals Reginald Woods, tenor sax
American Standard no label recorded 2013 in New York City/USA	Greg Lewis, Hammond B-3 organ Ron Jackson, guitar Riley Mullins, trumpet Jeremy Bean Clemons, drums, cymbals Reginald Woods, tenor sax
Time Remembered: The Music Of Bill Evans Unseenrain Records UR9960 recorded March 2013 in Paramus, NJ/USA	Pat Hall, trombone Greg Lewis, Hammond organ Marvin Sewell, guitar Mike Campenni, drums
The Breathe Suite no label recorded 2017 (?) in USA	Greg Lewis, Hammond B-3 organ Nasheet Waits, drums Jeremy 'Bean' Clemons, drums Marc Ribot, guitar Ron Jackson, guitar Reggie Woods, tenor sax Riley Mullins, trumpet
Organ Monk Blue no label recorded 2017 (?) in USA	Greg Lewis, Hammond B-3 organ Marc Ribot, guitar Jeremy 'Bean' Clemons, drums, cymbals
Trust Me Scholz Productions	Gerry Eastman, guitar Greg Lewis, organ Taru Alexander, drums
Organ Monk Going Home Sunnyside SSC1662	Gregory Lewis, organ Kevin McNeal, guitar Nasheet Waits, drums

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