Ed Lewis (musician)

Ed Lewis ( * January 22, 1909, † 18 September 1985) was an American jazz trumpeter.

Ed Lewis began his musical career in Kansas City at Jerry Westbrook as a baritone bugler, 1925, he moved to the trumpet. He then played with Paul Banks and Laura Rucker, before he became a member of the orchestra of Bennie Moten, where he served from 1926 to 1932. There he was until the occurrence Hot Lips Pages in the band first soloist. In the 1930s he worked at Thamon Hayes ( 1932-34 ), Harlan Leonard ( 1934-37 ) and Jay McShann (1937 ). In 1937 he came to the Count Basie Orchestra, where he remained until 1948, when Count Basie had to dissolve the band temporarily. He worked on many recordings with Basie, but was there not a soloist. In the 1950s, Lewis had his own group with which he had local gigs in New York City and worked for a while as a taxi driver. Shortly before his death, he played with the band The Countsmen.

Ed Lewis also worked on recordings by Lester Young ( 1944), Blanche Calloway, King Pleasure and Annie Ross.