Herbie Lewis

Herbie Lewis ( born February 17 1941 in Pasadena, † 18 May, 2007 Minneapolis, Minnesota) was an American hard bop jazz bassist.

Herbie Lewis played and took with many prominent jazz musicians together, including Cannonball Adderley, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Harold Land, Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, and McCoy Tyner. Although he was a good bass player and strong companion, Herbie Lewis was never even a star or a bandleader, but only a reliable supplier contribution for music sessions and occasional soloist.

Lewis lived in the neighborhood of Bobby Hutcherson and was allegedly responsible for ensuring that this changed to the vibraphone. He was an amazing talent with a rich vivid sound on bass. Lewis took up in the late 50s and early 60s with Lennie McBrowne, Harold Land, and Les McCann. Lands plate Groove Yard was his recording debut in 1958 - with only 17 years. The celebrated successor album The Fox cemented his reputation. Now and then he played with Shirley Scott and the Art Farmer / Benny Golson Jazztet. In 1961 he moved to New York and played again with Les McAnn and took with him. Lewis recorded with Dave Pike, Stanley Turrentine and Jackie McLean, before returning to California. With McLean he took the 1962 milestone Let Freedom Ring on. From there, he was part of the Blue Note " team ". He recorded with Stanley Turrentine That's Where It 's At and with the singer Dodo Greene My Hour of Need for the label. With Clifford Scott as bandleader he resumed with McCann and in the mid- sixties, Lewis worked with Gerald Wilson. End of the 60s he moved back to New York, where he recorded with Sam Rivers, and Freddie Hubbard. He also worked with Bobby Hutcherson back together and took part in the recordings Stick Up! and Now! in part. He played in 1966 in Cannonball Adderley's Ensemble and played and took from 1967 to 1970 with McCoy Tyner on, including Tender Moments and Time for Tyner. During the 70's and 80 Lewis took on, among other things Tete Montoliu with, Chico Freeman, Gary Bartz, Bobby Hutcherson and Archie Shepp. Just a Lucky So and So 's his first album as a leader and his last ever. He took on this CD with a "Eminence Portable Upright Bass", an acoustic bass with extremely shallow body of sound (7.62 cm ) and possibly removable neck.

Herbie Lewis founded 1977, the jazz study program at New College of California in San Francisco and taught there for 25 years. In 2002 he withdrew from this activity.

Lewis died of cancer on 18 May 2007.