Vic Lewis

Victor " Vic" Lewis ( * July 29, 1919; † 9 February 2009) was a British jazz musician (guitarist, pianist, singer, band leader ) and cricket players

Life and work

Vic Lewis began at the age of three years playing the guitar and also learned cornet and trombone. In one of his first bands also played George Shearing. In the 1930s, Lewis played in London clubs; In 1938 he toured the United States, where he recorded first plates with a band of Bobby Hackett, Eddie Condon and Pee Wee Russell. From 1941 to 1944, he served in the Royal Air Force; During this time he played in Buddy Featherstonhaughs RAF Sextet. 1944/45, he also worked with the living in England Stéphane Grappelli and then with Ted Heath. During this time he was also co-leader of a band with Jack Parnell.

1946 represents Lewis together his first big band, stylistically oriented toward the sound of the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Kenton Lewis also supplied with some of his arrangements by Pete Rugolo, Gerry Mulligan and Bill Holman. Arranger was his pianist Ken Thorne. Between 1956 and 1959 the band toured the U.S. and recorded a number of albums for Parlophone, Esquire, Decca and Philips. In the band, which existed until the early 1960s, musicians played as Vic Ash, Tubby Hayes, Derek Humble, Danny Moss, Jimmy Skidmore and Kathy Stobart.

After 1959, Lewis moved gradually from the active music scene back and took only occasionally, but continued to work as a writer on jazz themes. He moved into management and organized the careers of artists such as photographer Robert Whitaker and singer Cilla Black. He also founded his own Cricket Club and represented the U.S. at the International Cricket Council.

The mid-1980s he took his bandleader activities on again and worked with veterans of the West Coast jazz, including Shorty Rogers and Bud Shank; in the 1990s he introduced - more than financier and manager than as a bandleader and musician - the formation of The West Coast All Stars together and took with them some albums for the Candid label on, so with arrangements by Bill Holman and songs of Jimmy Van Heusen ( Shake down the Stars ). Contributing musicians have included Alan Broadbent, Conte Candoli, Bob Cooper, Lennie Niehaus, Jack Nimitz, Bill Perkins, Bud Shank, Jack Sheldon and Frank Strazzeri.

He is not to be confused with the jazz drummer Victor Lewis.

Disco Graphical Notes

  • Vic Lewis Jam Sessions, Vol.4 1942-1943 ( Harlequin )
  • Singin 'the Blues ( Upbeat 1944 /45) with Dick Katz, Jack Parnell
  • Shorty Rogers and Bud Shank with Vic Lweis and His Big Band Back Again (Concept, 1984)
  • West Coast All Stars Play Bill Holman ( Candid, 1993/ 04)
  • Shake the Stars ( Candid, 1992) with Joel DiBartolo
  • Vic Lewis Presenting A Celebration of Contemporary West Coast Jazz ( Candid, 1993-94 )
  • Me and You! ( Candid, 1997)
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