Victor Lewis

  • Birthday and anniversary megapost: 10 new products!

    This week (more precisely May 20 through May 24) has important anniversaries we want to honor so we’ve expanded our usual five new entries this week to cover ten celebrations.

    May 20 is the birthday of drummer/composer Victor Lewis (born in 1950 in Omaha, Nebraska). In honor of Victor’s birthday, here’s his great composition Seventh Avenue . For the drummers among you, in our Drum Corner, you can take a special look at some 7/4 “groove” patterns that Victor used on two different recordings.

    When we showed Victor what recordings of jazzleadsheets.com music took place on his birthday over the years, he was blown away. What great birthday presents master drummers gave him, unknowingly, by recording their music on his birthday. Were they omens or just subliminal influences, for a young man who has certainly become one of the great modern drummers?

    Here are Victor’s “birthday presents” that we want to share with you.

    Ittapnna by drummer Walter Bolden, a new composer to jazzleadsheets: on Victor’s third birthday: May 20, 1953, Walter recorded this on “Howard McGhee, Vol. 2” (Blue Note).

    On Victor’s fourth birthday, drummer Art Blakey recorded his Mercury album “Blakey,” (May 20, 1954) featuring these three Gigi Gryce compositions: Minority and Salute To Birdland by Gigi Gryce. The lead sheets have been available for some time but now you can explore Gigi Gryce (alto sax) and Joe Gordon (trumpet) solos for both titles. Plus a new title from that session, Hello, a beautiful ballad.

    For Victor’s tenth birthday, May 20, 1960, drummer Philly Joe Jones recorded his album “Philly Joe’s Beat” (Atlantic). Lead sheets for Joe’s Got To Take Another Chance have been available, but now you can check out Philly Joe’s drum transcription.

    Another drum master, Louis Hayes, recorded his album “The Real Thing,” on Victor’s 27th birthday, May 20, 1977. This session included Ronnie Mathews’ tour-de-force composition Loose Suite (lead sheet editions plus Ronnie’s solo piano arrangement edition).

    I couldn’t stop there, because on May 21, Cleo’s Blues (written and performed by tenor giant Paul Gonsalves) celebrates its 50th recording anniversary.

    And on May 22 bassist/composer Jon Burr celebrates a big one, his 60th birthday, joining jazzleadsheets.com. He has a perfect composition for our upcoming Bass Corner: Smokin’ O.P.’s.

    And finally, also on May 22 (or maybe it was May 24, the recording info on the liner notes doesn’t specify) pianist James Williams recorded his composition Mr. Day’s Dream (lead sheet editions and James’ Solo Piano Arrangement plus recording by Kenny Drew, Jr.).

    Celebrate!
    Don Sickler
    www.jazzleadsheets.com and www.SecondFloorMusic.com
    phone 212-741-1175 email don@secondfloormusic.com

  • Five new composers for November, 2012

    We have the honor of representing many great jazz composers and we’re working to add more of these composers to jazzleadsheets.com. Take a look and a listen to these new ones.

    Old Ballad (Kenny Wheeler)
    Kenny Wheeler is very important composer and trumpet player who should not be overlooked. In addition to this beautiful ballad, you’ll see from his bio that we have several of his important larger works also available.

    Our Miss Brooks (Harold Vick)
    This is gifted composer and tenor saxophonist Harold Vick’s most well-known composition. It’s a classic groove blues with infectious musical additions.

    Three For The Festival (Rahsaan Roland Kirk)
    The classic Rahsaan Roland Kirk three-horn arrangement, as you’ll hear (and can see on Jazz Icons and on YouTube) was performed by Rahsaan alone with the rhythm section. Our Drum Corner will soon be offering a Charli Persip drum transcription edition.

    The Merry-Go-Round (Jonny King)
    This marvelous composer and pianist, who emerged near the end of the last century, is back with new and very interesting music. This is the first of many that we’ll explore from his new recording, “Above All.” Our Drum Corner will soon be offering a Victor Lewis drum transcription edition as well as a drummers’ “minus you” track.

    Dannielle’s Waltz (Steve Nelson)
    Steve Nelson’s performances and recordings as a vibraphonist are finally getting him the recognition he deserves. He’s also a great composer as this, his first recorded composition, will illustrate.

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