Seventh Avenue – Victor Lewis
Victor Lewis pays homage to urban life by creating a melody line inspired by sirens and car horns. Melody and second parts, plus a transcription of his drum grooves for this exciting composition in 7/4.
- Recording: Woody Shaw - Stepping Stones
- Recorded on: August 5, 1978
- Label: Columbia (PC 35560)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: 7/4 even 8ths (medium up)
- Trumpet - Woody Shaw
- Soprano Sax - Carter Jefferson
- Piano - Onaje Allan Gumbs
- Bass - Clint Houston
- Drums - Victor Lewis
Video
- Composer/drummer Victor Lewis playing along with his composition Seventh Avenue at the jazzleadsheets.com studio.
- Victor Lewis on first trying to perform his composition with trumpeter/leader Woody Shaw.
- Victor Lewis on composing Seventh Avenue.
Don Sickler remembers, "Years ago, when I was coming up, music in 7/4 was very challenging because there were very few compositions written in 7/4. I remember when I first tried to play Seventh Avenue: it really kicked my butt. Now, even wilder time signatures have become commonplace. Seventh Ave is now over 35 years old, but because of Victor's ingenuity as a composer, it still sounds fresh and exciting, and it's still challenging. Just to keep us honest and sharp, Victor interjected a few measures of 4/4."
The audio clip starts in the middle of the introduction to give you a taste of the horns in seconds. Victor then lets the rhythm section firmly establish 7/4 before the melody enters.
The audio clip starts in the middle of the introduction to give you a taste of the horns in seconds. Victor then lets the rhythm section firmly establish 7/4 before the melody enters.
Seventh Avenue was first recorded by Victor on a David Sanborn date in 1976 for Warner Bros. as 7th Ave. The next commercial release of Seventh Avenue was Woody Shaw's 1978 album "Stepping Stones" for Columbia Records. Years later, an earlier performance, Woody Shaw's CD "Live, Volume 3," was released on HighNote Records. It has a 14:08 minute cut of Seventh Avenue and was recorded in 1977 "live" at the Keystone Korner in San Francisco. There is also currently a July 24, 1979, live video performance of the Woody Shaw Quintet performing Seventh Avenue in Juan Les Pins.
Victor made his first recording with alto saxophonist Bobby Watson in 1978. In 1988, Bobby Watson and Horizon made their first recording re-establishing the important musical marriage of Victor and Bobby. On the third Horizon recording, "Post-Motown Bop" (1990) they recorded Seventh Avenue. The complete arrangement from that recording is also available.
In 1998 Victor recorded Seventh Avenue again on Ingrid Jensen's "Higher Ground" CD for Enja Records (click on the second album cover above). Victor's performance on Ingrid's recording and on the "Stepping Stones" album with Woody Shaw are combined for our Drum Corner "groove patterns" edition. See the Drum Corner tab..
Victor made his first recording with alto saxophonist Bobby Watson in 1978. In 1988, Bobby Watson and Horizon made their first recording re-establishing the important musical marriage of Victor and Bobby. On the third Horizon recording, "Post-Motown Bop" (1990) they recorded Seventh Avenue. The complete arrangement from that recording is also available.
In 1998 Victor recorded Seventh Avenue again on Ingrid Jensen's "Higher Ground" CD for Enja Records (click on the second album cover above). Victor's performance on Ingrid's recording and on the "Stepping Stones" album with Woody Shaw are combined for our Drum Corner "groove patterns" edition. See the Drum Corner tab..
Two variations on Victor Lewis "grooves" from two different recordings.
-- Intro pattern
-- "groove" setup
-- four to six groove variations taken from throughout the song
In talking to Victor Lewis about how best to use these transcriptions, we decided that instead of transcribing his playing throughout the entire head, it would be more important to focus on developing the basic groove, then learning to use it in a musical setting.
These transcriptions are designed as worksheets. Learn each groove pattern one at a time and be able to repeat them. They were taken directly from the recordings because they were some of Victor's most commonly used grooves in those recordings. When you're able to play them correctly, try playing along with the recordings to hear how Victor uses them in the music. It's also interesting to look at the two recordings side by side and notice the similarities and differences. These two recordings were almost 20 years apart.
-- Intro pattern
-- "groove" setup
-- four to six groove variations taken from throughout the song
In talking to Victor Lewis about how best to use these transcriptions, we decided that instead of transcribing his playing throughout the entire head, it would be more important to focus on developing the basic groove, then learning to use it in a musical setting.
These transcriptions are designed as worksheets. Learn each groove pattern one at a time and be able to repeat them. They were taken directly from the recordings because they were some of Victor's most commonly used grooves in those recordings. When you're able to play them correctly, try playing along with the recordings to hear how Victor uses them in the music. It's also interesting to look at the two recordings side by side and notice the similarities and differences. These two recordings were almost 20 years apart.
- Recording: Ingrid Jensen - Higher Grounds
- Recorded on: April 28 & 29, 1998
- Label: Enja (ENJ 9353-2)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: 7/4 even 8ths (medium up)
- Trumpet - Ingrid Jensen
- Tenor Sax - Gary Thomas
- Piano - David Kikoski
- Bass - Ed Howard
- Drums - Victor Lewis
Video
- Drew Anderson, trumpet; with Michael Hawkins, piano; Kelli Strawbridge, bass; Ayinde Williams, drums.
The Ingrid Jensen audio clip also starts in the middle of the introduction with blaring taxi horns racing down Seventh Avenue.
In 1998 Victor recorded Seventh Avenue again on Ingrid Jensen's "Higher Ground" CD for Enja Records. Victor's performance on Ingrid's recording and on the "Stepping Stones" album with Woody Shaw are combined for our Drum Corner "groove patterns" edition (see the Drum Corner tab).
Two variations on Victor Lewis' "grooves" from two different recordings.
-- Intro pattern
-- "groove" setup
-- four to six groove variations taken from throughout the song
In talking to Victor Lewis about how best to use these transcriptions, we decided that instead of transcribing his playing throughout the entire head, it would be more important to focus on developing the basic groove, then learning to use it in a musical setting.
These transcriptions are designed as worksheets. Learn each groove pattern one at a time and be able to repeat them. They were taken directly from the recordings because they were some of Victor's most commonly used grooves in those recordings. When you're able to play them correctly, try playing along with the recordings to hear how Victor uses them in the music. It's also interesting to look at the two recordings side by side and notice the similarities and differences. These two recordings were almost 20 years apart.
-- Intro pattern
-- "groove" setup
-- four to six groove variations taken from throughout the song
In talking to Victor Lewis about how best to use these transcriptions, we decided that instead of transcribing his playing throughout the entire head, it would be more important to focus on developing the basic groove, then learning to use it in a musical setting.
These transcriptions are designed as worksheets. Learn each groove pattern one at a time and be able to repeat them. They were taken directly from the recordings because they were some of Victor's most commonly used grooves in those recordings. When you're able to play them correctly, try playing along with the recordings to hear how Victor uses them in the music. It's also interesting to look at the two recordings side by side and notice the similarities and differences. These two recordings were almost 20 years apart.
Victor Lewis
born on May 20, 1950
Drummer Victor Lewis was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Both of his parents were touring musicians. After graduating with a music major from University of Nebraska, Lewis moved to NYC in 1974, and was soon very much in demand, most notably playing in Woody Shaw's ground-breaking band. During this time he also played extensively with Carla Bley, David Sanborn and Dexter Gordon, among others. Through the '80s Lewis was a member of Stan Getz's band, which also included Kenny Barron on piano and Rufus Reid on bass. Read more...