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September 02, 2006
Eric Lewis, Composer and Pianist, 8-18-06
One can only wonder where Eric Lewis's music comes from. From an early age he had regular lessons and clearly showed an aptitude. But plenty of people study music. Eric Lewis inhabits it. Devours it. Transforms it. His command of the things that can't be taught has made him one of today's most sought after musicians, with Cassandra Wilson, Wynton Marsalis, Elvin Jones, and Roy Hargrove just a few of the artists tapping the young talent to sit at the piano and infuse their music with his skill and passion.
Upon first look, it's hard to reconcile Eric's look with his incredible ability. The quiet artist who lives with music in his head, then gently coaxes it forth, caressing the keys with long tapered fingers — Eric Lewis is having none of it. From the shock of an Afro to the meaty hands with the span of baseball mitts to the athletic stride, nothing about Eric is holding back. When he sits down to play the piano, attacking the keys until they give up, bringing forth pure, unchecked emotion, there's a blue collar ethic to the way Eric makes music, as is evidenced by the small calluses that dot his fingertips. His hard work has paid off, with Mercer Ellington, Robin Eubanks, Jon Hendricks, Shorty Rogers, Donald Byrd, Ornette Coleman, Clark Terry, Betty Carter and Wes Anderson all employing Eric's talent.
Once the Camden, NJ native graduated from high school, Eric decided to make some noise on a grand scale. Within months of his graduation from the Manhattan School of Music in 1995 he was touring with Marsalis and Wilson, reaching out in every direction to make music. With the Marsalis Quintet, the music was classic jazz, while with Wilson Eric experimented with funk, gospel, folk, blues, and classical.
Since Camden set him loose on the world Eric has performed for President Clinton at 1996's Democratic National Convention, and at 1998's live television broadcast from the White House, "Jazz and Democracy." 1999 offered a formal confirmation of what was rapidly becoming clear when Eric won the Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. It's a contest that goes beyond simply rewarding musical proficiency to recognizing the elusive combination of knowledge, command, passion and expression. It effectively crowned Eric a piano master. And he was just 26 years old. Straight from the competition he was invited to join the band of one-time John Coltrane collaborator Elvin Jones.
Jones was just one of many music authorities who saw in Eric the future of jazz. During his tenure at the piano for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Eric regularly celebrated the history of the genre. In less than a decade as a professional musician he's redefined what the piano can do in the hands of one man.
Eric's latest CD, "Hopscotch", is available in stores.
Posted by David Lemberg at September 2, 2006 02:45 PM Return to ARTSCAPE home page