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Eric Lewis
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One can only wonder where Eric Lewis' 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 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. 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.
Once the Camden, New Jersey 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 -- the artists were pleased to discover they are all at Eric's command. No surprise since his childhood music lessons included virtually every style of music. He learned them all, early and well.
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.
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