audiobook Arpeggios: Guitar Reference Guide (Guitar Reference Guides) by Joe Charupakorn in Arts-Photography

Review

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. MEL LEWIS BIOGRAPHYBy Stephen TrusedellSmith has written the long-awaited biography of the most musical jazz drummer who ever lived. In addition to the biography is a lengthy collection of transcriptions of Lewiss playing; a selected discography and a functional index! This will influence many young players and place Lewis among the often-spoken-about legendary jazz musicians of the last half of the 20th century but for some odd reason; is appreciated by older listeners but not by the young. I hope this changes as a result of Smiths anecdote-filled book. Lewiss story is told by those that knew him-as a musician; a teacher; a mentor; a band-leader; a friend; a parent and husband. In all; a remarkable portrait. Thank you; Chris!3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Mel Lewis; one of the greatest...By Gary L.As a professional drummer for most of my life I always felt that Mel Lewis was the epitome of what a drummers function was within a musical framework. He was an absolute paradox in a world of monster players with astounding technique but may not understand what the true meaning of music is all about.I was fortunate to know Mel and had a chance to sit right next to him during a 5 hour recording session several years ago. Mel said had no technique (as he told me later on in a conversation); he had a musical technique which he used to to get underneath a band and propel it like no other players Ive ever heard. Any 2nd year drum student could play anything that Mel played but never could they part it like Mel. He was like a DaVinci or Picasso but with only a pencil to draw the most incredible pictures. He amazed a lot of drummers and rightly so since he played for the music not the money as he stated early in Chris Smths wonderful book.I would run into Mel from time to time after I met him in 1974. He was always a positive person and pushed ahead after Thad left the band. He did it single handedly but it was always for the music.Chriss book fills in a lot of the gaps that I always wondered about in Mels life. Things that most musicians always wonder about when they have an idol like Mel...how did he get started; did he ever want to be a more technical player; why did he leave LA;etc. ? A lot of questions that are answeredin this book. Mel was a strong person with strong opinions..... If youre a young drummer and not aware of Mel you should listen to him with the Terry Gibbs big band to understand that he was all about the music .He alway played for the band..... Buddy Rich would say that he himself was the band. Buddy would go to hear Terrys band with Mel and wished he could have the arrangements that Terry had in his band but he said that he could never play them better than Mel...True praise from another genius with more natural technique than any drummer of his time.......1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Best Biography of a Jazz Musician Ive Ever ReadBy CustomerI didnt want this book to end. Chris wrote a wonderful and truthful biography about one of the holy trinity of big band drummers (Gene; Buddy and Mel). I learned a lot and came away with a better understanding of the man and his journey from Buffalo to international jazz superstar. The interviews Chris included in this book are the connective tissue to giving folks like myself; who didnt know Mel Lewis personally; some idea of who he was during each stage of his development as a drummer; father; husband; sideman and leader. This book is more than a biography; its a reference for any serious jazz musician or discerning listener of jazz. Much has been written about the big band era (mid-30s to mid-40s) but there is a gap in the literature in how big bands morphed in the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. Fortunately for the reader; Mel Lewis was in the drivers seat swinging many of these bands during this era. Chris does a marvelous job of informing the reader that Mel was a versatile jazz drummer. He was a first call small group player as well as an in-demand studio and big band drummer. My take away from the book is to start buying CDs of Mel Lewis in small group settings. Ive missed quite a bit of good music by only listening to Mel the big band drummer! The selected discography Chris included will guide me in my future purchases. Chris is an excellent writer; researcher and organizer of information.