Webster Lewis
Webster Samuel Lewis (September 1, 1943 - November 20, 2002) was an American jazz and disco composer, arranger and keyboardist.
Career[]
Lewis was born in 1943 in Baltimore, Maryland. At a young age, his family encouraged him to take up music. Later, he earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Morgan State University and then completed a master's degree at the New England Conservatory of Music[1] with Gunther Schuller as his mentor. He started out in jazz working with drummer Tony Williams, George Russell, Bill Evans, Stanton Davis, and the . His first release was Live at Club 7, issued in 1971. He signed with Epic Records in 1976 and began releasing disco music, where he found commercial success. He had two charting singles, 1977's "On the Town/Saturday Night Steppin' Out/Do it With Style" (U.S. Club Play #36) and 1980's "Give Me Some Emotion" (U.S. #107, Black Singles #41).[2]
Lewis worked extensively as a session musician and studio arranger, for Herbie Hancock, Barry White (he also toured with both of them), and others. He also produced for such artists as Gwen McCrae and Michael Wycoff. He later branched into soundtrack work for film and television, including for the films The Hearse (1980), Body and Soul (1981) and My Tutor (1983).
In 1963, Lewis co-founded Iota Phi Theta fraternity, which is part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
He also taught jazz voice and arrangement classes at Howard University in Washington as a visiting professor from 1995 to 1999.
Lewis died at his home in Barryville, New York, on November 20, 2002, as a result of pneumonia and diabetes.[3]
Discography[]
- Live at Club 7 (Sonet, 1972)
- On the Town (Epic, 1976)
- Touch My Love (Epic, 1978)
- 8 for the 80's (Epic, 1979) U.S. #114, U.S. R&B #21[4]
- Let Me Be the One (Epic, 1981) U.S. R&B #49, U.S. Jazz #22[4]
- Welcome Aboard (as guest), Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra (Unlimited Gold Records, 1981)
With The Piano Choir
- Handscapes (Strata-East, 1973)
- Handscapes 2 (Strata-East, 1975)
References[]
- ^ http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/multitalented-entertainer-webster-lewis
- ^ Billboard Singles, Allmusic
- ^ Webster Lewis at Allmusic
- ^ Jump up to: a b Billboard, Allmusic.com
External links[]
- Webster Lewis discography at Discogs
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- 1943 births
- 2002 deaths
- American jazz organists
- American male organists
- American disco musicians
- 20th-century American musicians
- The Tony Williams Lifetime members
- 20th-century organists
- 20th-century American male musicians
- American male jazz musicians
- Morgan State University alumni
- New England Conservatory alumni