The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra

Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Origin	New York City
Genres	Jazz, big band
Years active	1965–present
Labels	Solid State/RCA, A&M, Pausa, Telarc, Atlantic, New World, Planet Arts, Resonance
Associated acts	Mel Lewis, Thad Jones, Max Gordon, Bob Brookmeyer, Jim McNeely, John Mosca
Website	www.vanguardjazzorchestra.com

The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra was a jazz big band formed by trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis in New York in 1965.^[1] The band performed for twelve years in its original incarnation, including a 1972 tour of the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War. The band won a Grammy Award for the album Live in Munich and in 2009 for the album Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard. The collaboration ended in 1978 with Jones suddenly moving to Copenhagen, Denmark, after which the band became the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. Since the death of Lewis in 1990 it has been known as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. They have maintained a Monday-night residency at the Village Vanguard jazz club in New York for five decades.^[2]

History

Thad Jones played trumpet and cornet. His older brother was Hank Jones, a jazz pianist, and his younger brother was Elvin Jones, a jazz drummer. Thad Jones had worked as a professional since he was 16, when he played with Hank. After leaving the military in 1946, he performed with territory bands and later with Charles Mingus. From 1954–1963, he was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra, for whom he composed and arranged.^[3]

Mel Lewis, a jazz drummer, had been playing in big bands since he was 15, first with Boyd Raeburn, then Alvino Rey, Stan Kenton, Terry Gibbs, and Gerald Wilson. In 1961, he toured the Soviet Union with veteran big band leader Benny Goodman.^[4] After Lewis moved to New York City, he met Thad Jones and started the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra at the end of 1965. Beginning in February 1966, the band played every Monday night at the Village Vanguard.^[3] Since the mid-1980s, the band has been called the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, continuing its tradition as the Village Vanguard's house band.^[2]

The Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra was arguably the most influential big band since the swing era. Lewis brought a loose, small group style of drumming into the structure of a big band. His cymbal work became a hallmark of the Jones/Lewis Orchestra. Jones's arrangements influenced later, large-ensemble composers, such as Maria Schneider, Bob Brookmeyer, Jim McNeely, and Bob Mintzer. The Jones/Lewis Orchestra was an unusual band, creating new styles, succeeding in an era when big bands were unpopular and remaining integrated during racially tense periods.^[2]

The band's members included Bill Berry, Billy Harper, Bob Brookmeyer, Danny Stiles, Eddie Daniels, George Mraz, Hank Jones, Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Jimmy Knepper, Joe Farrell, Jon Faddis, Marvin Stamm, Pepper Adams, Quentin Jackson, Richard Davis, Richard Williams, Roland Hanna, and Snooky Young.^[5]

Awards and honors

Grammy Awards

Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra^[6]

Year	Nominee/work	Award	Result
1967	Live At The Village Vanguard (album)	Best instrumental Jazz Performance, Big Band	Nominated
1969	Central Park North (album)		Nominated
1970	Consumation (album)		Nominated
1975	Potpourri (album)		Nominated
1976	New Life (album)		Nominated
1978	Live In Munich (album)		Won
1979	Naturally (album)		Nominated
1980	Bob Brookmeyer Composer/Arranger (album)		Nominated
1982	Make Me Smile And Other New Works By Bob Brookmeyer (album)		Nominated
1986	20 Years At The Village Vanguard (album)		Nominated
1989	The Definitive Thad Jones (album)		Nominated
1990	The Definitive Thad Jones Volume 2 Live From The Village Vanguard (album)		Nominated

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra^[7]

Year	Nominee/work	Award	Result
2002	Can I Persuade You? (album)	Best instrumental Jazz Performance, Big Band	Nominated
2004	The Way: Music Of Slide Hampton (album)		Nominated
2006	Up From The Skies - Music Of Jim McNeely (album)		Nominated
2008	Monday Night Live At The Village Vanguard (album)		Won
2014	OverTime: Music Of Bob Brookmeyer (album)		Nominated

Wins and honors from major publications

Year	Music publication	won
1972	Down Beat	Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
1973		Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
1974		Critics' Poll-Big Band of the year
1974		Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
1975		Critics' Poll-Big Band of the year
1975		Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
1976		Critics' Poll-Big Band of the year
1976		Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
1977		Critics' Poll-Big Band of the year
1977		Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
1978		Critics' Poll-Big Band of the year

Discography

The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra

All My Yesterdays (recorded 1966, released Resonance, 2016) – Live recording including the band's first performance (Monday, Feb. 7, 1966, Village Vanguard)
Presenting Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra (Solid State, 1966)
Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, The Jazz Orchestra (Solid State, 1966)
Live at the Village Vanguard (Solid State, 1967)
The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones/Mel Lewis featuring Miss Ruth Brown (Solid State, 1968)
Monday Night (Solid State, 1968)
Jazz Casual – Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra... (recorded 1968) (video)
Central Park North (Solid State, 1969)
Basle, 1969 (recorded 1969, released TCB, 1996)
Consummation (Solid State/Blue Note, 1970)
Live in Tokyo (Denon, 1974)
Potpourri (Philadelphia International, 1974)
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica (Pausa, 1974)
Suite for Pops (Horizon/A&M, 1975)
New Life: Dedicated to Max Gordon (A&M, 1975)
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda Scott aka Rhoda Scott in New York with... (Barclay, 1976)
Live in Munich (Horizon/A&M, 1976)
It Only Happens Every Time (EMI, 1977)
Body and Soul aka Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra in Europe (West Wind, 1978)
A Touch of Class (West Wind, 1978)
The Blue Note Reissue Series: Thad Jones/Mel Lewis (recorded 1966–1970, Blue Note) (compilation)
The Complete Solid State Recordings of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (recorded 1966–1970, Mosaic/Blue Note) (compilation)
In Europe (ITM, 2007) (compilation)
The Complete (Live in) Poland Concerts 1976 & 1978 (Gambit, 2009) (compilation)

The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra

Naturally (Telarc, 1979)
Live in Montreux: Mel Lewis Plays Herbie Hancock (MPS/Pausa, 1980)
Live at the Village Vanguard...Featuring the Music of Bob Brookmeyer (1980)
Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra (Finesse, 1982)
20 Years at the Village Vanguard (Atlantic, 1985)
Definitive Thad Jones, Vol. 1 (Musicmasters, 1988)
Definitive Thad Jones, Vol. 2 (Musicmasters, 1988)
Soft Lights and Hot Music (Musicmasters, 1988)
To You: A Tribute to Mel Lewis (Musicmasters, 1990)

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

Lickety Split: Music of Jim McNeely (New World, 1997)
Thad Jones Legacy, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (New World, 1999)
Can I Persuade You? (Planet Arts, 2002)
The Way, Music of Slide Hampton (Planet Arts, 2004)
Up from the Skies: Music of Jim McNeely (Planet Arts, 2006)
Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard (Planet Arts, 2008)
Forever Lasting: Live in Tokyo (Planet Arts, 2011)
Over Time: The Music of Bob Brookmeyer (Planet Arts, 2014)

Alumni

Lead trumpet

Snooky Young (1966–1972)
Jon Faddis (1972–1975)
Al Porcino (1975–1976)
Earl Gardner (1976–2005)
Nick Marchione (2005–present)

Trumpets

Thad Jones (1966–1979)
Danny Stiles (1966)
Jimmy Owens (1966)
Bill Berry (1966–1968)
Jimmy Nottingham (1966–1969)
Richard Williams (1966–1969)
Marvin Stamm (1966–1973)
Randy Brecker (1968)
Danny Moore (1968–1971)
Al Porcino (1969–1970 and 1975–1976)
Cecil Bridgewater (1971–1976)
Stephen Furtado (1972–1975)
Jim Bossy (1972–1975)

Lew Soloff (1975)
Sinclair Acey (1975–1976)
Waymon Reed (1975–1977)
Earl Gardner (1975–2005)
Lynn Nicholson (1976–1977)
Frank Gordon (1976–1977)
Jeff Davis (1976–1977)
Larry Moses (1977–1980)
Irvin Stokes (1978)
Simo Salminen (1978–1980)
Ron Tooley (1978–1980)
John Marshall (1979–1983)
Joe Mosello (1980–2005)

Tom Harrell (1982)
Jim Powell (1982–1995)
Glenn Drewes (1983–2005)
Ryan Kisor (1995–1997)
Scott Wendholt (1997–present)
Frank Greene (2005–2009)
Terell Stafford (2005–present)
Tanya Darby (2009–2016)

Lead trombone

Bob Brookmeyer (1966–1968)
Garnett Brown (1968–1969)
Eddie Bert (1969–1972)
Jimmy Knepper (1972–1975)
Billy Campbell (1975–1977)
John Mosca (1977–present)

Trombones

Jack Rains (1966)
Tom McIntosh (1966–1967)
Garnett Brown (1966–1969)
Jimmy Cleveland (1968)
Jimmy Knepper (1968–1975)
Benny Powell (1969–1971)
Quentin Jackson (1972–1975)
Billy Campbell (1972–1977)
Alex Kofman (1975)
Janice Robinson (1975–1976)

John Mosca (1975–present)
Clifford Adams (1976–1977)
Lolly Bienenfeld (1978–1980)
Lee Robertson (1978–1981)
Ed Neumeister (1981–1999)
Jason Jackson (1998–present)
Luis Bonilla (1999–present)

Bass trombone

Cliff Heather (1966–1974)
Dave Taylor (1974–1975)
Earl McIntyre (1975–1998)
Douglas Purviance (1978–present)

French horn

Stephanie Fauber (1979–1991)

Saxophones

Lead alto saxophone

Jerome Richardson (1966–1970)
Jerry Dodgion (1971–1978)
Dick Oatts (1978–present)

Second alto saxophone

Jerry Dodgion (1966–1970)
Ed Xiques (1971–1977)
Dick Oatts (1977–1978)
Steve Coleman (1978–1980)
Kenny Garrett (1980–1982)
Bill Easley (1982)
Ted Nash (1982–1991)
Billy Drewes (1991–present)

First tenor saxophone

Joe Farrell (1966–1969)
Seldon Powell (1968)
Joe Henderson (1969)
Billy Harper (1970–1975)
Frank Foster (1975)
Larry Schneider (1975–1978)
Dick Oatts (1977 summer tour)
Bob Rockwell (1978–1980)
Joe Lovano (1980–1991)
Rich Perry (1991–present)

Second tenor saxophone

Eddie Daniels (1966–1972)
Ron Bridgewater (1972–1975)
Gregory Herbert (1975–1977)
Rich Perry (1977–1980)
Gary Pribeck (1980–1982)
Ralph Lalama (1983–present)

Baritone saxophone

Pepper Adams (1966–1977)
Eddie Xiques (1977–1978)
Charles Davis (1978)
Gary Brown (1979)
Gary Pribeck (1979–1980)
Gary Smulyan 1980–present)
Frank Basile (regular sub)

Guitar

Sam Herman (1966–1968)

Piano

Hank Jones (1966)
Roland Hanna (1966–1975)
Walter Norris (1975–1976)
Michael Wolff (1976)
Harold Danko (1976–1978)

Jim McNeely (1978–1984)
Kenny Werner (1984–1995)
Jim McNeely (1995–present)

Michael Weiss (regular sub)

Bass

Richard Davis (1966–1972)
George Mraz (1972–1976)
Steve Gilmore (1975–1976)
Rufus Reid (1977–1980)
Ray Drummond (1978)
Bob Bowman (1976 and 1979)
John Lockwood (1980)
Marc Johnson (1981–1982)
Dennis Irwin (1983–2008)
Phil Palombi (2008–2009)
David Wong (2009–present)

Drums

Mel Lewis (1966–1990)
Dennis Mackrel (1990–1991)
Danny Gottlieb (1991–1992)
John Riley (1992–present)

Vocals

Dee Dee Bridgewater (1971–1974)
Ruth Brown (guest)
Joe Williams (guest)

References

↑ Lisik/Allen. 50 Years at the Village Vanguard:Thad Jone, Mel Lewis and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. Sky Deck Music, 2017. pp. 8-9
1 2 3 Wong, Herb. The Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Education Journal, Nov./Dec. 2003, Vol. 36, #3, pp. 42-46.
1 2 Yanow, Scott. "Thad Jones | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
↑ Yanow, Scott. "Mel Lewis | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
↑ Yanow, Scott. "Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
↑ Official awards results for Grammy.com
↑ Official awards results for Grammy.com

External links

Thad Jones and Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra
Thad Jones Mel Lewis
Albums	[All My Yesterdays / Opening Night] Presenting Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, the Jazz Orchestra Live at the Village Vanguard Jazz Casual The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones/Mel Lewis featuring Miss Ruth Brown Monday Night Central Park North Basle, 1969 Consummation Live in Tokyo Potpourri Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica Suite for Pops New Life Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda Scott/Rhoda Scott in New York... Live in Munich It Only Happens Every Time,...with Monica Zetterlund Body and Soul (Live in Berlin) A Touch of Class
Compilations	The Blue Note Reissue Series: Thad Jones/Mel Lewis The Complete Solid State Recordings of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (Mosaic) In Europe The Complete Poland Concerts 1976 & 1978
Jones / Lewis as guest bandleaders	Greetings and Salutations (with the Swedish Radio Jazz Group) Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and UMO (with the UMO Jazz Orchestra)
Video recordings	Jazz Casual – Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra and Woody Herman and His Swinging Herd

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