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Herbie Lewis towers among the premier bassists of the hard bop era, contributing to seminal sessions headlined by
McCoy Tyner,
Les McCann, and
Jackie McLean. Born February 17, 1941, in Pasadena, CA,
Lewis grew up alongside future jazz icon
Bobby Hutcherson, and according to legend he was responsible for persuading
Hutcherson to first adopt his trademark vibes. A prodigious talent with a rich, buoyant sound,
Lewis was not yet 17 years old when he made his recorded debut on
Harold Land's 1958 session Grooveyard. The acclaimed follow-up, The Fox, further solidified his growing reputation, and he spent the early '60s touring and recording with
McCann, additionally guesting with
Shirley Scott and
the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet. With 1962's landmark
McLean date
Let Freedom Ring,
Lewis joined the Blue Note Records stable, and in the decade to follow there he cut a series of classic recordings, including
Stanley Turrentine's soul-jazz gem
That's Where It's At,
Dodo Greene's
My Hour of Need, and
Sam Rivers'
New Conception -- he also reunited with
Hutcherson for sessions including
Stick-Up! and
Now! From 1967 to 1970
Lewis recorded and toured with
Tyner, collaborating on celebrated sets including
Tender Moments and
Time for Tyner. In the decade to follow, he also cut sessions with
Archie Shepp,
Chico Freeman, and
Gary Bartz. In 1977
Lewis founded the Jazz Studies Program at the New College of California in San Francisco, and served as an educator for a quarter century. After retiring from academia in 2002, he married and settled in Minneapolis. After a battle with cancer,
Lewis died May 18, 2007. ~ Jason Ankeny