Webster Lewis
Encyclopedia
Webster Lewis was an American jazz
and disco
keyboardist.
Lewis was born in 1943 in Baltimore
, Maryland
, and studied at the New England Conservatory of Music
under Gunther Schuller
. He started out in jazz
working with Tony Williams, George Russell, Bill Evans
, Stanton Davis
, and the Piano Choir. 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. Black Singles #41).
Lewis worked extensively as a session musician
and studio arranger, for Herbie Hancock
, Barry White
, 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
and The Sky Is Grey.
In 1963, Lewis co-founded Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., which is part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council
.
Lewis died in 2002 in Barryville, New York
, as a result of diabetes.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
keyboardist.
Lewis was born in 1943 in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, and studied at the New England Conservatory of Music
New England Conservatory of Music
The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest independent school of music in the United States.The conservatory is home each year to 750 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies along with 1400 more in its Preparatory School as well as the School of...
under Gunther Schuller
Gunther Schuller
Gunther Schuller is an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, and jazz musician.- Biography and works :...
. He started out in jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
working with Tony Williams, George Russell, Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
, Stanton Davis
Stanton Davis
Stanton Davis, Jr. is an American jazz trumpeter and educator.Davis studied at the Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory , and served as program director for MIT's radio station from 1968-74. He received his master's in ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University in 1983...
, and the Piano Choir. His first release was Live at Club 7, issued in 1971. He signed with Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
in 1976 and began releasing disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
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. Black Singles #41).
Lewis worked extensively as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
and studio arranger, for Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Barry White
Barry White
Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
, and others. He also produced for such artists as Gwen McCrae
Gwen McCrae
Gwen McCrae is an American R&B singer, best known for her March, 1975 hit "Rockin' Chair".-Career:...
and Michael Wycoff
Michael Wycoff
Michael Wycoff was an American R&B singer. Wycoff attended Wilmington Jr High and Phineas Banning High Schools in Wilmington, CA. Wycoff played keyboards and sang in the school's talent shows solo where his fan base was born as he was always a top performing act.Wycoff sang backup on Stevie...
. He later branched into soundtrack work for film and television, including for the films The Hearse
The Hearse
The Hearse is a 1980 horror movie starring Trish Van Devere and Joseph Cotten.- Plot :Jane Hardy arrives in the town of Blackford to stay in an old house left to her by a late aunt...
and The Sky Is Grey.
In 1963, Lewis co-founded Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., which is part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council
National Pan-Hellenic Council
The National Pan-Hellenic Council is a collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. The nine NPHC organizations are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Divine Nine"...
.
Lewis died in 2002 in Barryville, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, as a result of diabetes.
Discography
- Live at Club 7 (Counterpoint Records, 1971)
- On the Town (Epic RecordsEpic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
, 1977) - Touch My Love (Epic, 1978)
- Eight for the Eighties (Epic, 1980) U.S. #114, U.S. R&B #21
- Let Me Be the One (Epic, 1981) U.S. R&B #49, U.S. Jazz #22