Mel Lewis "Cute" Neal Hefti

[@mlowell93]

Mel was my grandfather and i just want to say it's very nice to see that he still inspires people today. thanks for the great video!

[@arame29]

Buddy Rich paid him the ultimate compliment. "Mel Lewis doesn't sound like anybody but himself"

[@joecaroselli5858]

I am a drummer and drumming instructor. I have done 2 drumming exhibitions with Buddy Rich and one with Louie Bellson. I studied with Joe Morello. Your Grandfather was a spectacular drummer; a swinging, tasteful, supportive drummer. Nobody set up the brass hits and phrases like this tremendous, dynamic drummer! He was a treasure.

[@marksmall1437]

Your Grandfather and Thad Jones's band inspired me to become a musician. I've had the honor to play with the band and only wished I could have played when he was drumming. He's a huge inspiration!

[@barberjeff67]

He's a great drummer. Very inspiring!

[@deportedtocanada8683]

I searched for two years before I found a Chinese ride cymbal like Mel's. I also tried to play like him until I realized, we're different. Love.

[@boomerguy9935]

I've been playing jazz drums since the 60's and when I watch and listen to Mel Lewis, I feel like I'm a kindergarten kid in a PhD class. I can't even begin to comprehend how great Mel's drumming is. What a legend. His workshop videos are educational and mind-opening. There aren't enough words to describe how great his playing is.

[@jimbrown1559]

My friend, drummer Billy Hart, has said that he views his position as that of a band's conductor, and that he gets hired because bands like the way he does that. This applies perfectly to Mel -- while both are/were great soloists, their playing in and powering the ensemble is what makes them great drummers! They don't view themselves as stars, they are ensemble players! Mel was one of the finest of his generation, Billy of his, and both have been part of hundreds of great recordings. Mel was THE guy in LA before he moved east, making monumental recordings for Kenton, Holman, Gibbs, and numerous small groups, and after moving to NY, co-led with Thad Jones the last truly great big band. After Thad split, he embraced the prodigious writing of Bob Brookmeyer. Billy has long been the favorite of many players of his generation, was a favorite of Pepper Adams, and has been teaching for 30 years at places like Oberlin and the New England Conservatory. I observed some of his interactions with students at Western Michigan -- he's the kind of guy you would love to have teaching your kids!

[@kennetheveritt7450]

This is,my type of drummer tone values I use today now myself playing over 40yrs at nearly 72 this era was special to me. Such a legend and to know he was your Grandfather. What a wonderful thing to admire.

[@Ronnybengt]

just love mels touch.....

[@petercallaway3376]

Mel Lewis was virtuoso of musical taste! A perfectionist of rhythmic elegance. Pierre Cavalli guitar 🎸tone and solo was superb and impressive! 5******Stars.

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

Quite a surprise!

[@leecox1513]

I wondered at first if he was going to pick up the brushes (virtually the only way to play "Cute." Such a genius: Mel Lewis.

[@JMRSplatt]

Mel Lewis' brushwork is just so fine.

[@longfade]

A true master, and among the very great big band drummers in history.

[@MrTimdrums]

Yeah, Mel! Saw him in ’68 at the Berkeley Jazz Festival. Cats like Jeff Hamilton have nothing but big ups for this master. Also, Horst Jankowski! When I was a kid, he had a Top 40 hit with “A Walk In The Black Forest.” Nice to see him playing with Toots and Mel! Thanks for posting.

[@MrLuvOldies]

Thanks. I love this song by Neal Hefti.Mmmmmmmm

[@Fandorin76]

Great! I saw this as a kid and was immediately captured by the playing of Horst! He's such a great pianist! Like many, gone too early... I'd like to see a vid where Horst is playing the rhodes...

[@lclaughton]

This drum solo is cool and demonstrates a lot of things..one being DYNAMICS!! Oh how we wish drummers could be aware they can control dynamics in a band if they were to exercise that power to do so.

[@leecox1513]

Correct! Good dynamics, even while playing solo, adds interest and surprise to the drummer's repertoire. Sadly, too many drummers want to do nothing but "Bang," and the audience gets a constant barrage, over which they can quickly tire. Notice how Mel's playing quietly makes your ears perk up, making you listen.

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

@@leecox1513 Yes, like Joe Morello.

[@peterfriedrich4632]

....indeed.....@@rudolphguarnacci197

[@MarkR1957]

More superb playing from the Master, Mel Lewis ~

[@juangenesyjazz]

Excelente!!

[@ReinerGebhard]

Folks, you´re listening to Mel Lewis, Horst Jankowski & Toots Thielemanns. That´s Jazz-Olymp, you ought to learn know, if you just cannot hear it.

[@christiankern2752]

Bescheidene Spitzenmusiker ohne Firlefanz! 🎶🏖️

[@cpcattin]

I got introduced to Mel Lewis along with Thad Jones around 1970 (+ -). What creative, innovative beautiful sounds and good times.

[@chewgumer]

Who forget Mel Lewis`s incredible big band drumming on `Kenton in Hi-Fi` recorded around 1958? He had a big fat sound totally suitable for the Kenton Band with monster fills. By far the best Kenton drummer of all time.

[@michaelchapman4955]

That was recorded at the new Capitol Records Studios 'Kenton in Hi-Fi' at 1750 N. Vine

[@leecox1513]

Colin, it's also interesting that Kenton gave birth to many musicians who gained fame even after Stan's band sadly faded away.

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

One of my "stranded on an island and you can only have 5 albums" album.

[@67Mannheim]

Great musicians, all of them! To be able that intimately to the audience - without "screaming" but, rather, leaving a feeling of "conversation". Fine, fine taste. Thanks guys!

[@peterlaan8639]

He inspires me every day

[@fuelflownormal]

Stunning dynamics

[@zeemann]

What a piano solo ,great.

[@joksal9108]

Kickass drumming. Mel was universally respected.

[@yosephjoelevy8532]

Wow - superb playing! I'm just happy that this was recorded & available to us, to both learn from & use to inspire others (ie drumming students) specially in the sublime art of brush work. Unfortunately Mr. Mel Lewis has always remained somewhat underrated in comparison to his peers, this sample of his playing shows how foolish you'd be to ignore his extremely valuable contribution to the evolvement of drumming. A big & definite Thank You for uploading!

[@jimbrown1559]

Under-rated by who? He's on hundreds of my favorite recordings, and with Thad Jones, co-led the last truly great big-band!

[@Tagger0325]

Great feel and interaction with each other. Musicianship.

[@mjulio71]

Touch! Tons of it.

[@RW-ob4en]

Only a smattering of applause for Toots’ solo?? Those intricate and sophisticated lines, just cascading out of him. That does it. I’m going back in time and raising Cain for him for this performance!

[@tmaddrummer]

Fabulous! Thanks and Blessings!!!

[@chasming]

The Ultimate Drummer, "The Tailor" no comment needed.

[@gabri3l367]

Pierre Cavallì è uno dei miei chitarristi preferiti. Grande swing !!!!

[@92reactor]

im playing this song in jazz, and quite honestly, my drummer cant COMPARE to this guy (though i never heard of him). my drummer plays w/ brushes, but he only innovates his solo for an extra 2 measures. This guy can use sticks AND sound soft while inventing an awesome solo and keeping time. MEL LEWIS IS AWESOME

[@MrJazzologist1]

The most exciting solo on this piece was Horst Jankowski, a beautiful bit of piano playing.

[@Scinders]

Yes, it’s fantastic isnt it

[@johnwhittaker5577]

Just beautiful.

[@Sprongles95]

Just saw Pete Malinverni's trio, with Eliot Zigmund on drums and yes, dynamics were one of the things that floored me about Eliot's playing too.. same with Mel (one of my favorites). I wish *all* instrumentalists were a bit more aware of the power of using dynamics as part of their playing.

[@michaelchapman4955]

The Mel Lewis & Thad Jones Big Band was a Kick!...... with Great charts

[@normandydrumstudios]

Man what a touch …!

[@nealsannen6675]

Love Toots😊

[@drummer78]

the solo is beautiful. I love the mellow hypnotic stuff he was doing with the China.

[@daveyboy731]

Cute great solos.

[@leecox1513]

Very, very nice....the best of the best. Mel demonstrates his skill, devloped by decades of practice and an innate genius for rhythm. Team him up with Thad Jones and you know what heaven is......

[@hoganbentle3582]

I like that bass solo.

[@MarkR1957]

I have a great trio CD by Pete with Mel at the drums. A fantastic record. Mel uses brushes on a lot of the date, and sounds superb. There are also a few very tasty, musical and dynamic drum solos by Mel.

[@Frklbn807]

Hein van der Geijn, top bassplayer from Holland ? I say YES !

[@roykliffen9674]

the subtext states the bass player to be Mads Vinding

[@drumspeed2]

@drummistic Not all kids, bud, I'm 15 and 95% self taught. I learned my styles by listening to classic artists and drummers all, such as Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Lionel Hampton, Papa Jo Jones (one of my personal favorites), Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and his combination of light touch for forceful playing, etc. The 40s-60s bebop era is where I try to hover around best.

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

Joe Morello in there anywhere?

[@ApartmentKing66]

This is the first time I've ever seen Jankowski play the piano. Heard him plenty, but never saw him actually play.

[@SimonBelowpiano]

the bassist is VERY GOOD, too! ^^ =)

[@WyattLite-n-inn]

Ha ha .. BOSS move at 1:45 when he’s just about to play another stroke and decides NOT to.. #BigBoyPants Then picks up the brushes like the master he was . Amazing

[@domzaruga]

Sweet

[@R2-DTu]

Ahhh... Mel Lewis =D

[@Mihido1]

I was expecting an 8-bar Intro solo with drum brushes. And so were the pianist and the Bass, I guess, they seem surprised when Toots comes in after four. :-) Watch at 02:27

[@dulkoski]

@mrsticks28 that and 'stitching' together such good players into his bands.

[@xc1816]

I didn't know Luke Skywalker played upright....

[@mirage8879]

so sweet…＾＾

[@brianrandall3795]

Wow

[@BrianGValentine]

Another testimony to Basie genius

[@MarkR1957]

+Brian G Valentine Basie genius? How so?

[@russcindyhamyates9784]

To be helpful rather than snooty... see Neil Hefti's wikipedia bio... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Hefti

[@johnnovaria9044]

Just superb. And so fresh. Sure, you can quibble with the sound mixing. I personally like the reverb, but I'm a little strange that way. Was this played in G-flat? What a marvelously beautiful key - and a challenge for a pianist. But this guy evidently loved playing it!

[@TheShots12345]

Sounds like F to me (?)

[@hannes1734]

Michael Blumenthal Yes. F.

[@Aaron-yh1vf]

Key of F ^ same key Count Basie played it in

[@mikedavino2400]

Its definitely in the key of C the first chord is a d minor g7 to cmaj7 or a 2-5-1 progression in C and it ends like that too Dm7-G7flat9 Cmaj7

[@spencer87v]

The 2-5-1 at 3:47 shows that it's in F

[@zackstewart4109]

I'm not that big on "Cute" but this version is pretty darned good.

[@MegaLJ3]

the good ole days when music was music.

[@madhavraghu]

That's what every generation will say.

[@PhiyukYu]

There is an a arrangement of this song that I'm 100% sure is count basie. ALmost 100% sure its live too. It starts off with somebody (probably basie) yelling at freddie green and hes just rippin out some jazz comping. Theres really crazy drumming in it too. Its the arrangement that has the flute solo but there are some incredible harmonized sax trills after the main intro part and the intro reprise part. what or where is it?

[@thelogangster6346]

I’m 13 and my jazz band plays this

[@mikedavino2400]

my trio in s Florida is now playing it too.

[@ibleebinU]

Toots and Mel...what could possibly go wrong?

[@dedeee29]

Every High School Stage Band in ' 70s had to perform " CUTE".

[@kearneydrums1108]

My goodness who’s the bassist?🔥 5:18

[@ApartmentKing66]

@Fandorin76 Gone too early? Horst is still alive. He's only 74.

[@pektus5]

he tuned drums lower than other jazz drummers,and they sounds very nice.

[@theHellzaPoppinjazz4u]

no comment Sir. just sharing...

[@MarkR1957]

"The drummer is fairly mediocre". What??? This is Mel Lewis . . . one of the greatest drummers in music history. Mel didn't rely on fast chops, like so many others do. His style of playing, and his concept, were quite unique. He was extremely musical, very creative, and could swing a band, big or small, as well - if not better - than any other drummer. Just because a drummer does not play loud and fast all the time does NOT make him "fairly mediocre". Quite the jackass statement, sambamac.

[@leecox1513]

Mark, you hit the nail squarely on the head. Far too many drummers think that pounding the heads as loud as they can are the mark of a great drummer. This is just making NOISE.

[@jiyujizai]

🌱😃💛

[@waynedent7646]

Man!

[@mattbronson8175]

Does this group have a record, particularly with Mel Lewis on drums?

[@rinben2809]

j'adore, c'est juste terrible !

[@alancobain2151]

the title is just called " cute", not " the cute,"

[@ezpn]

I just realised the guitarist, Cavalli, died the year after this video.

[@ApartmentKing66]

@philWynk Yes, he did a good job, indeed.

[@TheShots12345]

Why did Toots hit a C to end the first phrase instead of an A?

[@edpolk1262]

Just, because!

[@Dsullivann]

5:41 Use the force Luke...

[@ghairraigh]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWHMmHhmbq18Z7c is the original "Cute" arranged by Neal Hefti for Count Basie.

[@JoeyvanLeeuwen]

Great playing of course but I despise whoever was in charge of recording. The mics are all too close and the reverb is up too high. I noticed the same thing on another video from the same show. It makes the instruments sound artificial.

[@rowintettero1255]

it was the 80's baby!

[@michaelgrow8630]

Pros

[@MikeJamesMedia]

:)

[@philWynk]

Good professional jazz playing all around, though -- please pardon me for saying so -- Lewis' solo at the beginning bored the stew out of me. The most impressive feature of the whole vid was the intonation of the bassist; I've never heard a jazz acoustic (and therefore fretless) bass player articulate the correct tones so very accurately as the young Mr. Vinding did here. Impressive.

[@edpolk1262]

Yes. First part was a snooze-fest.

[@fleagalisyourdaddy]

Sorry to hear that, some can understand :)

[@thatguyismad625]

I didn't know Luke Skywalker could play a cello.

[@gcharocks]

+thatguyismad625 cello....... Seriously...

[@stephenboyer8883]

+thatguyismad625 bass

[@thelogangster6346]

thatguyismad625 it’s a cello it’s a base

[@GoAndPractice]

“Mads Vinding” kind of sounds like a Star Wars character anyway

[@jakobviemose8215]

@@pigeonboy7696 i think its a joke...

[@trane1959]

it's actually just "Cute."

[@cpcattin]

More cowbell !

[@MrJazzmads]

But what a solo though..

[@ElliotBritton]

Just transcribed toot's solo: flat.io/elliot

[@jackmechemarchives9327]

they dragged.

[@ConstanzaRigazio]

lol

[@U2WB]

I loved everything except that darned harmonica. The only instrument that I like less than clarinet or bagpipes.

[@woodythames2553]

Bagpipes aren't an instrument: they're a punishment.

[@edpolk1262]

Good one, dude! But I love the harmonica.

[@wilmeeuwis2855]

,

[@SeanChristianStudios]

Luke Skywalker plays bass.

[@colourfulwithaU]

'The drummer is fairly mediocre'. No. Just, no.

[@johnboyle3297]

colourfulwithaU TWAT

[@Pluggit1953]

I found this a lacklustre performance, I’ve heard better.

[@edpolk1262]

Agree. I think Mel was spacing-out. I'm sure a lot of drummers would call it "artistry" It just bored the hell out of me.