View source for The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra

{{Short description|American jazz big band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name               = Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
| background      = group_or_band
| origin              =  New York City
| genre              = [[Jazz]]
| years_active     = 1965–1978 <small>(original line)</small> <br /> 1978–1990 <small>(Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra)</small> <br /> since 1990 <small>(Vanguard Jazz Orchestra)</small>
| label                = [[RCA Corporation|Solid State/RCA]], [[A&M Records|A&M]], [[Pausa Records|Pausa]], [[Telarc International Corporation|Telarc]], [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]], [[New World Records|New World]], [[Planet Arts Records|Planet Arts]], [[Resonance Records|Resonance]]
| associated_acts = [[Mel Lewis]], [[Thad Jones]], [[Max Gordon (Village Vanguard founder)|Max Gordon]], [[Bob Brookmeyer]], [[Jim McNeely]], [[John Mosca]]
| website            = {{URL|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.<ref name="TM BOOK">Lisik/Allen. 50 Years at the Village Vanguard:Thad Jone, Mel Lewis and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. Sky Deck Music, 2017. pp. 8-9</ref> 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 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.<ref name="WONG">Wong, Herb. ''The Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra'', Jazz Education Journal, Nov./Dec. 2003, Vol. 36, #3, pp. 42-46.</ref> The band won Grammy Awards for the album ''[[Live in Munich (The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra album)|Live in Munich]]'' in 1978 and for the album ''[[Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard]]'' in 2009.

==History==
Thad Jones professionally played two instruments, the 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.<ref name="Jones">{{cite web|last1=Yanow|first1=Scott|title=Thad Jones {{!}} Biography & History {{!}} AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/thad-jones-mn0000133119/biography|website=AllMusic|access-date=3 January 2017}}</ref>

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]].<ref name="Lewis">{{cite web|last1=Yanow|first1=Scott|title=Mel Lewis {{!}} Biography & History {{!}} AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mel-lewis-mn0000869708/biography|website=AllMusic|access-date=3 January 2017}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Jones" /> 
Since Lewis's death in 1990, the band has been called the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, continuing its tradition as the Village Vanguard's house band.

The Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra was arguably{{weasel inline|date=February 2023}} 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 (musician)|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.<ref name=WONG/>

The band's members included [[Bill Berry (trumpeter)|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 (bassist)|Richard Davis]], [[Richard Williams (musician)|Richard Williams]], [[Roland Hanna]], and [[Snooky Young]].<ref name="JLOrch">{{cite web|last1=Yanow|first1=Scott|title=Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra {{!}} Biography & History {{!}} AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/thad-jones-mel-lewis-orchestra-mn0001521434/biography|website=AllMusic|access-date=3 January 2017}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
===Grammy Awards===

*Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra<ref>[https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/mel-lewis Official awards results for Grammy.com]</ref>
{{awards table}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1967}}
|''Live At The Village Vanguard'' (album)
|rowspan="12"|[[Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album|Best instrumental Jazz Performance, Big Band]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1969}}
|''[[Central Park North (album)|Central Park North]]'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1970}}
|''Consummation'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1975}}
|''Potpourri'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1976}}
|''New Life'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1978}}
|''Live In Munich'' (album)
|{{win}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1979}}
|''Naturally'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1980}}
|''Bob Brookmeyer - Composer/Arranger'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1982}}
|''Make Me Smile & Other New Works by Bob Brookmeyer'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1986}}
|''20 Years At The Village Vanguard'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1989}}
|''The Definitive Thad Jones'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|1990}}
|''The Definitive Thad Jones (Volume 2: Live from the Village Vanguard)'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
{{end}}

*The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra<ref>[https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/vanguard-jazz-orchestra Official awards results for Grammy.com]</ref>
{{awards table}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|2002}}
|''Can I Persuade You?'' (album)
|rowspan="5"|[[Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album|Best instrumental Jazz Performance, Big Band]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|2004}}
|''The Way: Music Of Slide Hampton'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|2006}}
|''Up From The Skies: Music Of Jim McNeely'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|2008}}
|''Monday Night Live At The Village Vanguard'' (album)
|{{win}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|{{grammy|2014}}
|''OverTime: Music Of Bob Brookmeyer'' (album)
|{{nom}}
|-
{{end}}

===From ''DownBeat''===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Music<br/>publication
! won
|-
|1972
|rowspan="11"|[[Down Beat]]
|rowspan="2"|Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
|-
|1973
|-
|rowspan="2"|1974
|Critics' Poll-Big Band of the year
|-
|Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
|-
|rowspan="2"|1975
|Critics' Poll-Big Band of the year
|-
|Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
|-
|rowspan="2"|1976
|Critics' Poll-Big Band of the year
|-
|Readers' Poll-Big Band of the year
|-
|rowspan="2"|1977
|Critics' Poll-Big Band of the year
|-
|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 Records|Resonance]], 2016) - Live recording including the band's first performance (Monday, Feb. 7, 1966 at the Village Vanguard) 
* ''[[Presenting Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra]]'' ([[Solid State Records (jazz label)|Solid State]], 1966)
* ''[[Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, the Jazz Orchestra]]'' (Solid State, 1966) - with [[Joe Williams (jazz singer)|Joe Williams]] 
* ''[[Live at the Village Vanguard (Jones / Lewis album)|Live at the Village Vanguard]]'' (Solid State, 1967)
* ''[[The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones/Mel Lewis featuring Miss Ruth Brown]]'' (Solid State, 1968) - with [[Ruth Brown]]
* ''[[Monday Night]]'' (Solid State, 1968) 
* ''[[Jazz Casual – Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra and Woody Herman and His Swinging Herd|Jazz Casual – Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra...]]'' (recorded 1968) - DVD
* ''[[Central Park North (Jones / Lewis album)|Central Park North]]'' (Solid State/Blue Note, 1969) 
* ''[[Basle, 1969]]'' (TCB, 1969 [rel. 1996])
* ''[[Consummation (The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra album)|Consummation]]'' (Solid State/[[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]], 1970) 
* ''[[Live in Tokyo (The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra album)|Live in Tokyo]]'' ([[Denon Records|Denon]], 1974)
* ''[[Potpourri (Jones / Lewis album)|Potpourri]]'' ([[Philadelphia International Records|Philadelphia International]], 1974)
* ''[[Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica]]'' ([[Pausa Records|Pausa]], 1974)
* ''[[Suite for Pops]]'' ([[Horizon Records|Horizon]]/[[A&M Records|A&M]], 1975)
* ''[[New Life (Jones / Lewis album)|New Life: Dedicated to Max Gordon]]'' (Horizon/A&M, 1975) 
* ''[[Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda Scott]]'' (aka ''Rhoda Scott in New York with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra'') ([[Barclay Records|Barclay]], 1976) 
* ''[[Live in Munich (Jones / Lewis album)|Live in Munich]]'' (Horizon/A&M, 1976) 
* ''[[It Only Happens Every Time]]'' ([[EMI Records|EMI]], 1977; [[Inner City Records|Inner City]], 1978) - with [[Monica Zetterlund]]
* ''[[Body and Soul (The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra album)|Body and Soul]]'' (aka ''Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra in Europe'') ([[West Wind Records|West Wind]], 1978)
* ''[[A Touch of Class (album)|A Touch of Class]]'' (West Wind, 1978)
* ''[[The Blue Note Reissue Series: Thad Jones/Mel Lewis]]'' (recorded 1966–1970,  Blue Note) (compilation) - 2LP
* ''[[The Complete Solid State Recordings of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra]]'' (recorded 1966–1970, [[Mosaic Records|Mosaic]]) (compilation) - 5CD
* ''[[In Europe (Thad Jones Mel Lewis Orchestra album)|In Europe]]'' (ITM, 2007) (compilation)
* ''[[The Complete Poland Concerts 1976 & 1978|The Complete (Live in) Poland Concerts 1976 & 1978]]'' (Gambit, 2009) (compilation)

===The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra===
* ''Naturally'' ([[Telarc International Corporation|Telarc]], 1979)
* ''Play the Compositions of Herbie Hancock (Live in Montreux)'' ([[MPS Records|MPS]] 1980; [[Pausa Records|Pausa]], 1982)
* ''Bob Brookmeyer - Composer/Arranger (Recorded in Concert at the Village Vanguard, February 1980'' (Gryphon, 1980) 
* ''Make Me Smile & Other New Works by Bob Brookmeyer'' (aka ''Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra...Featuring the Music of Bob Brookmeyer'') [live] (Finesse/CBS, 1982; Red Baron/CBS, 1993) 
* ''20 Years at the Village Vanguard'' ([[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]], 1985) 
* ''Soft Lights and Hot Music'' (Musicmasters, 1988)
* ''The Definitive Thad Jones'' ([[Musical Heritage Society|Musicmasters]], 1989) 
* ''The Definitive Thad Jones (Volume 2: Live from the Village Vanguard)'' (Musicmasters, 1990) 
* ''To You: A Tribute to Mel Lewis'' (Musicmasters, 1991)

===The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra===
* ''Lickety Split: Music of Jim McNeely'' ([[New World Records|New World]], 1997)
* ''Thad Jones Legacy'' (New World, 1999)
* ''Can I Persuade You?'' ([[Planet Arts Records|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) - 2CD
* ''Forever Lasting: Live in Tokyo'' (Planet Arts, 2011) - 2CD
* ''OverTime: Music of Bob Brookmeyer'' (Planet Arts, 2014)
* ''Centennial: The Music of Thad Jones (Live)'' (BCM&D Records, 2024) - 2CD

==Alumni==

;Lead trumpet
* [[Snooky Young]] (1966–1972) 
* [[Jon Faddis]] (1972–1975)
* [[Al Porcino]] (1975–1976)
* [[Earl Gardner (musician)|Earl Gardner]] (1976–2005)
* Nick Marchione (2005–present)

;Trumpets
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
* [[Thad Jones]] (1966–1979)
* Danny Stiles (1966)
* [[Jimmy Owens (musician)|Jimmy Owens]] (1966)
* [[Bill Berry (trumpeter)|Bill Berry]] (1966–1968)
* [[Jimmy Nottingham]] (1966–1969) 
* [[Richard Williams (musician)|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)
{{Col-break}}
* [[Lew Soloff]] (1975)
* Sinclair Acey (1975–1976)
* [[Waymon Reed]] (1975–1977) 
* [[Earl Gardner (musician)|Earl Gardner]] (1975–2005)
* Lynn Nicholson (1976–1977) 
* Frank Gordon (1976–1977)
* Jeff Davis (1976–1977)
* Larry Moses (1977–1980) 
* [[Laurie Frink]] (1978–1987)
* [[Irvin Stokes]] (1978)
* Simo Salminen (1978–1980) 
* Ron Tooley (1978–1980)
* John Marshall (1979–1983) 
* Joe Mosello (1980–2005)
{{Col-break}}
* [[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)
* John Chudoba (2016–present)
{{col-end}}

;Lead trombone
* [[Bob Brookmeyer]] (1966–1968) 
* [[Garnett Brown]] (1968–1969) 
* [[Eddie Bert]] (1969–1972)
* [[Jimmy Knepper]] (1972–1975) 
* Billy Campbell (1975–1977)
* [[John Mosca (musician)|John Mosca]] (1977–2018)
* [[Marshall Gilkes]] (2019–present)

;Trombones
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
* 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 (trombonist)|Janice Robinson]] (1975–1976) 
{{Col-break}}
* John Mosca (1975–2018)
* Clifford Adams (1976–1977)
* Lolly Bienenfeld (1978–1980) 
* Lee Robertson (1978–1981)
* [[Ed Neumeister]] (1981–1999)
* Jason Jackson (1998–present) 
* [[Luis Bonilla]] (1999–2019)
* Dion Tucker (2019–present)
{{col-end}}

;Bass trombone
* Cliff Heather (1966–1974)
* [[Dave Taylor (trombonist)|Dave Taylor]] (1974–1975)
* Earl McIntyre (1975–1998) 
* [[Douglas Purviance]] (1978–present)

;French horn
* Stephanie Fauber (1979–1991)

;Saxophones
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}

;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 (saxophonist, born 1960)|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 (jazz musician)|Frank Foster]] (1975)
* [[Larry Schneider (musician)|Larry Schneider]] (1975–1978) 
* [[Dick Oatts]] (1977 summer tour) 
* [[Bob Rockwell]] (1978–1980)
* [[Joe Lovano]] (1980–1991) 
* [[Bob Mintzer]] (1981 Rome tour)
* [[Rich Perry]] (1991–present)
{{Col-break}}

;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 (saxophonist)|Charles Davis]] (1978)
* [[Gary Brown (saxophonist)|Gary Brown]] (1979)
* Gary Pribeck (1979–1980) 
* [[Gary Smulyan]] (1980–present)
* Frank Basile (regular sub)
{{col-end}}

;Guitar
* Sam Herman (1966–1968)

;Piano
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
* [[Hank Jones]] (1966)
* [[Roland Hanna]] (1966–1975)
* [[Walter Norris]] (1975–1976)
* [[Harold Danko]] (1976–1978)
{{Col-break}}
* [[Jim McNeely]] (1978–1984)
* [[Kenny Werner]] (1984–1995)
* [[Jim McNeely]] (1995–2019)
* [[Adam Birnbaum]] (2019–present)
* [[Michael Weiss (composer)|Michael Weiss]] (regular sub 1991-2016)
{{col-end}}
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}

;Bass
* [[Richard Davis (double bassist)|Richard Davis]] (1966–1972)
* [[Gene Perla]] (1972)
* [[George Mraz]] (1972–1976)
* [[Steve Gilmore (musician)|Steve Gilmore]] (1975–1976)
* [[Rufus Reid]] (1977–1980)
* [[Ray Drummond]] (1978)
* Bob Bowman (1976 and 1979)
* John Lockwood (1980) 
* [[Marc Johnson (jazz musician)|Marc Johnson]] (1981–1982)
* [[Dennis Irwin]]  (1983–2008)
* Phil Palombi (2008–2009)
* David Wong (2009–present)
{{Col-break}}

;Drums
* [[Mel Lewis]] (1966–1990)
* [[Dennis Mackrel]] (1990–1991)
* [[Danny Gottlieb]] (1991–1992)
* [[John Bernard Riley|John Riley]] (1992–present)
{{Col-break}}

;Vocals
* [[Dee Dee Bridgewater]] (1971–1974)
* [[Ruth Brown]] (guest)
* [[Joe Williams (jazz singer)|Joe Williams]] (guest)
{{col-end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.downbeat.com/artists/artist_main.asp?sect=archives&sub=stories&subid=616&aid=541&photo=&aname=Thad+Jones ''Downbeat'' interview with Thad Jones and Mel Lewis]
*[http://www.vanguardjazzorchestra.com Vanguard Jazz Orchestra Official Website]
*[http://www.villagevanguard.com Village Vanguard]
*[http://www.renelaanen.com/joneslewis.htm Tribute to Thad Jones and Mel Lewis]
*[http://www.assisiperformingarts.org Jazz Assisi, featuring Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.]
*[http://www.thadmelvjobook.com/ 50 Years at the Village Vanguard: Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra]

{{The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Thad, Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, The}}
[[Category:1965 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:1978 disestablishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Jazz ensembles from New York City]]
[[Category:Hard bop ensembles]]
[[Category:Big bands]] <!-- This is categorized should show-up under its new name, Village Vanguard Orchestra, found at the redirect page -->
[[Category:Swing music]]
[[Category:Blue Note Records artists]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1965]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1978]]