Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band

The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra was a jazz big band formed by trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis around 1965. The band performed for twelve years in its original incarnation, and included a 1972 tour of the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War. The band won a 1978 Grammy Award for the album Live in Munich. 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 for four decades.

History
The orchestra started out as a group of all-star studio musicians getting together for midnight practice sessions at any place within walking distance from Jim and Andy's, a bar frequented by New York musicians. They eventually debuted at the Village Vanguard in New York in 1966, and were quickly noticed by jazz insiders for their originality and virtuoso skills.

The band had its own unique style, and tradition along the lines of big band swing, Bebop and Hard Bop. The sound was powerful, fast, intellectual and fun to listen to. Their pieces required a high degree of skill to play. Thad Jones, a trumpeter who toured (and wrote) for the Count Basie Orchestra during the 1950s, led the group, was its main arranger, and was occasionally featured, most often on flugelhorn. Mel Lewis, co-leader, produced a drum style with the band that was unique for big bands. The extent in which he was able to incorporate the loose, open approach of small group playing was a major innovation. His cymbal work added a texture and richness that is one of the hallmarks of the band. Every big band drummer after Lewis has been influenced by him to some degree.

The orchestra was arguably the most influential Big Band since the swing era. It was also an unusual band; creating new styles, succeeding in an era where big bands were out of favor, and remaining integrated during racially tense periods. The band initially was made of all-stars, but over time endeavored to showcase new talent (Jon Faddis). Jones' arrangements proved to be highly influential upon modern composers such as Maria Schneider, Bob Brookmeyer (who is also an alumnus), Jim McNeely, and Bill Kirchner. His songs built upon the innovations previously pioneered by Jazz composition figures such as Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus. Since the mid-1980s, the band has been renamed the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, continuing its tradition as the Village Vanguard's house band.

Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra

 * Opening Night (recorded 1966, released 2000) Alan Grant Presents
 * Presenting Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra (1966) Solid State Records
 * Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, The Jazz Orchestra (1966) Solid State
 * Live at the Village Vanguard (1967) Solid State
 * The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Featuring Miss Ruth Brown (1968) Solid State
 * Monday Night (1968) Solid State
 * Central Park North (1969) Solid State
 * Basle, 1969 (recorded 1969, released 1996) TCB Music
 * Consummation (1970) Solid State / Blue Note
 * Suite for Pops (1972) Horizon / A&M
 * Live in Tokyo (1974) Denon Jazz
 * Potpourri (1974) Philadelphia International
 * Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica (1974) Pausa
 * New Life: Dedicated to Max Gordon (1975) A&M
 * Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda Scott aka Rhoda Scott in New York with... (1976)
 * Live in Munich (1976) Horizon / A&M
 * It Only Happens Every Time (1977) EMI Records – with Monica Zetterlund
 * Body and Soul aka Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra in Europe (1978) West Wind Jazz – Live in Berlin
 * A Touch of Class (1978) West Wind Jazz – Live in Warsaw

Video performances

 * Jazz Casual – Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra... (recorded 1968) – a 1968 Television appearance

Compilations

 * The Blue Note Reissue Series: Thad Jones / Mel Lewis (recorded 1966 - 1970) Blue Note
 * The Complete Solid State Recordings of the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra (recorded 1966 - 1970) Mosaic Records / Blue Note
 * In Europe (2007) ITM
 * The Complete (Live in) Poland Concerts 1976 & 1978 (2009) Gambit

Jones and Lewis as guest bandleaders / performers with other orchestras

 * Greetings and Salutations (1975) Town Crier – Jones, Lewis and Jon Faddis with the Swedish Radio Jazz Group, Stockholm
 * Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and UMO (1977) RCA Records – Jones and Lewis with the UMO Jazz Orchestra, Helsinki

Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra

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

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

 * Lickety Split, The Music of Jim McNeely (1997) New World Records
 * Thad Jones Legacy, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (1999) New World Records
 * Can I Persuade You (2002) Planet Arts
 * The Way, Music of Slide Hampton (2004) Planet Arts
 * Up From The Skies, Music of Jim McNeely (2006) Planet Arts
 * Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard (2008) Planet Arts
 * Forever Lasting (2011) Planet Arts – Live in Tokyo double CD

Alumni

 * Brass


 * Thad Jones
 * Eddie Bert
 * Luis Bonilla
 * Jim Bossy
 * Cecil Bridgewater
 * Bob Brookmeyer
 * Jon Faddis
 * Stephen Furtado
 * Cliff Heather


 * Jason Jackson
 * Quentin Jackson
 * Jack Jeffers
 * Virgil Jones
 * Jimmy Knepper
 * John Mosca
 * Ed Neumeister
 * Lynn Nicholson


 * Al Porcino
 * Douglas Purviance
 * Lew Soloff
 * Marvin Stamm
 * Julius Watkins
 * Scott Wendholt
 * Snooky Young


 * Woodwinds


 * Pepper Adams
 * Frank Basile
 * Ron Bridgewater
 * Steve Coleman
 * Eddie Daniels
 * Jerry Dodgion
 * Bill Drewes
 * Joe Farrell
 * Don Palmer


 * Frank Foster
 * Kenny Garrett
 * Billy Harper
 * Greg Herbert
 * Ralph LaLama
 * Joe Lovano
 * Lou Marini


 * Dick Oatts
 * Bob Mintzer
 * Rich Perry
 * Chris Potter
 * Jerome Richardson
 * Gary Smulyan
 * Eddie Xiques
 * Joe Henderson


 * Keyboards


 * Roland Hanna
 * Hank Jones
 * Jim McNeely


 * Walter Norris
 * Harold Danko
 * Kenny Werner


 * Michael Weiss


 * Bass
 * Bob Bowman
 * Richard Davis
 * Dennis Irwin
 * George Mraz
 * Rufus Reid
 * David Wong


 * Drums
 * Mel Lewis
 * Tim Horner
 * Dennis Mackrel
 * John Riley


 * Vocals
 * Dee Dee Bridgewater
 * Ruth Brown
 * Joe Williams

Awards and honors
Grammy award: Grammy award nominations:
 * Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance: 2008 (for Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra)
 * Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band: 1978 (Live in Munich)
 * Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band: 1967 (Live at the Village Vanguard), 1969 (Central Park North), 1970 (Consummation), 1975 (Potpourri), 1976 (New Life)
 * Best Instrumental Arrangement: 1975 ("Living for the City" from Potpourri)

Down Beat magazine
 * Critics' Poll winner: Big Band: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978
 * Readers' Poll winner: Big Band: 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977