E-mail a friendEric Lewis
airdate December 21, 2006
Pianist-composer Eric Lewis has played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Cassandra Wilson, Roy Hargrove and Wynton Marsalis. After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music, the New Jersey native began touring and won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. He's worked on film tracks and is only the second person outside the world of dance to be commissioned to compose a Joffrey Ballet piece. Lewis' first feature film performance role is in The Good Shepherd.
Eric Lewis
Tavis: Eric Lewis is an awfully talented jazz pianist who's worked with the likes of Cassandra Wilson, Wynton Marsalis, and Alvin Jones. He began playing the piano when he was just two years old. In just a few moments, he's going to play an original composition for us. But first, Eric, nice to have you here.
Eric Lewis: Pleasure to be here, Tavis.
Tavis: When I heard you play this composition, I said to myself, 'Self, I gotta get that guy (laugh) on the TV show to play this.' The composition is called 'Thanksgiving?'
Lewis: That's correct.
Tavis: Tell me about it.
Lewis: In 1998, I went through a very depressive time. And when I finally came out of it, I realized that the secret was just to be more thankful, instead of being in a place of complaining about what I didn't have. And so I wrote this tune to always remind myself to be thankful, and to also share that lesson with everyone who I play it for.
Tavis: So playing since the age of two?
Lewis: Yeah, yeah. I come from a family of classical musicians four generations deep. My great-grandmother, great-grandfather, mother, father, grandfather, aunts. I came up in a very European classical tradition. I'm the first jazz player. My mother decided that I should learn how to play other styles, because she feared that I'd have a tough time trying to crack into European classical circles. And so she wanted me to have a variety of skills.
Tavis: Now the irony of that is that cracking into jazz, as you put it, isn't the easiest thing to do, either.
Lewis: Yeah, that's true. (Laugh) That's true. It felt a little better, though, it was a little more fraternal in some ways. All these things eventually get transcended and eclipsed at a certain level of engagement with this craft. But definitely, I had some emotional struggles trying to crack in, and trying to just deal with my own manhood, and deal with my own musical voice and vision, and all those kind of things that we struggle with.
Tavis: Here he is, Eric Lewis performing 'Thanksgiving.' Enjoy. Good night from L.A., and keep the faith.
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