Biography
In a career spanning more than 45 years (so far!), percussionist Mingo Lewis has played with some of music's greatest names, including Chick Corea (and Return to Forever), Al DiMeola, Santana, and the Tubes. He has performed live and/or recorded with hundreds of musicians such as Third World, Miles Davis, Todd Rundgren, Billy Joel, David Byrne, Brian Eno, Aretha Franklin, James Brown. He has recorded over 100 records, many of which were Grammy winners. Mingo's childhood was saturated with music and musicians. His father, Jimmy "Babyface" Lewis, was a blues singer and guitarist, well-known at New York's Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater. Jimmy's closest friends were Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, and the two would often visit the family. With such musical luminaries surrounding him, it was inevitable that the boy would begin playing early. He started with brushes on just a snare drum and a cymbal, jamming with his father, who would wake young Mingo up in the middle of the night to play with him and his friends. Over time, Mingo learned to groove with the masters. Monk, Miles, Max Roach, Art Blakey and countless others were frequent visitors to the house. From age 6 to 12, he was steeped in jazz, funk and soul music. Upon entering junior high school, he became enthralled with Latin music, quickly becoming involved in the swinging Latin music scene in New York and Afro Cuban Rumba in Central Park. One night, the Santana band was in town to play at Madison Square Garden. It happened that the percussion section had quit the afternoon before the gig, and Carlos and the band were left scrambling to find a replacement. When the show's promoter got word that Mingo, who had been dragged to the show by a friend, was in the house waiting for the show to begin, an impromptu audition was arranged, and with only minutes to spare, Mingo filled in. It was the beginning of what would become a three-year relationship with Santana, during which they toured the world and recorded the studio albums Caravanserai and Love, Devotion and Surrender and the live LP Live at the Crater Festival. Over the ensuing years, he worked on some highly acclaimed pop and fusion records, including Billy Joel's Turnstiles, Todd Rundgren's Nearly Human, XTC's Skylarking, David Byrne and Brian Eno's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, and a handful of Al DiMeola's early works. Additionally, he began to develop a teaching practice, one focused on understanding each individual student and teaching according to his or her needs. Mingo Lewis's newest music project is called bad Buddha
As a player/composer/producer, Mingo Lewis is in the business of making real music, in real time, with real people: relaxed, breathing, grooving music. As a teacher, his intention is to convey the depth and beauty of music, and teach his students how to learn not play.Mingo is currently working full time in his new studio Called Hall of Souls Studio and putting together a new Band Called( The Invisible Man) and (Mingos Bad Buddha).
before then end of this year 2024 I plan on releasing 3 major recordings, Sabu the invisible man/Sangre Negra/Bad Buddha.In all there are 7 albums to be released and promoted this year(4) RoomOf Voices albums which is the last project Mingo was performing live with a 2 piece band with Karissa Gallo (SoundSapien) synth, electronic drums +Vocal and Mingo drums electronic percussion +lead Vocals. Always looking and searching for that next sound!
Maybe someday I'll get to play in a band with all 4 of my sons Mingo jr,Mateo,Diego and Aidan Lewis ?
One more thing keep an eye out for the
Mingo Flight Never Ending Tour 2025!
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