The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and the Village Vanguard just seem to go together. For one thing, they both represent longevity. The Vanguard is the oldest club in New York City; Mel’s band has one of the longest- running gigs in jazz—19 years of Monday nights at the Vanguard. For another thing, they are both grounded solidly by tradition, but aren’t afraid to look towards the future. The Vanguard’s walls are covered with photographs of the great jazz musicians who have played there—people such as John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Thad, Hank and Elvin Jones, Charles Mingus, Roland Kirk, Horace Silver and Tony Williams. Many of these artists continue to play at the Vanguard, but you’ll also hear the new jazz stars, such as Wynton Marsalis. Similarly, Mel Lewis & The Jazz Orchestra can be expected to play some of the same arrangements they’ve played since the days when the band […]

February 1985 Issue