On Friday, February 25, in collaboration with Hamptons Jazz Fest Winter Series and in recognition of Black History Month, the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill presents a live, in-person concert with jazz virtuoso Greg Lewis, a veteran of the New York music scene regarded as a master of the Hammond B3 organ.
Performing cuts from his first album “Organ Monk” — a tribute to jazz legend Thelonious Monk — as well as other selections, Lewis’s trio features guitarist Ron Jackson and drummer Cindy Blackman, with special guest Jerry Weldon, the internationally renowned tenor saxophonist.
Born into a musical family, Lewis grew up listening to Thelonious Monk records from his late father’s collection. The jazz icon inspired Lewis’s recently released album — possibly the first time interpretations of Monk’s work have been led by an organist. Through his mastery of the B3’s expansive capabilities, Lewis exploits the instrument’s vast potential for creating new sounds, breathing new life into Monk’s extensive songbook.
His arrangements of Monk’s titles are consciously contemporary, respecting the composer’s melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic voice with interpretations that blur divisions between soloist and accompanist.
Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for the public. Visit parrishart.org.