March 2022

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ANDREABEENHAM BEENHAM ––ANDREA

Jools Holland: Community Through Music Kenny Lee Lewis

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Powerful Pivots usician, bandleader, composer, and radio and television presenter Jools Holland has long been a staple of the British music scene.

est known the bassist for theplaying Steve Miller Band, Kenny From his as humble beginnings the pub circuit of theLee East Lewis hasHolland toured as a guitarist, andmusician vocalist,before writingcoand London docks, progressed asbassist a session producing songs for almost 40 years. Working extensively as weekly a founding the band Squeeze and continuing on to a solo career. His studio musician everyone from Bonnieand Raitt, PeterNew Frampton, Bozceltelevision show,with Later…with Jools Holland, annual Year’s Eve Scaggs, Tom Jones, and others, Lewissince continues ebration,Paul Jools’McCartney, Annual Hootenanny, have aired on BBC2 1992,trying and new things andand outside of his music. Latest ventures include his Holland haswithin worked performed with successful musicians in every YouTube fans and aspiring guitarists, online guitar decade ofchannel the 20thfor century. Collaborations have included Jayneschool, County, and debut fantasy Skeleton Dolls: Children of the Tower.Tom Sting, Eric sci-fi Clapton, Marknovel, Knopfler, George Harrison, David Gilmour, The Dr. sonJohn, of anthe avidFine jazzYoung fan, Lewis was raised onhas big been band bandleader records–– to Jones, Cannibals and he something heRhythm credits with influencing his musical style and ability to swing. his 18-piece & Blues Orchestra since 1987. Teaching himself strummingby and chord basics on themother, ukulele aunts, at ageand seven, Growing up surrounded musicians (Holland’s itgrandmother was stumbling band rehearsal the sixth grade changed allacross playedapiano), there wasinalways music in that the home—jazz, his trajectory. “I'dand never to anybody age that had a band classical, blues, thebeen latestthat popclose records—and hemy remembers feeling that had instruments that were playing,” shared the thrill of hearing Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “UpLewis. AbovePsychedelia My Head” forand the flower-power spreadhis to Sacramento the sounds the Beatles and first time, andhad watching uncle playingaspiano, whichof ultimately solidified The Beach Boys replaced byIThe Kinks and the Yardbirds. “It was all his obsession. “Itwere was so exciting. new to him me because I came from northern Sacramento and we were just heard playing boogie-woogie typical confessed and theAmerican chaos ofjocks,” the universe be- Lewis. Forming a band alongside a songwriter at school and Holland co-writing together came ordered,” he says. still in Lewis’ on electric finds thatbedroom, feeling atLewis times,started revealing guitar, John that's Perry my becoming their that, “I with suppose definition drummer (Perry’s siblings established of what good music is for were me. As industry in L.A., one soon as insiders it finishes, I want to later hear encouragit ing Lewis toward studio work). Becoming again—that's a good piece.” more politically and socially active with his Mostly self-taught, Holland writing, playingfrom guitar learnedLewis theorywas in school hisprofessionally by age 15, touring by age music teacher, and picked up17. more Lewis’knowledge original songwriting process musical from mentors involved lyrics first, looking the style and collaborators—like Dr. at John, of thewrote band with he was (or hired) in who himplaying and introduced afterwards. way since him to earlyOriginals R&B andbegan bluesthis artists he was typically writing aboutrevealed jilted love, from New Orleans. Holland but meeting his always wife, Diane Steinbergthatafter Dr. John would tell him, Lewis (who him as her “You've got hired to play what youbassist), love, he began writing letters thatyou she later and you've gotlove to love what turned into lyrics. hadyou a recording play. You've got toOnce playhe what studio, Lewis oftengot created the music with a mean, and you've you mean simple analog what you play.”drum machine beat, adding onto it to get a groove. Hearing rhythms inWhen it comes to tips for writing side theHolland lead tones, he that listens for dominant music, shares “you notes that will influence the vocals, need to make music that will makegrabbing onto those melodiesthem for adance, theme.cry, Lyrics are people feel—make then written to support itthe track––the lyricswith you. The title's enough to or feel romantic—and needs to resonate servicing music. says that it isdon't need words. The great thing take you the to the placeLewis sometimes—you important that the and match, adding, ”They have to be a marabout all music is lyrics there's nomusic rules at all.” On his new song, “Blues For The riage, conflict.” End ofotherwise Time,” thethey melody is painted by David Gilmour, and the title gives Revealing that Overall the most challenging part of being any type of writerto be you all you need. though, Holland believes that it is important is that you to have private time and shut everyone writing andhave listening to music you love constantly, addingelse thatout, youLewis should says that, “Your friends family to know they need towere leavethey you be asking yourself, “whoand were they have listening to, and then who alone. It’sto, really if you’re toback, be successful.” He discover advises listening and important so forth? The moregoing you go the more you songwriters to:you make sense of the song.” Collaborations can also be and the more 1. Keep a notebook write things down whileyour yousongs, are stillit emotionally beneficial. “If you getand someone amazing to sing illuminates it charged somethingmuch in your life––uncensored––filing it thematiand turns itabout into something better,” says Holland. “The best thing that callyhappen so that to you can reference it later (Miller lyrics to “Abracacould a songwriter is when you hear wrote someone singing it who dabra” on ita into napkin in a ski lodge 20 minutes), then makes a universal sort ofinthing—they magnify it.” 2. Co-write much as possible bounce creativeis ideas and build Holland’sas latest project, Pianola.toPiano & Friends, a celebration of your comnetwork few people can sithis alone write music Lewis’ munity and(very was written to express love and of the piano and and the joy and greatest successes have come fromthe co-writing––including Abracacommunity it brings. Inspired to create compilation from a childhood dabra and the Up The Volume soundtrack);guests and on her selfspent listening to Pump his grandmother Rosie entertaining 3. Subscribe to the hot he lead sheets see what is his needed by artists and playing pianola (which has since to inherited from mother), the compilaproducers. tion includes artists Trombone Shorty, Booker T, Tom Jones, David Gilmour, Proudest of being ablePorter, to putJoe a band togetherRick andWakeman, perform, Lewis Moses Boyd, Gregory Bonamassa, and Dr.feels John. thatGushes his talent is not “I'm really but rather withexistence the Holland, sohis, grateful to be something able to havetoashare blessed listener, “It'srecord about that me getting gift - and reasonable ex-of and keepexplaining, doing it. The I've justafinished is athe culmination change for thatit's is about to share andofbring to people.” that, because theitroot whatjoy I like to do, which is my dear old As well ongoing studio work, Lewis continues to perform live shows friend, theas piano.” withHolland Steve Miller, Barflyz (his project with wife), Hang Dynasty, and received an Order of the British Empire at the Queen’s Birthday Cuban Supernova (withmusic Scott industry Martin ofas War). He wasprepart Honorssupergroup, for his service to the British a television of last month’s 9/11 20th senter and musician and Anniversary is a Patron of“Never DrakeForget Music. Concert” Fundraiser and has anContact EP of original material currently Missing in the works. Sonny Bailey-Lemansky, Piece Group sonny@missingpiecegroup.com Contact kllewis54@gmail.com, Experience Jools Holland at: joolsholland.com kennyleelewis.com

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