Organ Monk

Gregory Lewis, accomplished mainstay across New York City jazz and blues scenes, is best known for his domination of the Hammond organ and his mastery of the music of the great pianist-composer Thelonious Monk. Growing up as a 70's kid in Long Island City, part of Lewis' societal foundation is deeply rooted in the height of the soul and funk eras. He would eventually fall in love with Monk’s work through his father’s record collection; furthermore, the understandably lasting impression was enough to inspire the young listener to devotedly study the idiosyncratic music for piano. By the time Lewis became a teenager, he was playing professionally around his native New York City. Not long after enrolling in The New School's jazz program, Lewis' mentor and teacher, legend Gil Coggins, would send him to sub at a gig only to discover that instead of a piano there was a Hammond B3. This was a defining moment in Lewis’ career that would set him on the path to becoming a bona fide organist. It was when Lewis heard organist Larry Young perform a version of “Monk’s Dream” that he knew that he wanted to focus on interpreting Monk’s music on the organ. A lifetime of practice and performance has honed Lewis' skills and developed his material, leading to many opportunities and much recognition. Throughout the years, the spotlight has grown on his enormous talents as the leader of his own all-star Organ Monk trio, quartet, and quintet.