James Mingo Lewis

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JAMES MINGO LEWIS: Master of Latin Fusion
by David L Gordon
This article is a requested follow-up to my recent review of Al Di Meola's record Land Of The Midnight Sun.
Sometime in 1972, growing resentments between Carlos Santana and Michael Carabello over (hmmm) lifestyle issues resulted in Carlos' departure from his own band. Carlos had recently met his wife to be, and was becoming more serious about the type of music he wanted to play. He felt held back by the band's chaotic democracy and undisiplined approach. On top of that, Coke Escovedo had convinced him that he should take control of the band's helm, whereas guys like bassist David Brown, and percussionist Carabello thought that the band's sucess was due to its collaborative nature. 
To put it simply, Carlos had met his wife-to-be, and was (in some band member's minds) "going straight". Santana actually toured for half a month without him, until of course Carabello and his giant afro were finally kicked out. James Mingo Lewis was hired at the last minute, plucked from the audience, as a replacement during a concert in New York City. David Brown left shortly after due to substance abuse problems. This new Santana was to be the tenth version of the band (according to Santana's website). 
Then In January 1972, Mingo, Santana, Neal Schon and Coke Escovedo joined Buddy Miles for a live concert at Hawaii's Diamond Head Crater, which was recorded for the Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles Live album. It sounds like it was recorded inside a volcano too! There is even a song called Lava, and it is totally amazing. During the studio sessions in may 1972 Mingo, and what was left of Santana, began working on the masterpiece Caravanserai. I was lucky enough to see this band play this music at Maple leaf gardens on Tuesday, February 20, 1973, and I assure you it was a totally trancendant experience.
In the spring of 1973, Corea replaced some of the original members of Return To Forever with rock guitarist Bill Connors from Spiral Staircase, drummer par excellance Mr.Steve Gadd, and young percussionist Mingo Lewis. Chic unveiled the new lineup to little acclaim in New York City at the Bitter End in April. They actually cut an album, and you can listen to 3 of the cuts from the session on the Verve release, Return To The Seventh Galaxy. However, Steve was out when it became clear to Gadd that it wouldn't be worth his while touring, and Mingo left RTF at about the same time.
Some time later, Mingo Lewis went off to collaborate with Al Di Meola for his first six (and I think best) solo albums. These records sound as much like Mingo albums as they do Al lps. In fact by the time of Tour De Force Live, Lewis was the only other remaining player from the original solo record, yet the music remains the same. Once Mingo was out of the band though, Dimeola had, and still has, a completely different sound. Keep in mind that Mingo is also a keyboardist and a fine composer. He was also one of the first great synthesizer wizards. Lewis' only solo album Flight Never Ending appears to be a very enjoyable blend of Return to Forever and Santana, but it is in fact all Mingo. It IS a very progressive sounding record.
There are 8 songs on Flight Never Ending, with 4 of them being over 7 minutes long, and all the tunes are arranged in similar fashion to Return to Forever songs, except they are even wilder and spicier. Mingo not only plays some pretty intense percussion, he composes much of the music and lays down some very groovy and crazy keys. There are 3 keyboard players on Flight Never Ending working synthesizer, piano, organ and clavinet. It is old school jazz fusion at its finest: fast and furious.  
It is one of the all-too-few Latin Fusion masterpieces still available today.
The players on Flight Never Ending are:
Mingo Lewis: percussion, synthesizers, congas, clavinet, and vocals
Louis Bramy: percussion, bells, vocals
Mike Kapitan: keyboards
David Logerman: drums
Eric McCann: electric bass
Kincaid Miller: synthesizers, keyboards clavinet
Randy Sellgren: electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Michael Kapitau: organ, synthesizers, piano, drums vocals

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vingaton Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Newbie Joined: March 09 2007 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 31	Topic: James Mingo Lewis Posted: June 08 2007 at 17:06
	JAMES MINGO LEWIS: Master of Latin Fusion by David L Gordon This article is a requested follow-up to my recent review of Al Di Meola's record Land Of The Midnight Sun. Sometime in 1972, growing resentments between Carlos Santana and Michael Carabello over (hmmm) lifestyle issues resulted in Carlos' departure from his own band. Carlos had recently met his wife to be, and was becoming more serious about the type of music he wanted to play. He felt held back by the band's chaotic democracy and undisiplined approach. On top of that, Coke Escovedo had convinced him that he should take control of the band's helm, whereas guys like bassist David Brown, and percussionist Carabello thought that the band's sucess was due to its collaborative nature. To put it simply, Carlos had met his wife-to-be, and was (in some band member's minds) "going straight". Santana actually toured for half a month without him, until of course Carabello and his giant afro were finally kicked out. James Mingo Lewis was hired at the last minute, plucked from the audience, as a replacement during a concert in New York City. David Brown left shortly after due to substance abuse problems. This new Santana was to be the tenth version of the band (according to Santana's website). Then In January 1972, Mingo, Santana, Neal Schon and Coke Escovedo joined Buddy Miles for a live concert at Hawaii's Diamond Head Crater, which was recorded for the Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles Live album. It sounds like it was recorded inside a volcano too! There is even a song called Lava, and it is totally amazing. During the studio sessions in may 1972 Mingo, and what was left of Santana, began working on the masterpiece Caravanserai. I was lucky enough to see this band play this music at Maple leaf gardens on Tuesday, February 20, 1973, and I assure you it was a totally trancendant experience. In the spring of 1973, Corea replaced some of the original members of Return To Forever with rock guitarist Bill Connors from Spiral Staircase, drummer par excellance Mr.Steve Gadd, and young percussionist Mingo Lewis. Chic unveiled the new lineup to little acclaim in New York City at the Bitter End in April. They actually cut an album, and you can listen to 3 of the cuts from the session on the Verve release, Return To The Seventh Galaxy. However, Steve was out when it became clear to Gadd that it wouldn't be worth his while touring, and Mingo left RTF at about the same time. Some time later, Mingo Lewis went off to collaborate with Al Di Meola for his first six (and I think best) solo albums. These records sound as much like Mingo albums as they do Al lps. In fact by the time of Tour De Force Live, Lewis was the only other remaining player from the original solo record, yet the music remains the same. Once Mingo was out of the band though, Dimeola had, and still has, a completely different sound. Keep in mind that Mingo is also a keyboardist and a fine composer. He was also one of the first great synthesizer wizards. Lewis' only solo album Flight Never Ending appears to be a very enjoyable blend of Return to Forever and Santana, but it is in fact all Mingo. It IS a very progressive sounding record. There are 8 songs on Flight Never Ending, with 4 of them being over 7 minutes long, and all the tunes are arranged in similar fashion to Return to Forever songs, except they are even wilder and spicier. Mingo not only plays some pretty intense percussion, he composes much of the music and lays down some very groovy and crazy keys. There are 3 keyboard players on Flight Never Ending working synthesizer, piano, organ and clavinet. It is old school jazz fusion at its finest: fast and furious. It is one of the all-too-few Latin Fusion masterpieces still available today. The players on Flight Never Ending are: Mingo Lewis: percussion, synthesizers, congas, clavinet, and vocals Louis Bramy: percussion, bells, vocals Mike Kapitan: keyboards David Logerman: drums Eric McCann: electric bass Kincaid Miller: synthesizers, keyboards clavinet Randy Sellgren: electric guitar, acoustic guitar Michael Kapitau: organ, synthesizers, piano, drums vocals
	I want to see beyond that tree And defy the force of gravity

verslibre Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: July 01 2004 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 14980	Posted: June 13 2007 at 01:21
	This is a CLASSIC overlooked album. I never thought it would appear (legitimately) on CD but there is a new 2007 remaster out of Germany.
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vingaton Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Newbie Joined: March 09 2007 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 31	Posted: June 13 2007 at 01:53
	I am so glad to see that it has been reissued. Maybe one day I will get to hear this recording without the old zips, pops, and scratches....many thanks Verslibre. By the way...kinda grabs you by the boo boo don't it? V
	I want to see beyond that tree And defy the force of gravity

Sean Trane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Prog Folk Joined: April 29 2004 Location: Heart of Europe Status: Offline Points: 19597	Posted: June 13 2007 at 06:19
	Never heard this album, but your article makes it sound like a must hear Caravanserai is certainly in my top 10
	let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword

vingaton Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Newbie Joined: March 09 2007 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 31	Posted: June 13 2007 at 14:16
	Thanks Hughes. Coming from you that is very high praise indeed. I am very pleased that my article held your interest...and yes, Caravanserai is one of the greatest pieces of music ever created. Mingo Lewis was an important co-creator of the album's genius. Lewis shares writing credits with Jose Chepito Areas on the track Future Primitive, but I suspect it is more of a Mingo Song than it is a Chepito one. La Fuente Del Ritmo (also on side two) is 100% Mingo Lewis and features the debut of Tom Coster within the changing Santana. As I pointed out, Mingo Lewis was one of the great composer/percussionists during a time when electric music was maturing in a very big way, and he did that playing drums, the most primitive of instruments. He had the future covered too with his wild synth-work. V
	I want to see beyond that tree And defy the force of gravity

prog4evr Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 22 2005 Location: Wuhan, China Status: Offline Points: 1455	Posted: June 14 2007 at 00:46
	Thank you, Vingaton! On another thread, I mentioned the conga player on Al Di Meola's song from Casino, Chasing the Voodoo, but I couldn't remember his name (I lent the album to a friend and haven't gotten it back from him yet). But, I remember now, it's Mingo Lewis - that's right! And you are right - the guy is quite a percussion 'machine,' especially on any hand-drum he touches...