SKF NOTE: This is an updater from Mel Lewis in 1982, probably for Modern Drummer magazine. It’s great hearing Mel’s voice again. Historically, there are some interesting moments here.

Mel has just endorsed Pearl Drums. He gives the company high marks, and he credits Al Duffy at Pearl as the deal cinch-er for Mel.

Also, Mel mentions he just finished a tour with Benny Goodman, has upcoming dates with the Mel Lewis Orchestra at the Village Vanguard, Arizona, Australia, and other places. The tape ends mid-sentence with Mel talking about working again with Lionel [Hampton?].

As I’ve said before, I’m finding this and other excerpts on one cassette I used many times to tape brief conversations with drummers and drum industry people. Sometimes — like this time — one conversation was recorded over with another conversation.

If you listen carefully you will hear, near the end of this tape, we end and restart our conversation. After we stopped the tape, I think Mel remembered a couple of dates he had forgotten to mention, so we fired up the ol’ recorder and added that info to the mix.