Hammond organist Vel Lewis has released “Smoovee,” a collaboration with saxophonist Marion Meadows that debuted as the most-added track at smooth jazz radio, according to the announcement. The label says the single is also appearing on the Smooth Jazz Network Top 100, Mediabase Smooth Jazz, RadioWave Monitor Groove Jazz 100 and a weekend radio chart in Madrid.
The song dates back to the late 1990s, when Lewis wrote it on a home workstation with a soprano saxophone lead in mind. He later pitched it to Meadows, whom he had come to know through mutual connections dating to his time following Meadows’ RCA Records recordings. The track’s rhythm section was recorded in Rio de Janeiro with musicians Adalberto Miranda and Dede Silva, with additional percussion added in Texas by Cassio Duarte. Guitarist Paul Brown mixed the record, and Steve Hall of Future Disc Systems handled mastering.
Lewis’s career spans six decades, including work as a session organist on gospel recordings for ABC/Peacock Records, a stint with Philadelphia International Records act The Futures, television composition credits including Chrysler Plymouth commercials featuring Tina Turner, and a three-year run in Dionne Warwick’s touring band. In June 2024 he received the Houston Black Music Award for Best Jazz Male Performer from the Black Music Association and Academy of America.
Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Eric Alper, thatericalper.com.