ELEW: The Art of ROCKJAZZ
At center stage, there is a lone piano. A man dressed in forearm armor enters, stage right, growling his way to the keys. There is no sheet music. There isn’t even a piano bench. He begins to play “Sweet Home Alabama,” but it’s not like any other version you’ve ever heard. It’s hand-clapping, head-thrashing energy. It ROCKS.
ELEW is an enigmatic presence. Born into a single mom household in Camden, New Jersey, Eric Lewis grew up in a very musical household. “We had four pianos… I literally grew up in the middle of it,” he tells me, recalling that he used to wake up to classical music and host neighborhood recitals right in their home.
After a very successful college career at Manhattan School of Music, ELEW realized that winning the prestigious Thelonius Monk competition and being in the esteem of such a great musician as Winton Marsalis “didn’t matter… I wasn’t going to get a record deal. No one could teach you sex appeal,” which he realized was an unfortunate, but literal key component to commercial success.
He was young, and by his own admission, out of shape. After no deal was made to record an album, he felt stuck. When asked if there was any particular instance that lead to the creation of his own genre, ELEW said it simply, “survival and frustration.” He decided to give himself 10 years to set out on his own. “Jazz would always be there… and I knew that I had to break people’s idea that I was just Winton’s piano player.”
ELEW studied and became versed in the art of branding and created ROCKJAZZ. Think popular music infused with killer improvisational skills. “I started listening to Linkin Park… I started wearing skinny jeans… I stood up to three hours to play… I lost weight… I wore armor” – which has become one of his signatures – “I demonstrated from the look to the sound, and I protected and hid it ‘til the time was right.”
When Yamaha offered ELEW an endorsement, he began playing anywhere and everywhere he could. If there was a party, he flew in a piano and he rocked. Over time, word began to spread of his incredible talent. Soon, he had some of the biggest names in show businesses as his fans. Some ELEW enthusiasts include Josh Groban and Will Smith, who he sees as just people, “artists, and they get the difficulties.” However, he still does admit that at times it is “surrealistic when Spiderman or the Wolf of Wall Street walk up to you and say hi.”
ELEW’s talent doesn’t stop at the keys. His DJ career is also booming, and he’s taking his style from soiree to after party. And be on the lookout for his directorial debut! He’s proud to announce that his first horror flick is creeping over the horizon.
The way ELEW attacks music is both aggressive and beautiful, and people are taking notice. ELEW is not just an artist. He is the art. He is ROCKJAZZ.
Photos by Michael Avedon and Brian To
