Sam Lewis (5)

Early jazz trombonist (born December 2, 1897 in Boston, MA) Lewis received his first musical training from age 8 on alto horn in the Leopold Morse Home orphanage in Mattapan, MA in the institution's brass band. He soon upgraded to cornet. From age 13, he studied slide trombone, harmony, solfeggio and tympani while attending the English High School in Boston, MA to become a symphony musician. After graduating from high school, Sam Lewis moved to New York City for theater work. Dance and jazz band work started around 1918, and studio work soon followed. In November 1920 Lewis joined Paul Whiteman And His Orchestra and stayed until late 1923. After that, Lewis joined Ben Selvin & His Orchestra full-time. He stayed with Selvin until late 1927 or early 1928. From 1937, he played trombone with the NBC Symphony Orchestra headed by Arturo Toscanini. Lewis corresponded with discographers like Brian Rust or Joseph W. Freeman and provided information on recordings on which he played, but the circumstances, dates and locations of his later life and death are unknown.