“I own a copy of Eddie Lewis’s Celebrations (duets for trumpets). I use it to practice sight reading, in preparation for hard reading gigs, such as Broadway shows, or Salsa shows. Eddie Lewis covers a wide range of styles, key signatures, time signatures, with easier material in the beginning and a slow progression to moderate difficulty, and then things get challenging. Eddie Lewis has incorporated in these duets a tricky use of multiple accidentals, and other brain twisters. I highly recommend this book for reading development, technique, and added endurance. A wealth of material! I am ready for a new book, is there a new release?”

“Thank you again so much for playing at my grandpas funeral.  It was so beautiful and we really appreciated it.  : )”

“I got hold of your Trumpet Pyramid Book many years ago and then the Daily Routine book. I preferred to organize other books using your Ideology and I must say, I have done nothing but progress ever since. The main reason for my practicing this way was It was actually doable. It was easy to incorporate practicing this way so I could also have a wife, family and a life. Before I would organize my practice schedule with the same materials and progressive style but would practice in full the routine every day and would barely make any strength or range gains, although my technic was amazing.

For a long time I was a believer in Claude Gordon that the only way to succeed was to practice every day for many hours. Even Doc’s comment when he was young about taking a day off – he would know, taking two days off – the band would know, taking three days off – everybody would know. Well I found out the hard way, this ain’t true. Hard work does not always mean success. Smart work will be more successful.

Sorry for the long post but really I do agree with you with your Ideology and practice methods. They work for me and all I have taught since discovering this. So, in essence, Thank You!!!”

“I took lessons with Mr. Lewis for 6 years, and he has greatly enriched the enjoyment I take in playing my trumpet. I would recommend him to players of any level looking to improve. I started taking lessons with him after a poor experience with a school-sanctioned private lesson teacher, and I immediately liked him a lot. Mr. Lewis tailors the lessons based on the strengths and weaknesses of the student, as well as the student’s personal goals. I found him to be very philosophical in the way he approaches trumpet playing; he has a vast knowledge of just about every aspect of the instrument, and shares his knowledge and methods in the lessons, instead of just having student blindly follow instructions. Mr. Lewis prepared me for not only competitions like region band and solo contest, but also for what playing trumpet in the “real world” would be like. I’m currently in college (non-music major), and I still play on a weekly basis, which I owe in part to the appreciation of playing I gleaned from my lessons.”

“Eddie Lewis offers exceptional trumpet lessons as well as decades of professional experience to his students. During lessons, I was given numerous musical tools to use throughout my trumpet career to aid in my success as a player, which I still continue to this day, as well as simple, but impactful life lessons specific to the student’s situation.”

“Before taking lessons with Mr. Lewis, I was taking lessons with a local private lesson teacher offered by the school and was told to perform the same routines and was told the same comments on how to improve, with little success. Upon finding Mr. Lewis and beginning to take lessons from him, I noticed a vast improvement in my tone and technique as well as my appreciation for our lessons. Mr. Lewis offered me numerous positive life lessons as well as offering care for his students. This is something that I never experienced before with my previous lesson teacher, as with him, I was just another paycheck. I went from being last chair (7th) in my junior high second band to becoming 2nd chair in the top band in the span of a summer break. After continuing lessons with Mr. Lewis for several years, I became a Texas 5A area level player as well as a proficient jazz player in the Houston area with the help of Mr. Lewis, while also using Mr. Lewis’ suggestions to help overcome my stage fright. As I continue my college career as a student and a lead trumpet player in the Million Dollar Band at The University of Alabama, I still use Mr. Lewis’ techniques offered to me in lessons to continue to improve myself as well as my trumpet playing. I truly could not have asked for a better life mentor or trumpet teacher than Mr. Lewis.”

“After a couple of very busy months in which my practice time dipped to just about nil, I decided to try Eddie’s Chops Express to get myself in shape for an upcoming gig. I started the month in just about the poorest playing shape I’d been in for quite a while. For about 3 weeks, knowing that my work schedule was still going to be quite busy, I used Chops Express almost exclusively (only about 10 – 15 minutes a day). The final week before the gig, I added about 10 minutes of Clarke studies after doing the Chops Express sessions. I’m very pleased to report that I felt very good at my gig. I was quite pleased with my tone and overall playing despite having had only very limited practice time. Eddie knows what he’s talking about! Chops Express works!”

“What can be said about Eddie Lewis other than he is a phenomenal player.. he does it all with such ease it .. so awesome. I love his unforgettable jazz trumpet solos.. great job!!“

“Eddie Lewis is one of Gabriel’s children! This book [Daily Routines] should be available everywhere.”

“Eddie makes trumpet MUSIC that touches your soul.”

“I have used Celebrations (duet book) in my private teaching since I first received the book, and have to say that the wide range of styles as well was the wide range of difficulty in the duets makes it a perfect addition to any teacher’s library. The students who have played the duets with me have enjoyed them, as have their parents who heard them through the closed door of my studio.

It’s a great book at a great price and will provide a lot of great music-making.”

“Eddie – I wish to express admiration for and appreciation of your method and your teaching. You are a tremendous teacher and your method is exemplary! Thanks for all you have done for me my playing. Truly, truly remarkable.”

“Mr. Lewis is hands down the best teacher I’ve ever had…in any subject.  In high school he prepared me for college and I received not only a scholarship but a full ride, something I could never have achieved on my own. I have used the “Physical Trumpet Pyramid” and “Daily Routines” since 1990 and swear by the results. I owe all of my success to these books. His methods have  prepared me for a career as an award winning Trumpet player here in Houston and on a national scale. I personally cannot think of a better opportunity for your sons or daughters to get the instruction they need to take their playing to the next level, whether its just for fun or more academic study Mr. Lewis helps his students develop goals and gives them the tools to get there. Quit wasting your time and sign up for lessons now!”

“Eddie and I have been working together since the early 90’s. Whether it be the Tom Borling Bebop band, my band, TKOH, Eddie’s Living Rhythms or Noe’s Big Band, he has always been the consummate professional. Regardless of the style of music, he has always given 100%, being true to the music, never considering himself above it. Eddie has also written  many arrangements for my band that I use all the time. If ever I feel uninspired in Houston, I look at Eddie and all of his accomplishments: originals, arrangements, books, study methods, etc…”

“I love your Daily Routines and music. They’re absolutely wonderful. They have tremendously helped me with my tone, range, and articulation. Your Celebrations duet book is also great for these things on so many levels. I hope someday I can meet you and listen to you play live.”

“Just received the books. What a wonderful, cheerful, joyous book “Celebrations” is! I intend to “beat my students up” with it. It has something for everyone, from beginner to professional. It’s a playing encyclopedia, pure and simple.”

“I purchased your “Daily Routines” and the companion “Trumpet Pyramid” books from you a few years ago, along with the amazing TBBB recording. As a personal testimonial, they have “changed my life”, at least my trumpet-playing life. What used to be my “best” days are now my normal, and I no longer struggle for days following a tough gig or after a layoff period. Overall, I am a better and more consistent player. Thank you!! I have subsequently assisted a handful of other players by introducing them to “The Eddie Lewis Method”, as they all fondly call it. I am a part-time professional, and do not profess to be a teacher. With the assistance of your books, however, I have helped them on their journeys to better playing skills, endurance, and range. All were struggling with range, endurance, sound, and inconsistent abilities, some for their entire musical lives. The oldest is in his mid-70’s. All have improved without additional playing or practice time beyond what they had done for many years. Some have improved dramatically well beyond what they had long considered their “level”.

“Thanks so much for the big band arrangements you did of my songs. They were expertly written and turned around very quickly on a short deadline. The charts were accurate, and your musical visions that you introduced  complimented very nicely with my original ideas in each song. You are my first choice for doing more chart work for horns next time I need it, which will be soon. In fact, I’ve got a few new tunes here…”

“Hello Eddie, I wanted to let you know that everything with the wedding was wonderful.  The ceremony and reception turned out great and I want to thank you very much for playing.  The trumpet sounds were magical and really made everything come together.  It was everything that I dreamed it would be and more.  My husband said that you really did and excellent job and I am still hearing compliments on how your performance added so much more to the ceremony as well as the reception.  I really appreciate it.”

(transcribed from a phone message)
“I’m on 74, 75 and 76 in your duet book. Man, I just want to thank you for this stuff. It’s really perfect for a pro player to cover those styles and I’m gong to tell you the truth – you’re kind of a jerk though – some of that stuff you do, man, that trickery – I really like it. Thanks Eddie.”

“Your duets have been a great addition to my teaching. I like to do some sight-reading at each students’ lesson, and in your book there is so much variety and range of styles. Some duets are very simple, which can be deceptively challenging, and others have intervallic and rhythmic demands that are quite ambitious. I also appreciate the “swing” duets, of which there are a number: gone are the days when any trumpeter can ignore being able to play well in this manner. Congratulations on such a fine book, and I’m grateful for your contribution to our quest of becoming better musicians and trumpeters.”

“This book [Chops Express] is a must have for all serious trumpet players from the beginner to the virtuose artist!”

“Eddie Lewis will surprise you; he plays awesome jazz solos, seeming to never run out of ideas, and never repeating himself-then he’ll step over and play great lead trumpet. Just when you think you know the limit of his abilities, he’ll go play classical music somewhere, and if there’s time, he’ll top it off with a salsa gig. The cat has one of the broadest packages of skills I’ve ever encountered!”

“In 1974 I gave a very young Eddie Lewis a trumpet lesson on our Vermont home’s back porch. “Put some air through this horn and make that sound bounce back at us from the hill across the valley,” I said. With an unbelievably rich tone he did just that, and he hasn’t stopped since. As both a performing music and a public school educator I’ve been privileged to have worked with Tiger several times over the years that followed. I’m an old, well-traveled jazz pianist and singer – directed my first band in 1966. Since then I’ve directed and played in bands all over Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and now Arizona.

Note this well: Eddie is one of the most versatile and talented jazz trumpeters of the hundreds that I’ve worked with. His technique is clean; his sight-reading is right on; his range is large and balanced; and his improvisational skills are incredible – ballads, latin, swing, bop – you name it. But best of all, in spite of being a trumpet player – he’s about as nice a person as you could ever hope to meet. I’m still teaching kids how to make music by playing band instruments.

Last year Eddie was in town visiting his mom and he swung by my school to talk to one of my middle school bands and then my after-school jazz band. He talked about loving what you are doing. He talked about working at what you love. Semi-politely my always talkative kids nodded their heads as they listened. Then he took out his trumpet – and blew the horn. Their eyes grew big. Their mouths were still open but were now silent. He demonstrated some classical themes. He showed some simple warm-ups. He played a jazz standard while I accompanied on piano. And then he even played some tunes along with my jazz band. Some of the kids were there for two hours.

They would have stayed and played and listened all night. So would I. It was nice to play one more time with Eddie Lewis. They still talk about his visit. It is has been my pleasure to talk about him. Contact me at geoffreyandress@yahoo.com if you want to hear more.”

“All that needs to be said about Eddie is that his devotion to the Creator is evident in every sound that he is a part of. I am humbled and taught by his choices and his beauty.”

“Eddie Lewis does it all! He’s a versatile, creative trumpet player, an excellent composer arranger, and a patient educator. His books are great and he’s very dependable and a hard worker. His articles are always interesting and informative.”

“Eddie recorded all the trumpet parts for the Texas All-State Jazz Ensemble Drum Audition Etude compact disc (that means 12 tunes x 4 parts = 48 trumpet parts!) and did an incredible job. He nailed all the parts and recorded virtually every one in the first take. The quality of the CD is great and Eddie’s playing is huge reason for its success. Eddie is one of the best trumpet players around and always the consummate professional.”

“Eddie Lewis, besides being a consummate professional, possesses a natural warmth in his playing which when combined with his commanding technique and deep understanding of many idioms — latin, swing, and classical — is a guarantee for world-class music.”

“Eddie Lewis is one of the most exciting trumpet players and composers in the Southwestern United States. He is a very successful Jazz educator and instructor of improvisation on all instruments. Over a span of twenty years, I have known and played with him and he has always demonstrated a high degree of professionalism. He will make an excellent contribution to any jazz endeavor.”

“Eddie Lewis was the first private trumpet teacher I ever had for both jazz and classical. The things I learned from him have followed me from those first days as a freshmen in high school until today. I use concepts and exercises that I got from him on a daily basis, and I totally believe in them. I attribute much of the success I have had from jazz performances to all state bands to college auditions to those first lessons I had with Eddie. On top of his phenomenal musicianship, Eddie is an amazing person. I could not have asked for a better teacher or role model than Eddie to be an influence for both my playing and me personally.”

“Eddie Lewis is a gifted and creative improviser possessed of formidable intellect and passion. His approach is inventive and interactive and his solos are filled with unexpected twists and turns. He has that rare ability to make the rhythm section feel as though they are playing his solo with him rather than beneath him.”

“Eddie’s nick name “Tiger” comes alive when you listen to his solos. His execution and approach to soloing are playful at times and aggressive when it counts”

“Eddie, you’re a fine musical player & it’s so good to be able to call you.”

“You’re one of my favorite jazz players. Thanks!!!”

“I must tell you that your Daily Studies book has been a part of my daily routine since its earliest publication. Its simplicity of construction and excellent sequential organization has been integral in helping me maintain my professional playing standards for years. I truly believe it is one of the tools which has lengthened my career. It is especially useful now, when I am recovering from a lip injury. Working in it is gradually restoring my strength and embouchure feel sooner than I would have expected, thus giving me faith that things will soon be right again. My students have also shown marked improvement while using it. Keep the great books like this one coming! Best of luck on your other projects.”

“Eddie Lewis is one of the finest, most versatile, and always prepared professional trumpet artists I have ever heard. And I have heard and worked with many of the great ones. Eddie has an excellent sound, terrific technique, style interpretation, musicianship, accuracy, and an extraordinary trumpet range. He is a quick reader and a world class jazz soloist. In short, he is the total trumpet player. Much more than that, Eddie Lewis is the consummate musician – an excellent composer and arranger and an ardent student of music and practice in all genres. He is congenial and disciplined. Eddie Lewis is a top pro to work with.”

“Eddie Lewis is one of the finest, most versatile, and always prepared professional trumpet artists I have ever heard. And I have heard and worked with many of the great ones. Eddie has an excellent sound, terrific technique, style interpretation, musicianship, accuracy, and an extraordinary trumpet range. He is a quick reader and a world class jazz soloist. In short, he is the total trumpet player. Much more than that, Eddie Lewis is the consummate musician – an excellent composer and arranger and an ardent student of music and practice in all genres. He is congenial and disciplined. Eddie Lewis is a top pro to work with.”

“Musicians are gifted people and if you are talking about Eddie Lewis, you are indeed speaking of one of Houston’s finest, most respected trumpet players. We have had the pleasure and honor of working with Eddie in many situations, from weddings and private parties to huge festivals for quite some time now. His talent is unsurpassed and he is great fun to watch and work with as he motivates a horn section with his “moves”.

We have always had the highest compliments on his versatility, performances and his professionalism and have had occasion to utilize his abilities as an arranger of musical compositions as well. He is thorough and reliable and is a real “pro”. He is highly schooled and a well-known, in-demand trumpeter that knows how to not only read the music and play the song, but also how to deliver it with intense emotion. He can create sounds from a trumpet that I did not know was possible.

Eddie is also a great teacher of music, and I believe this to be true based on our experiences with him and his technical knowledge and his skills in our bands. I would highly recommend including Eddie Lewis in any musical venture one might need a great trumpet player for. He will make any music you play sound better and represent you well. We have always been honored to have him in our horn section and love his versatility to play any style. He has an uncanny ability to “improvise” at any given moment.

Hit-n-Run and the Cugini Band always has a solid, top notch, entertaining trumpet player when Eddie Lewis is on the job and it is our great pleasure and honor to say that we have played with the best of the best and look forward to many years to come of making music together!”

“I was planning a Texas wedding from Virginia so it was hard for me to meet in person with vendors. I knew I wanted duel trumpet players for my ceremony and I ended up finding Eddie Lewis’ website through a search done on the Internet. I found his site to be very informative and what I liked most about it was that Eddie had uploaded recordings of himself onto the site. No other musician I searched for did that and it really set Eddie apart from the others in my mind. When decisions need to be made from afar, waiting for a CD to arrive in the mail just takes too long. When I contacted him, he was courteous and his prices were the best I had seen. The day of the ceremony arrived and as I walked down the aisle, Eddie and his partner played phenomenally – just what I wanted! Right then and there, I knew I had chosen the right musician to create the regal feel I was going for during my most special day.”

“Dear Ed, Thank you for this method book. My father has retired from playing, but once I showed him the book and those limbering exercises, he had to have one. And I bought one for a friend. I really appreciate you turning me onto it. Thankx.”

“This piece (Fanfare #14) provided the perfect opening for a recent informal gathering I helped organize with some local amateur musicians. I will certainly keep your work in mind also for future occasions.”

“I have enjoyed becoming acquainted with your web site. I find it to be informative and very enjoyable.”

“Dear Eddie, Thank you for supporting Yo Puedo Publishing with your great trumpet and flugelhorn performances! Your energy and enthusiasm were greatly appreciated and helped to make last weekend fantastic. It has been a pleasure to work with you.”

“I found Trane for Trumpet amazing, it showed me that what I was up to could be expanded written down and turned into a technique book. The organization and evolution of the exersizes is very logical and helpful. Thank you for taking the time to write such a great resource.”

“Eddie Lewis – has written some very good music and has recorded some of it.”

“Found your site through Google.The suggestions for practicing have been some of the most helpful I have come across anywhere.”

“I recently purchased a copy of “Daily Routines” at CafePress.com and I want to send you a big THANK YOU for writing such a great book.”

“I have admired your site and downloaded some of your compositions.I like that your site is a mix of pedagogical and compositional stuff.  You obviously are talented over a wide range and have thought hard about what we do and how we do it.  You have all the attributes of an excellent teacher.”

“I am very impressed by the simplicity and thoroughness of the [Daily] routines, so much that I tell all of my musical buddies about your book as well as your website.”

“Just a note to say that I have enjoyed your “Daily Routines.“It is nice to have an organized compilation of many of the classic exercises in one book for daily use. I have played and studied with some of the best over the past 40 years and your book is a refreshing tool to have on hand.”

“I really enjoyed your trumpet playing last night. Wow, when the three of you [Bob Odneal, Luis Juarez and Eddie Lewis] jammed out front it was incredible! I really like your style of jazz improvisation also. Very awesome!”

“Eddie is a great trumpet man, a talented web designer, and a heck of a nice guy!”

“Eddie is a great trumpet man, a talented web designer, and a heck of a nice guy!”

“Dear Eddie, Thank you so much for helping to make our wedding so beautiful! I appreciate your playing so very much. Thanks again!”

“Thank you for playing at our wedding. It was really beautiful and touching to everyone. Thanks for making our day wonderful.”