Eric Robert Lewis (born May 13, 1973), popularly known as ELEW, is an American jazzpianist who has found cross-over success playing rock and pop music. He is known for his unconventional and physical playing style, which eschews a piano bench and includes reaching inside the piano lid to pull at the strings directly, as well as the creation that he calls "Rockjazz", a genre that "takes the improvisational aspect of jazz and 'threads it through the eye of the needle of rock.'"[1]
Lewis began his career as a jazz purist, playing as a sideman for jazz artists like Wynton Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, Elvin Jones, Jon Hendricks, and Roy Hargrove as well as performing as a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. However, he eventually became interested in rock music and embarked on a solo career as a crossover musician, quickly gaining recognition for his instrumental "Rockjazz" piano covers of mainstream rock hits like The Rolling Stones' "Paint It, Black" and The Killers' "Mr. Brightside". He released his first album of instrumental covers, entitled ELEW Rockjazz Vol. 1, on his own label, Ninjazz Entertainment, in March 2010.
In August 2012, he was featured on a Mike Stud remix of the Maroon 5 song "One More Night". On August 28, 2012, Lewis released his second solo album: ELEW Rockjazz Vol. 2.
Eventually becoming disillusioned with the jazz world after a solo record deal failed to materialize, Lewis struck out on his own to find success. It was around this time that he heard his first rock album, Linkin Park's Meteora, which made a profound impression on his musical sensibilities. Taking the stage name "ELEW",[9] he set about creating a musical style that blended instrumental jazz with his newfound passion for rock and pop, and he named the unique product "Rockjazz". Adjusting his stage presence accordingly, he grew an afro and adopted a distinctive style of dress, wearing armored vambraces over tailored suits. He discarded his piano bench and began to play standing in front of his instrument, reaching inside to grab and the strings and beating on its wooden case like a percussion instrument.[2]
His first taste of mainstream recognition came when he played two songs, a cover of Evanescence's "Going Under" and an original composition, as a featured speaker at the Long Beach TED Conference in 2009.[10] While the videos of these performances on the TED Conference website and YouTube channel began to gain Lewis attention in the online world, including a write-up in The Guardian,[11] his appearance also drew the interest of one TED conference attendee in particular: fashion designer Donna Karan, who immediately asked the pianist to compose an original piece inspired by her fall 2009 collection and play it live on the runway at her next New York City fashion show.[12]White House Social SecretaryDesiree Rogers happened to be attending the Donna Karan fashion Show at which Lewis performed, and she invited him to play in the East Room of the White House for the President and the First Lady.[13]
In the spring of 2011, Lewis participated in the New York Auditions for America's Got Talent, where his rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" was greeted with a standing ovation and won acclaim from all three judges, even prompting Piers Morgan to call him "a bit of a genius."[17] However, he was ultimately forced to drop out of the competition as it conflicted with the Straight To You Tour.[18]
In August 2012, ELEW released the follow-up to ELEW Rockjazz Vol. 1, entitled ELEW Rockjazz Vol. 2. The record contains fourteen tracks: twelve covers of popular tracks by artists such as Michael Jackson, The Doors, Empire of the Sun, The Bravery, Foo Fighters and more, as well as two original compositions. Emurg.com gave the album a positive review, stating “ELEW creates something staggering, something magical….“Rockjazz Vol. 2” is one of those things you have to hear to believe.”[19]
Lewis produced and played piano on "IANAHB", the opening track on rapper Lil Wayne's tenth studio album, I Am Not a Human Being II, which was released in March 2013.[20]
