Mingo Lewis - 1976 - Flight Never Ending

Mingo Lewis

1976

Flight Never Ending

01. Aba Cua 1:36

02. Franckincense 7:02

03. Heartsong 8:20

04. The Wizard 7:35

05. Visions Of Another Time 6:30

06. Trapezoid 4:46

07. 'Maginary Monsters 1:02

08. Flight Never Ending 8:30

Mingo Lewis - percussion, synthesizers, congas, clavinet, and vocals

Louis Bramy - percussion, bells, vocals

Mike Kapitan - keyboards, piano, synthesizers, drums vocals

David Logeman - drums

Eric McCann - electric bass

Kincaid Miller - synthesizers, keyboards clavinet

Randy Sellgren - electric guitar, acoustic guitar

James Mingo Lewis (born December 1940) is an American jazz percussionist who played with Carlos Santana's band, Return To Forever (Chick Corea) and as a sideman for Al Di Meola. Aside from his extensive work as a session musician—Paiste states Mingo "has recorded over 100 records"—, the percussionist also released a solo album, Flight Never Ending (Columbia, 1976).

Legendary Bay Area progressive jazz percussionist Mingo Lewis began performing with Santana in his teens. Lewis also worked with artists such as Al DiMeola, Chick Corea and Return to Forever, David Byrne, Jan Hammer and The Tubes. Many people got a first glance at Lewis’ extraordinary musicianship through Al DiMeola’s debut album from 1976 “Land of the Midnight Sun” where Lewis contributed one of the most memorable compositions, the opening track “The Wizard” (1st sample below), which has become a DiMeola classic. Lewis' debut album was also originally released in 1976 and it also contains a version of “The Wizard” (2nd sample below). DiMeola’s version of “The Wizard” is melodically stronger, which perhaps suggest that DiMeola might have heard Lewis’ version prior to him releasing his debut album. Nonetheless "Flight Never Ending" is classic 70's fusion much in the style of Return to Forever & Al DiMeola. The music combines the primitive Afro-Cuban rhythms with the newest dimension in progressive rock at the time. It only took 30 years for this recording to appear on CD as it was finally superbly digitally remastered in 2007. Musicians include: Mingo Lewis on percussion and keyboards, David Logeman on drums, Eric McCann on bass, Randy Sellgren on guitar, Michael Kapitan and Kincaid Miller on keyboards, and A. Louis Bramey on hand bells.

Great lost fusion music from a great percussionist that has played with a variety of musicians and artists over the years. I have been looking for this album for years and finally someone came out with it on CD.

From the back cover of this album-

‘This music combines the primitive influences of Afro-Cuban rhythms with the newest dimension in progressive rock. The synthesizer. An endless flight of sound…. We call it electric percussive music from the sounds of your mind.’

Flight Never Ending was released after Mingo’s stints with Santana and Return To Forever. It’s a brilliant album of fiery fusion similar to the first Journey record with some incredible guitar work from Randy Sellgren. This cat just burns throughout the album and while the emphasis is on keyboards, it’s Sellgren’s fretwork that carries the record.

This is one of the best fusion albums I have ever come across and for fans of Santana, Return To Forever and again, the first Journey album (Both Lewis and Journey at this time were under the creative direction of Journey manager Herbie Herbert’s Spreadeagle Productions) Flight Never Ending is a must have. Unfortunately, this still has not been reissued to CD and why it hasn’t is anyone’s guess?

My highest recommendation!