Michael Andre Lewis, aka Mandré, (December 7, 1948 in Omaha, Nebraska – January 31, 2012 in Shreveport, Louisiana) was an American musician known for his synthesizer recordings at Motown.[2] As Andre Lewis he also contributed to Labelle's Moon Shadow and Whitney Houston's Just Whitney. He toured or recorded with Grant Green, The Who, Labelle, Buddy Miles Band, Maxayn, Rufus, White Chocolate, Earth Wind and Fire and Frank Zappa. He was also band leader for Johnny Guitar Watson.
Andre Lewis | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michael Andre Lewis |
| Also known as | Mandré The Masked Marauder[1] |
| Born | December 7, 1948 |
| Origin | Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Died | January 31, 2012 (aged 63) Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Funk, rock rhythm and blues, blues electronic music |
| Occupations | Musician, record producer |
| Instruments | synthesizer, keyboards, bass |
| Years active | 1970s - 1980s |
| Labels | Motown Records Rush Hour Mirror's Cage Records |
| Formerly of | Johnny Guitar Watson Frank Zappa Maxayn Buddy Miles Roky Erickson and the Aliens |
His debut single as Mandré "Solar Flight (Opus I)", was a hit from a self-titled debut album Mandré.[3] He formerly played with his band Maxayn, named after the singer, and later his wife, Maxayn Lewis, (born Paulette Parker).[4]
Discography
editAlbums
edit- Mandré - 1977
- Mandré Two - 1978
- M3000 - 1979
- Mandré 4 - 1982
Singles
edit- "Solar Flight (Opus 1)" 1977
- "Keep Tryin'" 1977
- Opus III 1978
- "Fair Game" / "Light Years" (Opus IV) 1978
- "Spirit Groove" 1979
- "Freakin's Fine" 1979
References
edit- ^ "Mandré - Biography & History - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
- ^ "Andre Lewis - Wax Poetics". Waxpoetics.com. 26 February 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
- ^ Ben Watson, W. C. Bamberger - Honesty Is Explosive!: Selected Music Journalism 2010- Page 49 "not since the albums Mandre cut for Motown in the mid-' 70s had black pop been so keyboard-based and hi-tech. This was dance music by someone who understood New Wave starkness and minimalism."
- ^ The Gangster of Love: Johnny Guitar Watson Vincent Bakker - 2009 Page 88 "In fact, this was an existing band, formed by Emry Thomas and Andre Lewis, called Maxayn. Watson became a member, Andre is still the leader. The band was named after Maxayn Lewis, singing member and then companion of Andre Lewis, "