Mingo Lewis obit

 

Mingo Lewis Has Died

 He was not on the list.

He was an American percussionist and drummer who played with Santana, Al Di Meola (he was a band member for Di Meola's first five albums), Return to Forever, and The Tubes.

Lewis played congas, bongos, timbales, vibraslap, drums, bells, güiro, gong, Syndrum, bata, tambourine, cowbell and assorted percussion.

Lewis is credited with composition of one song on four of the first five Di Meola albums: "The Wizard" on Land of the Midnight Sun, "Flight Over Rio" on Elegant Gypsy, and "Chasin' The Voodoo" on Casino (retitled from his composition Frankinsence on his 1976 album Flight Never Ending). For The Tubes album Now Lewis wrote "God-Bird-Change", which he reprised on Di Meola's Electric Rendezvous

Al Di Meola wrote:

James “Mingo” Lewis (1953–2026) 🖤

I met Mingo in San Francisco, and we became fast friends. I connected immediately with his New York street energy and his humor — sharp, soulful, and full of life. He was a powerhouse player, but more than that, he was a composer. He wrote some of the catchiest early fusion pieces of that era, and I always made sure at least one of his compositions lived on my early recordings.

Mingo’s music became part of my sound — woven into Land of the Midnight Sun, Elegant Gypsy, Casino, Splendido Hotel, and Electric Rendezvous. These records carry his rhythm, his imagination, and his spirit. He didn’t just add percussion — he brought identity.

Last September, Mingo came out to see us at the Blue Note in Napa. He walked up on stage and joined us. We could see he was not well, barely catching his breath — but once the music started, none of that mattered. We played together one last time, smiling at each other, fully inside the moment, relishing the music the way we always had.

That’s how I’ll remember him — rhythm first, heart wide open, music always leading the way.

Thank you, Mingo.

For the music, the fire, the friendship — and that final moment we shared on stage.