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Lew Williams
Rhapsody In Blue

Album US 1996 on Organ Stop Pizza label
Classical and Soundtrack

Credits This recording was made on Novermber 25, 1996 and is the second in a series made at Organ Stop Pizza's new Mesa, Arizona location. The original Might Wurlitzer, which forms the nucleus of the present organ, was built in 1927 and installed in the Denver (Colorado) Theatre as a three manual (keyboard), 15 rank (individual set of pipes) instrument. Brought to Phoenix in 1973, rebuilt and enlarged to 23 ranks, the organ was installed at the first Mesa Organ Stop in 1975. A decade later, a new four manual console and many additional ranks of pipes were added. On June 30, 1995, Organ Stop Pizza temporarily closed its doors in preparation for moving to its current location. Five months later, the new building, accommodating some 700 patrons, was completed and Organ Stop reopened on November 22, 1995. The present instrument contains approximately 5,000 pipes, a wide assortment of percussions and sound effects (including the completely programmable digital rhythm unit heard on "In The Mood"), and is one of the largest theatre pipe organs in the world. The Artist A Native of Lafayette, Louisiana, Lew Williams started playing the organ at age ten. While a student at Texas Christian University, he was an organ pupil of Emmet G. Smith and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree and the Performer's Certificate. A year of post-graduate work with Pierre Segond at the Conservatory in Geneva, Switzerland followed, and culminated in a broadcast for Swiss National Radio from the Cathedral of St. Pierre. Upon returning to the United States, Lew attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he studied with Dr. Robert T. Anderson and received the Master of Music degree. He joined Organ Stop Pizza staff of organists in 1979. Frequent concerts of both popular and classical music routinely take him throughout the country, and he has given five recital tours of England. In 1988, Lew Williams was nominated "Organist of the Year" by the American Theatre Organ Society. Acknowledgments Special thanks to Organ Stop owner, Mike Everitt, and my colleague Charlie Balogh, for their insights, suggestions, and help during the preparation of this recording. Kudos to the members of the organ crew, particularly Tom Fizzell, Clark Wilson, and Dave Balogh, whose daily maintenance keeps the organ in ever-perfect condition. Recording Engineer Bruce Liddil faithfully captured the sounds of the organ. This recording is dedicated to my parents, who encouraged me, and to the memory of organist Quentin Maclean, whose recorded artistry inspired me.

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