Tony Lewis (South Bronx, New York, 1962) drums in the legendary South Bronx NYC Heavy Metal Soul band 24-7 Spyz. He has been with the guys since 1997, when he replaced Joel Maitoza.



Inspired by drummers like Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd, Lenny White, Harvey Mason, Bernard Purdie, Dennis Chambers, Vinnie Colauita, Cozy Cole, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, Billy Higgins, Lewis Nash, Kenny Washington, Poogie Bell, Jim Keltner, Omar Hakim, Michael Bland, Steve Jordan, Will Calhoun, Charlie Drayton, Roger Hawkins and Al Jackson Jr., Sonny Greer, Louie Bellson, Tony Williams, Gary Husband, Lewis tries to make the band swing. Tony Lewis on the Spyz web site:

"My defining moment in choosing to play the drums came from watching cats and listening. My dad who used to play himself was always bringing home Down Beat magazine so I would look at all the drum ads with Buddy Rich, Ed Shaugnessy of Tonight Show band fame, Bernard Purdie, Jack DeJohnette, and Billy Cobham.



One particular visual for me was watching the movie "The Glenn Miller Story" with James Stewart from 1954. There's a scene where he's performing (or acting like he is) in a little club jammin' with Louis Armstrong. In the club there's another drummer, the great Cozy Cole playing. Another drumming legend Gene Krupa, who played with Miller in real life happens to be in the club. So, the two start paling together on the same kit. While Cozy is sitting down on his own kit, Gene stands next to him playing his floor toms. The way these two got on while playing and created such a lovely little melody/groove on the kit, I was mesmerized, to say the least. In fact, it was inspiring to me to want to continue playing. I saw this movie in 1974 and had only been playing a couple of years. If you ever get a chance, check that movie out."

Lewis followed the Music & Art High School, now known as LaGuardia School of The Arts, where he also had to learn piano theory and ear training.