Lew Soloff
A trumpeter with a laser-beam sound and fearless versatility, who soared from jazz-rock fusion to the heights of studio and session work.
1944–2015 (age 71)·American jazz trumpeter, composer, and actor·Birthday: February 20·The Silent Generation
Biography
Lew Soloff possessed one of the most unmistakable trumpet sounds in music: a clear, piercing tone that could cut through any arrangement. A child prodigy from New York, his classical training at Juilliard provided a foundation he would joyfully subvert. He found his first major platform as a founding member of Blood, Sweat & Tears, his electrifying solos—most famously on 'Spinning Wheel'—becoming a defining element of the band's jazz-rock fusion sound. But Soloff was never confined to one genre. After leaving the group, he became a first-call session musician, his trumpet appearing on hundreds of recordings by artists from Frank Sinatra to Paul Simon. He was a stalwart in the Mingus Big Band, interpreting the master's complex works with fiery passion, and also led his own groups, exploring everything from bebop to funk. An occasional actor, he brought his musician's presence to film and TV roles. Soloff's career was a masterclass in artistic range, proving that formidable technique could serve boundless musical curiosity.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Lew was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Lew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 70
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2015Died at 71
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Played the iconic trumpet solo on Blood, Sweat & Tears' hit recording of 'Spinning Wheel'.
- Was a founding member of the jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears, contributing to their early success.
- Had an extensive career as a session musician, playing on albums for a vast array of pop, rock, and jazz artists.
- Was a principal soloist with the Mingus Big Band for many years, helping to keep Charles Mingus's music alive.
Did You Know?
He performed the trumpet parts on the soundtrack for the film 'The Godfather' conducted by Nino Rota.
Soloff studied at the Juilliard School under the celebrated trumpet teacher William Vacchiano.
He made acting appearances, including a role as a musician in the film 'Bird' directed by Clint Eastwood.
“The trumpet is a voice; you have to make it speak clearly and with fire.”
