Amidst a changing landscape, the power of thoughtful musicianship stands firm. Andre Chez has built a career grounded not in visibility, but in trust — trust earned through preparation, lineage, and a deep respect for the responsibility of musical leadership. His work reflects a philosophy shaped by lived experience, rigorous study, and a lifelong commitment to listening deeply.
For more on his work and upcoming performances, visit www.AndreChezLewis.com or follow him on Instagram.
As Music Director for Dionne Warwick, Chez guides the sound of an artist whose catalog helped define American popular music across multiple generations. It is a role that carries cultural weight and demands both musical sensitivity and restraint. Within the industry, it’s understood that this position was not the result of a single opportunity, but the culmination of years spent learning how to listen, how to lead, and how to remain ready. Working alongside Ray Chew, he helps ensure that every performance reflects precision, care, and integrity.
A Mind Trained to Listen
Chez’s relationship with music began at home. When he was eight years old, he instinctively played a composition by ear on the family piano. His mother immediately recognized that this was not imitation it was comprehension. She enrolled him in classes and supported his self-directed interest, allowing curiosity rather than pressure to guide his development.
Raised in church, studying records, and reading extensively, Chez developed early fluency in musical systems. Jazz, theory, harmony, and history were not extracurricular interests they were daily language. Friends and teachers alike recognized him as a child driven by focus and curiosity rather than instruction.
From Berklee to Broadway: Learning the Job Before Leading It
Chez refined his craft at Berklee College of Music, studying piano and guitar while already working professionally. Gigging wasn’t a side pursuit; it was part of his education.
That working-musician mindset carried him into Broadway, where he played on major productions including Memphis: The Musical, Holler If Ya Hear Me, and MJ: The Musical. These environments demanded precision, adaptability, and readiness often without recognition. It was here that Chez internalized a defining truth: the Music Director’s job is to create safety for the musicians, the singers, and the production as a whole.
The Barry Harris Lineage
In 2013, Chez met legendary jazz pianist, theorist, and educator Barry Harris. Harris’s New York clinics were less about performance and more about understanding music as a living language rooted in clarity, discipline, and responsibility to tradition.
Harris didn’t simply mentor Chez; he adopted him as a musical son. For nearly a decade, until Harris’s passing in 2021, Chez studied under him intensively. This relationship solidified jazz not as a genre, but as a foundation shaping Chez’s approach to harmony, form, and leadership across all musical settings.
At Harris’s urging, Chez completed his BFA at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in 2020, grounding years of professional experience in formal academic study.
Trust Earned Quietly
Throughout his career, Chez has been quietly championed by respected musical leaders such as Jason Webb and Kenny Seymour. In the music world, these endorsements are rarely public—but they are decisive.
Post-pandemic, Chez became a trusted call for composition, arranging, and horn and string writing. These were not aesthetic hires; they were trust hires rooted in reliability, musical judgment, and preparation.
That trust came into full focus when Kenny Seymour connected Chez with Ray Chew, who was seeking a Music Director for Dionne Warwick.
When Preparation Meets Opportunity
Chez was sent Warwick’s music and, as he described it, lived with it night and day listening, studying, internalizing. Nights ended at 10 p.m. and restarted at 2 a.m. The goal wasn’t performance; it was to be prepared.
He went in for the audition and later received a call back not with notes or revisions, but with a ticket to a show.
That show became the rehearsal.
By the time Chez stepped into the room, he wasn’t presenting ideas he was already inside the music. The preparation had done its work. He earned the role of Music Director.
It’s a powerful reminder that opportunity often arrives quietly and preparedness is what allows it to be recognized.
Directing a Living Legacy
Working alongside Dionne Warwick offers a rare point of view. Her music dominated the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, shaping generations across cultures and continents.
Each time the tour arrives in a new country, airports fill with fans people who have lived with her songs for decades. There is something unmistakable about witnessing that level of connection in real time. Chez observes it nightly, aware that his role is not to reinterpret the music, but to protect its integrity.
Watch Andre “Chez” Lewis accompanying Dionne Warwick live on stage:
https://youtu.be/YyjIfx8RcRk?si=hyN74fX5JU98Bupn
Stewardship, not reinvention, defines his leadership.
Craft, Jazz, and Bechstein
Grounded in a jazz foundation, Chez’s approach to sound emphasizes touch, tone, and tradition. He has partnered with C. Bechstein, one of the world’s most respected piano makers, known for top-tier craftsmanship and pianos available in 200 RAL color finishes.
Chez owns an upright piano through this collaboration, which can be seen in this performance reel:
🔗 Bechstein Collaboration Reel
The Four Principles That Guide His Leadership
I asked what matters most to him as a Music Director, Chez outlines four guiding principles:
1. Organization
Preparation is non-negotiable. Organization is mandatory.
2. Think of Everyone Else First
The last person Chez considers is himself. He focuses on how each instrument and player functions individually and how they interact collectively, remaining mindful of all parties involved including the singers.
3. Collective Responsibility
Some days require everyone to pull together. Chez understands what each musician is playing and how the pieces must align. He navigates the stage much like a pilot ensuring a safe and unified landing.
4. Professionalism
This includes punctuality, preparedness, and a pleasant personality. Leadership, for Chez, is about creating an environment where collaboration feels natural and excellence can thrive.
Looking Ahead
Andre Chez represents a form of musical authority rooted in lineage, care, and preparation. He does not chase moments he stays ready for them.
When asked what he would tell his eight-year-old self, his answer remains simple:
“Keep practicing and keep having fun.”
As the music world continues to evolve, Andre Chez stands as a reminder that depth, trust, and thoughtful leadership endure.
