Mingo Lewis

James "Mingo" Lewis (December 8, 1953 – January 27, 2026) 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.

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

Writing 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.

Death Lewis died on January 27, 2026, at the age of 72.

Selected discography As Band Leader Flight Never Ending (1976)

As session player Santana - Caravanserai (1972) Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live! (1972) Return To Forever - Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973) Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin - Love Devotion Surrender (1973) Billy Joel - Turnstiles (1976) Todd Rundgren - Nearly Human (1989) XTC - Skylarking (1986)

With Al Di Meola Land of the Midnight Sun (1976) Elegant Gypsy (1977) Casino (1978) Splendido Hotel (1980) Electric Rendezvous (1982)

With The Tubes Now (1977) What Do You Want from Live (1978) Remote Control (1979) T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities and Smash Hits) (1981)