Lewis Nitikman

Lewis Nitikman, born in Winnipeg, Canada, is a musician, songwriter, producer, teacher and recording artist. He has performed with Stonebolt, The Beach Boys, The Doobie Brothers, Def Leppard, Boy on a Dolphin, and John Reilly. Nitikman has enjoyed notable publishing and recording success in Canada, and now records, writes and performs with John Reilly from their base in Sheffield, UK recording at Yellow Arch Studios where their songs have regularly made the BBC Radio 2 playlists. Lewis teaches piano and keyboard from his studio in Sheffield.

Career

Lewis joined the band Stonebolt when he was 21. The band released their album Juvenile American Princess in 1982.

On his journey into working with Stonebolt, Nitikman says:

"Like you, I was a fan of the band at that time too. I was playing piano in a really nice Italian restaurant called Puccini's in Vancouver. Ray and a bunch of people used to go in there, where I played when I think I was nineteen or twenty. I went up to them one time and said if ever you need a keyboard player let me know because I was a fan of their music. It was really melodic. At some point, after their third album, I got a call from Ray asking if I wanted to audition because their keyboardist John Webster was leaving. I passed the audition and Stonebolt became the first band I was ever in, playing on the fourth and final Stonebolt album Juvenile American Princess in 1982. So, I missed all of the experience of having to be in cover bands. From playing in lounges, I went right to touring and having roadies. It was great. Ray was one of my three mentors. Not only was he a great guitarist and songwriter but he was also a really good engineer. My other two mentors were the piano players Doc Fingers, known in Canada for blues and jazz, and Kevin Crowe, with more of a lounge classy act, who gave me my gig at Puccini's. While on tour with Stonebolt, I loved playing “Was it You.”"

Winning a double scholarship for composition, Nitikman quit the band and headed to Boston, to study at Berklee College of Music.

Diamond in the Rough

Lewis returned to Canada, where he founded the group Diamond in the Rough with singer/writer Dave Buckthorpe in 1986. Buckthorpe and Nitikman wrote and released the eponymous album Diamond in the Rough in 1988.'

Rated 9/10 by Metal Temple Magazine:

"And the masterpiece that came out of that is known as "Diamond in The Rough". This album is nothing but classic melodic rock. All the way through, you have soft keyboards ringing, peaceful guitars riffs screeching, and peaceful, soothing lyrics to listen to. All of the instruments used in this album flow together very nicely and have that definite classical 80's feel to them. If you are looking for something to bring you back a couple millennia, you should try to snag one of these limited copies, if you still can"