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 In a diverse music
career spanning several decades, keyboardist/arranger Pete Levin has
performed and recorded with hundreds of Jazz and Pop artists - including
Paul Simon, Annie Lennox, Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Lenny White, Wayne
Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Robbie Robertson and John Scofield - receiving
critical accolades for his work during a 15 year association with the
legendary Gil Evans, and his 8 year stint with jazz icon Jimmy Giuffre.
Says Levin,
“What I got from Gil
was the unshakable notion that playing music was to create from a place
where there are no boundaries. If it can be imagined then it can be
done.”
 With “DEACON
BLUES,” for Motema Music, Pete re-emerged in 2007 as a band leader and master of
reinvention, embracing his roots and first love, the Hammond Organ.
Working with a group of iconic jazz sidemen (Joe Beck, Danny Gottlieb,
Tony Levin, Mike DeMicco) Levin and company demonstrated an uncanny
chemistry that was immediate and infectious. Pete followed up in
2008 with "CERTIFIED ORGANIC", continuing to push the envelope of
the classic organ trio. In addition to his soaring Hammond, he
demonstrates once more that he knows how to feature his sidemen, giving
plenty of playing space to the 4 guitarists on the album - John Cariddi,
Joe Beck, Mike DeMicco & Jesse Gress - as well as saxophonist Erik
Lawrence and drummer Harvey Sorgen.
While playing
French Horn with the Gil Evans Orchestra in the early 70s, Levin brought
a Moog Synthesizer to a gig at New York’s Village Vanguard. Already
known as a “go to” synthesizer specialist, Pete was at the vanguard of
that technology. Gil loved it and Levin’s role was permanently changed
as the band transformed itself into the electric/acoustic hybrid
ensemble that captivated audiences worldwide for years, winning two
Grammy® awards along the way.
“I started bringing a Clavinet, too.
Eventually Gil brought John Clark into the band because I couldn’t get
back to my horn in time. After a while, I just stopped bringing it. Name
another band leader that would let a sideman do that! I owe him a
lot.”
 An in-demand New
York session keyboardist, Levin has also created electronic realizations
for hundreds of TV commercials, dramatic series and feature films,
including “Missing in Action,” “Lean on Me,” “Silver Bullet,” “Red
Scorpion,” “The Color of Money,” “Maniac,” “Spin City,” “America’s Most
Wanted” and “Star Trek.” In a dizzying array of unrelated commissions,
Levin composed orchestral scores for the feature film “Zelimo” and for a
stage production of “The Dybbuk;” had the honor of composing the anthem
for the 1992 United Nations Earth summit, “The Future is in Our Hands,”
performing it twice for the U.N. General Assembly; and, as far removed
from Jazz as it gets, was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for
writing the official military band arrangement of the U.S. Infantry
song.
 But Levin, whose
wry sense of humor is never far from the surface, reveals that his all
time favorite recording session produced the top-40 hit single “Close to
You” by The Clams, a Spike Jones tribute band formed with his brother,
bassist Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), drummer Steve Gadd
(Eric Clapton, Paul Simon) and Grammy® winning recording engineer Dixon
Van Winkle (Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra). Thirty years later the
recording is still a cult classic.
“All my arranging and
orchestrating work is grounded in what I experience in live performance,
interacting with other musicians and audiences. That’s what I was
trained to do. Synthesizers and computer programming came later. My best
and most creative ideas come from playing live.”
In 1990, Levin
signed with Gramavision to release his first solo jazz album, “Party in
the Basement,” followed by “A Solitary Man” in 1991. Collaborating with
drummer Danny Gottlieb, Pete released “The New Age of Christmas” on
Atlantic and “Masters in this Hall” for Gramavision. In the years
following, he released four New Age CDs for Alternate Mode Productions,
and a variety of eclectic albums for independent labels.
 With “Deacon
Blues,” Pete returned to the cutting edge as a band leader, while
tipping his hat to his mainstream jazz roots. Expanding on the
traditional organ trio format, his innovative arrangements are flavored
with soul, samba and hip-hop grooves. The set mixes four Levin originals
with his unique treatments of familiar classics, including Steely Dan’s
“Deacon Blues,” Ralph Towner’s “Icarus,” the Beach Boys’ “Sail on
Sailor” and Erik Satie’s “First Gymnopedie.” The album features
outstanding performances by bassist Tony Levin, guitarist Mike DeMicco,
percussionists Ken Lovelett and Carlos Valdez, legendary jazz guitarist
Joe Beck, and drummer, Danny Gottlieb. For Levin, this recording was a
labor of love.
“The Hammond Organ
has got such a rich history. There’s really no other sound quite like
it. Even the best synth simulations fall short. You crank up the motor,
you hit a note and it sings to you. It’s like the soul of every organ
player is being breathed out from the instrument.”
Veteran career
side men and solo recording artists, both Levin brothers produce their
own albums close to home, collaborating with other world-class musicians
in their Woodstock, New York community. Pete’s Hammond is featured on
Tony’s latest critically acclaimed Narada release, “Resonator,” while
Tony’s basses grace several tracks on Pete’s “Deacon Blues.”
“It’s predictable
that most of my oldest and best friends are musicians. But, it’s amazing
how many of them have had an impact on the way their instruments are
played, and are respected by fans and peers all over the world. And I've
got all their phone numbers and you can't have them. Eat your heart
out!”
Pete currently tours
with an organ trio along with guitarist John Cariddi and drummer Harvey
Sorgen.
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Pete has performed with TV house bands
on: "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, "COMEDY ZONE", "THE NEW SHOW", "OUR COMMON FUTURE"
Performed on camera in the feature film "VERY CLOSE QUARTERS"
1964-present: Pete has recorded and/or performed with artists, including:
 Gary
Anderson, Ron Aprea, Nikki
Armstrong, Jennifer Aylmer, Aztec
Two Step, Dave Bargeron, Joe Beck, Jeff Berlin, Terrance Blanchard, Carla Bley, Rosalinde Block, Blood Sweat & Tears, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Broadside
Brass Bed Band, Brubeck Brothers Quartet, Hiram Bullock, Donald Byrd,
Jay Chattaway, Tommy Chong, Jeff Ciampa, The Clams, John Clark, Jimmy
Cobb, Billy Cobham, Judy Collins, Willie Colon, Commander Cody, Cray & Dempsey, Kal David, Bettye Davis, Miles
Davis, Andrea Dawn, Debbie Deane, Mike DeMicco, Angela Deniro, Kenwood Dennard, Danny Draher, Robbie Dupree, Mark Egan, Don Elliott, Doug Elliott, Jimmy
Eppard, Eric Erickson, Gil Evans, Miles Evans, Fania
All-Stars, Rachelle Farelle, Five Satins, 52nd Street, Bryan Ferry, Matt
Finck, Alex
Foster, Don Gardner, Jimmy Giuffre, Danny Gottlieb, Government Mule, Sarah Greene, Richie
Hart, Jonas Helborg, Deborah Henson-Conant, Jana Herzen, Gregory Hines, Clint Holmes,
Helen Hooke, Freddie Hubbard, Nick Humez, Chris Hunter, Howard Johnson,
Meg Johnson, Thad
Jones/Mel Lewis Band, Toshihiko Kankawa, Randy Kaye, Roman Klun, Charlie Kniceley, La La, Wayne Lammers,
Arnie Lawrence, Eric Lawrence, Annie Lennox,
Tony Levin, Ken Lovelett, Betty MacDonald, Rod MacDonald, Al MacDowell,
Machan, Mike
 Mainieri, David Malachowski, Tom Malone, Melissa Manchester,
Chuck Mangione, Gap Mangione, Manhattan Project, Lou Marini, Keith
Marks, Janet Marlowe, Cynthia
McCorkindale, Bucky Milam, Liza Minelli, Charles Mingus, Chris Mitchell,
Tommy Mitchell, Sam Morrison, Gerry Mulligan, Amina Claudine Myers, Bob Nieske, Olivia
Newton-John, New York Mary, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Shunzo
Ohno, Jeff Oster, Jon Paris, Gil Parris, Pieces Of A
Dream, Vincent Pasternak, Jaco Pastorius, Roxy Perry, Lorenza Ponce, Jim
Pugh/Dave Taylor, Tony Purrone, Baron Raymonde, Billy Reed, The Retro Rockets, Nicki Richards, Amy Rogell, Robbie
Robertson, Teri Roiger, Steve Rowell, Raphael Rudd, Bobby Rydell, Ali Ryerson, Salt 'N Pepa, David
Sanborn, Steve Satten, John Scofield, Marlene Shaw, Wayne Shorter, Carly Simon, Paul
Simon, Marilyn Sokol, Lew Soloff, Melvyn Sparks, Straight Ahead, Peter Thomakos, Artie
Traum, Happy Traum, Barbara Truex, Joe Lynn Turner, Uncle Funk, Michal Urbaniak,
Michael Veitch, Lou
Volpe, Filippo Voltaggio, Voyceboxing, Corbett Wall, Ernie Watts, Jim Weider, Peter Welker, Wet Paint, Vanessa
Williams, Lenny White, Gary Wofsey, Chris Zaloom
selected discography
CERTIFIED ORGANIC
2008 (PLM): DEACON BLUES 2007
(Motema):
 A SOLITARY MAN 1991,
PARTY IN THE BASEMENT 1990, MASTERS IN THIS HALL 1990 (Gramavision):
MUSIC FOR THE DYBBUK
(PLM)
1974/1996: HARMONY (Alternate Mode)
1998: CRYSTALS
(Alternate Mode ) 2000: with Ali Ryerson, MEDITATIONS
(Alternate Mode JP10038) 2001: with Danny Gottlieb, THE NEW AGE OF CHRISTMAS
1989 (Atlantic): with Wayne Lammers, GOP PARTY MONSTERS 2004 (Pera):
with Tony Levin, THE CLAMS: CLOSE TO YOU (CTI), RESONATOR
(Narada): with John Scofield, ELECTRIC OUTLET (Gramavision): with
Jimmy Cobb, SO NOBODY ELSE CAN HEAR: with Richie Hart, BLUES
IN THE ALLEY, GREASY STREET (Zoho): with Gil Evans, PRIESTESS (Atlantic),
LIVE AT THE PUBLIC THEATER, THE MUSIC OF JIMI HENDRIX (RCA),
THERE COMES A TIME (RCA), BUD & BIRD (King), LIVE AT SWEET BASIL
(King): with The Brubeck Brothers Quartet, SECOND NATURE, INTUITION
(Blue Forest): with Jimmy Giuffre, DRAGONFLY, QUASAR, LIQUID DANCERS (Soulnote): with Lew
Soloff, LITTLE WING (Sweet Basil); HANNALAI BAY, MY ROMANCE
(King): with Wayne Shorter & Lenny White, MANHATTAN PROJECT (Blue
Note): with Mark Egan, DADE, IN THE SHADE (Big
World) |
Arranger and keyboards for TV series "SPIN CITY"