HOWARD LEVY
b. 1960, USA. Playing music from a very early age, Levy studied piano and music theory at The Manhattan School of Music for four years, then studied pipe organ for a further two years. While attending Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, he was a member of the jazz band. His multi-instrumentalism did not stop at piano and organ but extended to include the harmonica. Although playing the standard 10-hole diatonic harmonica, Levy has developed a fully chromatic style and has succeeded in making an astonishing impact in the many areas of music in which he is adept. These include jazz, pop and rock, world music, folk, blues and country, Latin and classical. Levy has played for theatrical performances, winning a Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Original Music For A Play. In television and film he has played on-screen, including several appearances on The Tonight Show, on soundtracks and for commercials. His harmonica playing was featured on the soundtracks of A Family Thing, Striptease and A Time To Kill (all 1996).
Among his many live performances are a three-year stint, 1989-92, with Bela Fleck And The Flecktones. With the group, he won a Grammy (Pop Instrumental) for ‘The Sinister Minister’. This was followed by two years touring and recording with Kenny Loggins, including appearing on 1993’s Outside From The Redwoods - An Acoustic Afternoon. Levy has also played and recorded with numerous artists from many branches of jazz and pop, including Bryan Bowers, David Bromberg, Jerry Butler, Terry Callier, Holly Cole, Paquito D’Rivera, Bob Gibson, Steve Goodman, Chuck Mangione, Dolly Parton, Tom Paxton, Claudio Roditi, and Pete Seeger.
In the early 90s Levy was founder of the Trio Globo, in which his collaborators were Eugene Friesen and Glen Velez. He played and recorded in Japan with classical guitarist Miroslav Tadic and drummer Mark Nauseef. He has also written music for and performed with several artists in Europe, including the Southwest German Radio Network, an association that resulted in a number of recordings, including Michael Reissler’s ‘Momentum Mobile’, recorded in 1994 by Enja Records, and albums with Rabih Abou Khalil. In 1995, Levy premiered his ‘Harmonia Mundi Suite For Harmonica And Chamber Ensemble’ in Chicago. Late in the 90s he toured with Khalil, Reissler, Ken Nordine and Laurie Anderson. In 1997, the musical, Tales From Trashmania, co-written with Koloc, was produced.
In common with less than a handful of musicians, Levy has lifted the harmonica into largely undreamed of areas of musical sophistication. He creates striking improvisations that are presented with a dazzling technique that allows full flow to his creative inspiration. His skill is such that he has been realistically presented as one of the most important and radical harmonica innovators of the twentieth century. Levy is also active in music education and has given hundreds of jazz clinics at colleges and high schools across the USA.
© TiVo
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Discography
16 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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From the Vaults, Vol. 1: Harmonica Jazz
Jazz - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 8 Aug 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Momentum Mobile
Michael Riessler, Ensemble 13, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Pierre Charial, Robbie Ameen, HOWARD LEVY
Jazz - Released by ENJA RECORDS Matthias Winckelmann on 30 Dec 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Time Traveler
Classical - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 21 Dec 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tonight And Tomorrow
Jazz - Released by Chicago Sessions on 13 Oct 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tango & Jazz (Live)
Latin America - Released by Balkan Samba on 1 Dec 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Art + Adrenaline
Jazz - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 10 Sep 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
From the Vaults, Vol. 3: Howard and Jethro Super Session of Swing
Jazz - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 20 Apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concerto for Diatonic Harmonica & Orchestra
HOWARD LEVY, Czech National Symphony, Rembrandt Chamber Players, Dane Richeson
Concertos - Released by Balkan Samba on 4 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Out of the Box
Jazz - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 27 Oct 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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First Takes
HOWARD LEVY, Miles Levy, Larry Gray
Jazz - Released by Balkan Samba on 1 Oct 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
From the Vaults, Vol. 4 (Duets with Friends)
Indian Music - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 30 Mar 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Alone and Together
Jazz - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 30 Mar 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Looking Inward: Solo Piano Improvisations
Classical - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 23 Sep 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
From the Vaults, Vol. 2: The NBV Quintet (1980-1983) [feat. Dave Urban, Steve Eisen, Kelly Sill, & Paul Wertico]
Bebop - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 20 Dec 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hey, Buddy Bolden
Jazz - Released by Balkan Samba Records on 27 Aug 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo