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| Drummer Bob Levey Returns to the Scene with "Homey" Colorado based drummer Bob Levey and his "Intervention Band" have released a refreshing new CD entitled "Homey." Levey is the son of Bop Drummer Stan Levey, one of the premiere storytellers in Ken Burns' "Jazz" documentary, who is considered one of the earliest bebop drummers, one of the very few white drummers involved in the formative years of bebop and accepted as one of bop's most important drummers, along with Kenny Clarke and Max Roach. He played in Philadelphia with Dizzy Gillespie's group in 1942, at the age of 16. Soon after he went to New York, where he and Dizzy worked on 52nd Street with Charlie Parker, Oscar Pettiford, and every major star in the music business from that period. Bob Levey is following in his father's footsteps, with an excellent and swinging new release called "Homey" with his group "The Intervention Band." The CD has been well received on jazz radio in the United States, and embraced by jazz fans around the globe. Before giving up playing music professionally to raise his family, Bob Levey played in many clubs in the L.A. area, recorded for the dance show Boss City in the 60's with Jeannie Brown, played with Charlie Albertine (American Bandstand Theme), Phenias Newborn Jr, Bobby Nutcoff, the violin player with Neil Young's Band, and he also played with a young jazz group that included Ted Nash Jr., who went on to play in the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Levey has even contributed to the world of Hip-Hop, most notably being sampled on the platinum sellling "When the Shit Goes Down" by Cypress Hill and De La Soul's "Intro" on the hit CD "Buhloone Mind State." Homey is an album that is swingin' creative, fresh, and as relaxing as the Mile High Colorado air. Assisting Levey on this recording are Justin Pfeifer on piano, Ashton Taufer, a 23 yar old Berklee graduate on bass, and virtuoso Tim Fox on trumpet and piano write your comments about the article :: © 2010 Jazz News :: home page |