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| Keyboardist/arranger/composer Pete Levin Releases New Album Möbius Feat. Lenny White, Alex Foster, Tony Levin Dear Friends in Music Keyboardist-arranger-composer Pete Levin's ninth solo release, Möbius, was recorded live in the studio in two days, capturing the "no boundaries" spirit of Gil Evans. The music explores textural grooves ranging from straight-ahead bop to funk, world-beat, and the experimental. The disc features 10 tracks including eight originals, "I Mean You" by Thelonious Monk & Coleman Hawkins, and "There Comes A Time" by Tony Williams. Anchored by two iconic musicians, Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Stick Men) and Lenny White (Return To Forever, Miles Davis, Freddy Hubbard) this high-energy band and the compositions have the spontaneity and dynamics of a 'live' performance. The album was recorded in December, 2016, mixed in April, 2017 and slated for the official release in November 2017, and features internationally-known musicians: Alex Foster (Saturday Night Live Band, Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock), Chris Pasin (Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett), Jeff Ciampa (Dave Matthews, Bill Evans, Harry Belafonte), Nanny Assis (Janis Siegel, Eumir Deodato, Vinicius Cantauria) and guest musicians Jerry Marotta, Erik Lawrence, Rob Paparozzi & Kal David. ••• Due to his very busy touring schedules in 2017/2018 with King Crimson, Stick Men and Peter Gabriel, Tony Levin's will be subbed on live performances by Ira Coleman (Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Sting), Upcoming shows: NOVEMBER 7 - New Hope, PA (Havana) NOVEMBER 8 - New York, NY (The Cutting Room) - ALBUM RELEASE PARTY This all-stars jazz band is available for worldwide booking in 2018. For all booking inquires: MOONJUNE MUSIC ( music@moonjune.com ) CD and INSTANT DOWNLOAD (WAV, FLAC, M4A, MP3-320) is available now via MoonJune's Mail-order HORATIO'S MARKET PLACE. www.horatiosmarketplace.bandcamp.com PETE LEVIN. In a diverse music career spanning several decades, keyboardist/arranger Pete 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. In 1990 he released his first solo album, "Party in the Basement, " for Gramavision, followed by "A Solitary Man" and "Masters In This Hall" in 1991. Following four CDs for Alternate Mode Productions during the '90s, Pete returned to the cutting edge as a band leader with "Deacon Blues, " while also returning to his first love, the Hammond Organ. Spending the next few years performing in the classic organ trio format, Pete released two albums, "Certified Organic" and "Jump!", featuring guitarist Dave Stryker and drummer Lenny White. He also organized a reunion band with alumni of the Gil Evans Orchestra of the '70s. "The Monday Night Band" recorded a live album in New York City. Currently, Pete records and tours in a jazz quartet with his brother, bassist Tony Levin, "The Levin Brothers." LENNY WHITE. One of the great innovators of the modern drum set, Lenny White's sonic fingerprints are all over modern jazz and funk. Not many drummers can claim a first gig with Jackie McLean and a Top 10 R&B hit ten years later. The soulful edge and innovative approach he brought to Miles Davis' classic Bitches Brew and Chick Corea's Return to Forever defined the sound of fusion; his influence has only grown since then, producing for stars like Chaka Khan and Nancy Wilson and earning a reputation as one of the most respected bandleaders and producers in any genre. Best known as the drummer in the recently reunited Return To Forever, Lenny White is much more. Along with fellow drummers Tony Williams and Billy Cobham, Lenny is rightly considered one of the founding fathers of Fusion Jazz. Distinguishing himself even more, Lenny moved on to lead bands and projects that covered the entire musical spectrum. As with many drummers, Lenny White's career is often overshadowed by the artist/leaders of the bands of which he is a part, but as did Art Blakey, Tony Williams, and Billy Cobham, Lenny has also made important contributions as a skilled composer and arranger who has led a number of his own bands. He has written and produced more than 20 albums of his own ALEX FOSTER. Saxophonist Alex Foster has been a part of many of the world's most influential sounds to date. Best known in recent years for his work as the alto saxophonist in the house band of Saturday Night Live, he has also shared the stage with numerous world-class performers in varying genres. Alex is the musical director of the Mingus Big Band, Orchestra, and Dynasty and is currently completing his latest solo album. He has been heard on recordings and has performed alongside greats such as Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, Jack DeJohnette, McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard, Nat and Cannonball Adderley, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Gil Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, John Scofield, Charles Mingus, Elvin Jones, Thad Jones, Hank Jones, Tito Puente, Michael Brecker and Duke Ellington. In the pop rock music scene he has recorded and/or performed with Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Dr. John, Paul Simon, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Aerosmith, Eddie Van Halen, Diana Ross, the Village People, Sister Sledge and Al Green. His versatility as an artist is not only present in the jazz and pop music scene, but is also prominent in the classical realm as well, performing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Oakland Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony and the National Symphony. TONY LEVIN (bassist on the album). Tony Levin is an American musician and composer, specializing in electric bass, Chapman Stick and upright bass. Levin is best known for his work with progressive rock pioneers King Crimson and Peter Gabriel. He was also a member of instrumental-prog rock/jazz fusion group Liquid Tension Experiment; the King Crimson-related bands Bruford Levin Upper Extremities, ProjeKct One and ProjeKct Four; and currently leads his own band, Stick Men, and co-leads a jazz quartet with his brother Pete, The Levin Brothers. A prolific session musician since the 1970s, Levin has played on 500 albums, including those of Cher, Asia, Alice Cooper, John Lennon, Sarah McLachlan, Stevie Nicks, Pink Floyd, Paul Simon, Dire Straits, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Tom Waits, Buddy Rich, The Roches, Todd Rundgren, Seal, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, Warren Zevon, Kevin Parent, Laurie Anderson, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Gibonni, and Jean-Pierre Ferland. Additionally, he has toured with artists including Paul Simon (with whom Levin appeared in Simon's 1980 film One-Trick Pony), Gary Burton, James Taylor, Herbie Mann, Judy Collins, Carly Simon, Peter Frampton, Tim Finn, Richie Sambora, Ivano Fossati and Claudio Baglioni. Levin helped to popularize the Chapman Stick and the NS upright bass. In 2011, Levin ranked second (behind John Paul Jones) in The "20 Most Underrated Bass Guitarists" in Paste Magazine. IRA COLEMAN (touring bassist). The son of a Swedish Mother and an American artist, Ira was born in Stockholm, Sweden and grew up in Southern France and Cologne Germany. He moved to the U.S. to attend Berklee College of Music. From there, his resumé tells the story. Over the years, Ira has worked with such well-known figures as Cab Calloway, Tony Williams, Freddie Hubbard, Betty Carter, Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, Nat Adderly, Jessye Norman, Plácido Domingo and Sting. He was musical director for vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and toured with her internationally from 2002 until 2009. One night he’s on the stage at Carnegie Hall playing in a tribute to African-American culture. The next morning he is on a plane to Europe to collaborate on a recording or heading to Japan for a jazz festival. As comfortable playing Jamaican rhythms as he is accompanying a gospel choir or performing in a Jazz trio, this professional bass player has built an international reputation for versatility. JEFF CIAMPA. Contemporary Jazz Guitarist Jeff Ciampa has recorded and toured with some of the most demanding practitioners, including Harry Belafonte, Jon Lucien, Dave Matthews, Mark Egan, Bill Evans, Al MacDowell, Ornette Coleman and Lew Soloff. His fluid melodic style, steeped in the jazz tradition, continues to inspire fellow musicians and listeners worldwide. Jeff studied at the esteemed Berklee School of Music in Boston under the tutelage of guitarist extraordinaire, Pat Metheny. Several years later, he found himself fronting a trio with the sidemen who accompanied Metheny on many of his seminal recordings, bassist Mark Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb. Later, Jeff found himself touring with Caribbean icon, singer/actor Harry Belafonte and subsequently with popular jazz vocalist, Jon Lucien. After a lengthy stint with Belafonte and Lucien, Jeff befriended long time Ornette Coleman bassist Al McDowell, with whom he recorded three critically acclaimed sessions for Gramavision Records. Jeff has recorded two solo albums on the Wavetone label, Signs of Life and House of Mirrors, featuring Mark Egan and Danny Gottlieb. The popular trio has performed at major jazz festivals, including the JVC in New York City, the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island, the St. Lucia Jazz Festival, and the St. Kitt’s Jazz Festival. CHRIS PASIN. Trumpeter Chris Pasin’s career goes from his study at New England Conservatory, to touring with a variety of artists, to the upper Hudson Valley music and recording scene, where he currently resides. After working with George Russell's New York band, he spent several years in the jazz trumpet chair with the Buddy Rich band, touring the US, and the world. Performances with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson, and Ray Charles also took place during this period. A decade in New York City included five years playing with the Toshiko Akiyoshi / Lew Tabackin band, Brother Jack McDuff, several major salsa bands, and a host of New York – based musicians. This culminated in Chris’s first CD “Detour Ahead” with Steve Slagle, Benny Green, Rufus Reid, and Dannie Richmond in 1987. Chris continues to write music and generate a range of musical projects, from his last CD “Random Acts of Kindness” to the recent band “Ornettiquette, ” featuring music of and inspired by Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry. He’s been a member of Lee Shaw’s quintet, the popular all-star band Reelin’ in the Years, curated a successful weekly jazz performance series. Chris is an in-demand studio trumpet player, working regularly with a host of artists encompassing a range of genres. Soon he'll release his new holiday album, "Baby, it's Cold Outside." NANNY ASSIS. Brazilian Best Male Performer in the United States by Brazilian Press Award. Singer, percussionist, song-writer and Bahia native Nanny Assis, is a hard talent to define. He started his career as a drummer and percussionist, but has developed into a brilliant multiform musician. His evolution as an artist has revealed him to also be an awesome singer and composer. Singer, drummer, percussionist, song-writer and Bahia native Nanny Assis, has played with such artists as Vinicius Cantauria, Eumir Deodato. He is a master of Brazilian Jazz, Afro-Brazilian music and other popular and folkloric sounds from his homeland. Nanny has performed in venues such as Palais Montcalm Quebec City, B.B.King, Blue Note NYC, Bimhuis Amsterdan, Jazz Standard, Birdland, Joe's Pub, Vortex Jazz Club London, Sunset Paris, Regattabar, Dakota Jazz Club, London's BBC, Queen Elizabeth Hall London, Blue Note in Milan, Rome Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Fregey Theatre in Belgium, TCA in Brazil, and Chiasso Festival in Switzerland. MOONJUNE MUSIC - UPCOMING TOURS LEVIN BROTHERS January 2, 2018 - Kenneth Square, PA (Kenneth Flash) January 3, 2018 - Vienna, VA (Jammin' Java) January 4, 2018 - Annapolis, MD (Ramshead On Stage) January 5, 2018 - New Hope, PA (Havana) January 6, 2018 - New York, NY (The Iridium) January 7, 2018 - TBA STICK MEN with special guest DAVID CROSS February 3/4/5/6/7/8, 2018 - Florida/Belize/Mexico (Cruise To The Edge) August/September, 2018 - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico (dates TBA) STICK MEN March, 2018 - European Tour (dates TBA) STU HAMM SONGS & STORIES SOLO TOUR January/February, 2018 - USA (dates TBA) HAMM SKOLNICK ASYLUM feat. STU HAMM & ALEX SKOLNICK April/May, 2018 - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico (dates TBA) MEIER-BUDJANA GROUP Feat. NICOLAS MEIER, DEWA BUDJANA, JIMMY HASLIP, ASAF SIRKIS, SAAT SYAH October 5, 2017 - Nottingham, UK (Bonnington Theater) October 6, 2017 - Guildford, UK (The Studio G Live) October 7, 2017 - Luton, UK (The Bear Club) October 8, 2017 - Marsden, UK (Marsden Jazz Festival) October 9, 2017 - London, UK (Pizza Express Jazz Club) October 10, 2017 - Hastings, UK (Hasting Jazz Club) October 11, 2017 - Stratford Upon Avon, UK (Stratford Jazz Club) October 12, 2017 - Oxford, UK (The Spin) October 13, 2017 - Boxford, UK (The Fleece Jazz Club) October 15, 2017 - Zoetermeer, Holland (Podium Cafe Boerderij) October 16, 2017 - Verviers, Belgium (Spirit Of 66) October 17, 2017 - Gottingen, Germany (Noergelbuff) October 20, 2017 - Fribourg, Switzerland (La Spirale) October 21, 2017 - Gschwend, Germany (Gemaindehalle) DUSAN JEVTOVIC NO ANSWER Feat. ASAF SIRKIS, VASIL HADZIMANOV November 15, 2017 - Beograd, Serbia (TBA) November 16, 2017 - Novi Sad, Serbia (Novi Sad Jazz Festival) November 17, 2017 - Kragujevac, Serbia (Knjazevsko-Srpski Teatar) THE SECURITY PROJECT Feat. JERRY MAROTTA, TREY GUNN, HAPPY RHODES, MICHAEL COZZI, DAVID JAMISON November 2, 2017 - Kingston, NY (BSP Front Room) November 3, 2017 - Newton, NJ (Newton Theater) November 5, 2017 - New Hope, PA (Havana) November 7, 2017 - Northampton, MA (The Iron Horse) November 8, 2017 - Pawling, NY (Daryl's House) November 10, 2017 - Boston, MA (Regent Theater) November 11, 2017 - Schenectady, NY (Van Dyke Lounge) November 12, 2017 - Syracuse, NY (The Lost Horizon) November 14, 2017 - Cleveland, OH (Beachland) November 15, 2017 - Louisville, KY (Headliners Music Hall) November 17, 2017 - Indianapolis, IN (Irving Theater) November 18, 2017 - Auburn Hill, MI (Callahan's) November 19, 2017 - Chicago, IL (Jerry Marotta drum clinic, info/venue TBA) November 20, 2017 - Milwaukee, WI (Shank Hall) November 21, 2017 - Chicago, IL (Reggie's) PFM (PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI) January 9, 2018 - Tokyo, Japan (Billboard Live Tokyo, 2 shows) January 10, 2018 - Tokyo, Japan (Billboard Live Tokyo, 2 shows) January 11, 2018 - Osaka, Japan (Billboard Live Osaka, 2 shows) May, 2018 - North American & South American dates TBA More upcoming tours to be announced soon: JIMMY HASLIP ARC (North & South America, Europe, Asia), GONG (North & South America, Japan), OREGON (North America), LE ORME (Japan), WINGFIELD REUTER SIRKIS (Europe, North America, Asia), DWIKI DHARAMAWAN (USA), BELEDO (USA, South America), BORIS SAVIOLDELLI (Japan, Russia), and much more. write your comments about the article :: © 2017 Jazz News :: home page |