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Veteran Saxophonist JED LEVY's "FACES AND PLACES" Features All Originals Known for his rich, full tone and polished improvisations, saxophonist and composer JED LEVY has earned the sobriquet of modern master. A mainstay on the New York City jazz scene for 40 years, his bands have graced the stages of jazz clubs and festivals around the world. Through the auspices of Jazz at Lincoln Center, he toured South and Central America under the US State Department’s “Rhythm Road Program.” He has also performed throughout Europe and mainland China in a 16-city tour. Now, with his 11th and newest album, FACES AND PLACES, Levy takes us through vignettes of his life with 12 original modern compositions. Levy has released 10 prior CDs as a leader, including eight on the SteepleChase label, which feature his original music, an Ellington project, and a Bill Evans inspired CD. He has played as a sideman on over 40 additional recordings with a variety of artists. Over the course of his career, he performed with a Who's Who of Jazz including Jaki Byard, Jack McDuff, Mike Clark, Jack Walrath, Chico O'Farrill, and Peter Leitch. Gigs that he has led included Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Geoffrey Keezer, John Hicks, George Cables, Ray Drummond, Essiet Essiet, and Bruce Barth, among many others. Many of his 500+ original compositions have been prominently featured on projects by top players. The Penguin Guide to Jazz has said, "Very impressive and about as inventive a departure from the standard tenor-and-rhythm conventions as one can hope for. Levy's broad-shouldered tone and confident delivery give him the kind of full-on swing one associates with an earlier generation, but he's soaked in bebop and hard-bop practice." Levy has performed in a diverse array of musical styles and settings throughout his long career. His versatility has enabled him to play a concert with the Cab Calloway Orchestra, then perform with Mike Clark and Charlie Hunter at the Knitting Factory, then to the Apollo Theater with the Temptations and the Four Tops, and finally to Birdland with Chico O’Farrill’s Afro Cuban Orchestra -- all in a single week. Joining Levy on FACES AND PLACES is his stellar NYC working band, featuring Grammy winner LUIS PERDOMO on piano (Tom Harrell, Ravi Coltrane, Miguel Zenon), ALVESTER GARNETT on drums (Abbey Lincoln, Betty Carter, Regina Carter), and PETER SLAVOV on bass (Joe Lovano, Quincy Jones, Paul Winter). The synergy of the quartet was forged over a series of gigs in New York. It became clear to Levy that the sum of the music was greater than its parts and deserved to be recorded. The compositions on FACES AND PLACES have strong melodies, sophisticated voicings, and space for everyone to fully express their personalities. The performances speak to the breadth of experience of both Levy and his entire band. Levy named the opening track “Email” when he realized that the first two notes of the A-section are the same as his AOL inbox chime. From the opening rubato tenor-piano introduction to the Afro-Cuban flavored A-sections to the raucous hard rock at the coda, the variety of grooves reflects the many different messages an email can bring. Levy dedicates “Danza de Berrios” to the late drummer Steve Berrios, who Levy played with in Chico O'Farrill's band. The rhythm that drummer Garnett plays on the bells in the last section was taught to him by Berrios himself. Levy was inspired to write “Calcata” after visiting the mysterious 12th century town near Rome that became an artist’s colony in the 70's. The slow groove of the tune captures the mysterious feel of this tiny town perched 400 feet above the valley on an outcropping of rock. Levy dedicates “Twiddle Twaddle” to a friend in Rome who often hosts musicians in the B&B she and her husband ran. The title is her expression for chit-chatting. Levy captures her loquacious exuberance for music. “Coming To Terms” is a ballad whose title refers to acceptance of whatever life throws at you. The band achieves a sense of quiet resolve and transforms the ballad into an almost 'singer/songwriter' vibe. Levy and his family enjoyed a lovely winter vacation on St. Simons, an island off the coast of Georgia. A straight-ahead swinger, “Saint Simons” is a simple thank you for the warm sunlight of the island. His time working with musicians from the West Indies helped to create the feel of “Personable, ” which brings in elements of the fusion-laden 70's. Levy relates, “There is an unintended quote in the first 6 notes of the melody of a popular show tune from the 60's, which is where the title comes from. The quote is so well disguised that when I play it live, I offer to buy a drink for anyone in the audience who can tell me what it is. So far, my bar tab is at $0.” Levy wrote “Tenerife” about the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands. He and his wife wanted to go there on an exotic vacation but decided against it when a volcano on an adjacent island began to show activity. Levy wrote the bass part of the melody of “Leading Tone” as a counter line to the saxophone part. The solo sections are free and do not follow the form of the melody. “Haiku” was inspired by the subtle beauty of the spare style of Japanese poetry. The song has five lines of music which reflect the five-syllable structure of that poetic style. The band uses a less-is-more approach that captures the essence of the haiku. The title “Partido Tenor” is a play on the name of the Brazilian rhythm ‘partido alto.' Pianist Perdomo's beautiful pianism on “Postscript” recapitulates the rubato opening of "Email”; however, Levy employs a different rhythm and staggers the entrance of the rest of the band. The tune bookends the album with the same AOL chime as “Email.” Jed Levy has clear ideas as a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. As a composer, his melodies and grooves are infectious, while his improvisations demonstrate his mastery and synthesis of a wide range of styles that are always steeped in the jazz vocabulary. With his superb band, Jed Levy’s FACES AND PLACES is an eminently satisfying listening experience for music fans who hunger for new and innovative modern jazz. # # # FACES AND PLACES is set for release on April 25, 2025 and will be available everywhere and at www.Jedlevyquartet.bandcamp.com/album/faces-places WATCH: "Living Liner Notes" -- Jed Levy talks about Faces and Places: https://youtu.be/FJiSPNdSSYE?si=dElkfnM_b3L_Jdwz |
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