Howard Levy
Encyclopedia
Howard Levy is a Grammy Award–winning, American harmonicist, pianist, composer, and producer.
He is probably best known as a founding member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
, with whom he won a 1997 Grammy Award
for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for their live recording of their 1991 song "The Sinister Minister".
diatonic harmonica.
In 1988, Levy co-founded the Flecktones, leaving the group in 1993. He has appeared on over 250 albums http://www.levyland.com/discography.php and has played on several movie soundtracks. In 2001, he composed the second concerto written for the diatonic harmonica (the first being William Russo
's Concerto for Blues Band and Orchestra). He has performed it many times with orchestras in the United States and Europe. As of 2009 Levy has rejoined the Flecktones as a touring member of the band, as well as for the band's 2011 album, Rocket Science
.
He is music director of the Latin/jazz group Chévere de Chicago whose first album was Secret Dream. Currently he also leads the band Acoustic Express, plays duo concerts with pianist Anthony Molinaro and guitarist Chris Siebold, and tours Europe with Michael Riessler and Jean-Louis Matinier. Levy has recorded or toured with Kenny Loggins
, Donald Fagen
, Bobby McFerrin
, Sandip Burman
, Dolly Parton
, Dennis DeYoung
, Paquito D'Rivera
, Ben Sidran
and Rabih Abou-Khalil
.
He is the founder of Balkan Samba Records
, which features the music of Howard Levy and Friends, including Fox Fehling, Chévere de Chicago, and Norman Savitt.
He continues to make frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor
's acclaimed radio program Prairie Home Companion.
He now teaches the Harmonica via the Howard Levy Harmonica School website.
Since 2005, Howard has collaborated with the Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living
in Glencoe, IL for their High Holiday services.
He is probably best known as a founding member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively...
, with whom he won a 1997 Grammy Award
Grammy Awards of 1997
The 39th Grammy Awards were held on February 26, 1997. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.- Award winners :*Record of the Year**Babyface & Eric Clapton for "Change the World"*Album of the Year...
for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for their live recording of their 1991 song "The Sinister Minister".
Biography
He was the first to use the overblow and overdraw techniques for chromatic playing on the diatonic harmonica in the 1970s. These allow a harmonica player to obtain all the missing chromatic notes in the Richter-tunedRichter tuning
Richter tuning is a system of choosing the reeds for a diatonic wind instrument . It is named after Joseph Richter, a Bohemian instrument maker who adopted the tuning for his harmonicas the early 19th century and is credited with inventing the blow/draw mechanism that allows the harmonica to play...
diatonic harmonica.
In 1988, Levy co-founded the Flecktones, leaving the group in 1993. He has appeared on over 250 albums http://www.levyland.com/discography.php and has played on several movie soundtracks. In 2001, he composed the second concerto written for the diatonic harmonica (the first being William Russo
William Russo
William Russo may refer to:*William Daddano, Sr., aka William Russo*William Russo...
's Concerto for Blues Band and Orchestra). He has performed it many times with orchestras in the United States and Europe. As of 2009 Levy has rejoined the Flecktones as a touring member of the band, as well as for the band's 2011 album, Rocket Science
Rocket Science (Béla Fleck and the Flecktones album)
Rocket Science is a studio album by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, released in 2011. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Jazz chart and number 36 on the Top Independent Albums chart....
.
He is music director of the Latin/jazz group Chévere de Chicago whose first album was Secret Dream. Currently he also leads the band Acoustic Express, plays duo concerts with pianist Anthony Molinaro and guitarist Chris Siebold, and tours Europe with Michael Riessler and Jean-Louis Matinier. Levy has recorded or toured with Kenny Loggins
Kenny Loggins
During the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
, Donald Fagen
Donald Fagen
Donald Jay Fagen is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the co-founder, lead singer, and the principal songwriter of the rock band Steely Dan ....
, Bobby McFerrin
Bobby McFerrin
Robert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. is an American vocalist and conductor. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a ten-time Grammy Award winner.-Life:...
, Sandip Burman
Sandip Burman
Sandip Burman is a tabla player from Durgapur, West Bengal, India.After his initial training with Shri Sudhir Roy, he began a long discipleship with the distinguished Pandit Shymal Bose. Sandip's performances are marked with spontaneous innovation and tonal purity even when he is delivering complex...
, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Dennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung is an American singer, songwriter, musician and producer best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx, a tenure that lasted from 1970 to 1999.-Early life:...
, Paquito D'Rivera
Paquito D'Rivera
Paquito D'Rivera is a Cuban alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist. The winner of multiple Grammys and other awards, D'Rivera has lived in the United States since the early 1980s. He has worked in a variety of contexts, but is perhaps best known for playing Latin...
, Ben Sidran
Ben Sidran
Ben Sidran is an American jazz and rock pianist, organist, vocalist and writer born in Chicago, noted for his work with the early Steve Miller Band.-Biography:...
and Rabih Abou-Khalil
Rabih Abou-Khalil
-Life:Rabih Abou-Khalil grew up in Beirut and moved to Munich, Germany during the civil war in 1978. He lives part-time in Munich and part-time in the South of France with his wife and two children.-Music:...
.
He is the founder of Balkan Samba Records
Balkan Samba Records
Balkan Samba Records is a small record label run by multi-stylist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and Grammy award winner Howard Levy...
, which features the music of Howard Levy and Friends, including Fox Fehling, Chévere de Chicago, and Norman Savitt.
He continues to make frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor
Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality. He is known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (born August 7, 1942) is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio...
's acclaimed radio program Prairie Home Companion.
He now teaches the Harmonica via the Howard Levy Harmonica School website.
Since 2005, Howard has collaborated with the Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living
Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living
Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living is a post-denominational synagogue in Glencoe, Illinois. Founded in 1994 as a member-led congregation by Dr. Marc Slutsky, Steven Silberman, and Rabbi Irwin Kula, cited as the 8th most influential rabbi in U.S and the 11th most influential Jew in the world and...
in Glencoe, IL for their High Holiday services.
Solo discography
- The Old Country (1999)
- Stranger's Hand (1999)
- Cappuccino (2004)
- Howard Levy & Paul Sprawl (2005)
- Tonight and Tomorrow (2009)