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Elliott Levin

If one was to believe descriptive snippets, the thing to do when Elliott Levin approaches is find a place to hide. In a worst case scenario, try to climb a tree — at least, that is the advice hikers would receive about the oncoming approach of something "ferocious...frenzied...bearlike." However, the comparison with bears is based on the size and appearance of the Philadelphia performer, while the other adjectives are filling one of their more esoteric purposes in the English language, attempting to describe just what it is free jazz performers do when they blow into their horns. Whatever it is, Levin does a lot of it, on tenor saxophone and flute. He also has a quite active career as a published poet and likes to combine the two aesthetics in his performances, much to the delight of the growing live poetry audience and to the chagrin of hipsters who insist jazz poetry is a form of torture, worse than cold showers. Other listeners might find the entire free jazz experience itself torture, in which case it's back to the beginning as far as advice regarding Levin: there is nothing watered-down or weak about his performances, no attempt to make the music a bit more accessible to the novices, tender-hearted or just plain wimpy. He also doesn't seem to play music as if it was connected to some kind of career strategy, other than to just play all the time. Besides playing professionally with a variety of groups, embarking on semi-regular journeys around the country, he also jams. No description of the Philly jazz scene exists that does not include something along the lines of "And Elliott Levin has been known to sit in, buggin' out with his sax and flute..." A Philadelphia drummer described Levin as "the guy that calls you at two in the morning, wanting you to haul your drums over to some jam session."

Levin grew up in Philly, but studied music and creative writing on the west coast at the University of Oregon. He took private lessons with a former Philadelphia Orchestra saxophonist, Michael Guera, and embarked on further research with the great jazz pianist, Cecil Taylor, in whose groups Levin has also performed. Claire Polin is Levin's primary instructor on flute. The weekend grocery list of Levin credits includes playing with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes for a decade as the saxophonist in the Sound of Philadelphia band, as well as with Odean Popes' Saxophone Choir, Tyrone Hill, Don Preston, Scram!, New Ghost, Atzilut (Fourth World), Talking Free Bebop, and various collaborations with bassist Jamaladeen Tacuma.

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Album Review

Oliver Lake: Justice

Read "Justice" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro


Il sottotitolo dell'album parla di The Vocal Works of Oliver Lake ad opera della somma di due gruppi gemelli. In realtà questo prezioso lavoro contiene ben di più: una visione cameristica della musica da parte del grande sassofonista, fresco ottantenne, con i colori di quell'approccio al mondo dei suoni, ma attraverso una visione al tempo stesso eloquentemente calata in tutto l'universo nero (ci sono qua e là accenti funkeggianti, così cari a Oliver Lake, interventi tenoristici anche ruvidi, e svariati ...

101
Album Review

Earth People: Now is Rising

Read "Now is Rising" reviewed by Florence Wetzel


It's time to welcome another offering from Earth People, one of the most innovative and exciting groups on today's avant-garde scene. The group excels once again with the absolutely fresh Now is Rising, a soulful amalgam of sound that showcases its versatility and formidable gifts. This incarnation includes Andre Martinez on drums and percussion, Jason Candler on alto sax and guitar, Doug Principato on guitar, vocals and keyboards, Francois Grillot on contrabass, Mark Hennen on piano, Sabir Mateen on alto, ...

108
Album Review

Elliott Levin & Tyrone Hill 4tet: A Fine Intensity

Read "A Fine Intensity" reviewed by Derek Taylor


Here’s a group that perfectly illustrates the interconnectedness of musicians who traffic in creative improvised music. Levin and Hill have played together in various capacities since 1975, sharing stints in a variety of bands including a surprising stay with Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes and a mutual orbit around Sun Ra during the Saturnian’s stay in Philadelphia. Cooper and Watkins have collaborated frequently with Levin in a host of Philadelphia-based aggregations. The shared Philly origins of all the players manifests ...

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Performance / Tour

The Jazz Bridge "Jazz In The Wood,” First Thursdays, Neighborhood Concerts Series Presents Saxophonist/Flutist/Poet Elliott Levin And His Quartet

The Jazz Bridge "Jazz In The Wood,” First Thursdays, Neighborhood Concerts Series Presents Saxophonist/Flutist/Poet Elliott Levin And His Quartet

Source: Bruce Klauber

The Jazz Bridge “Jazz in the Wood,” First Thursdays, Neighborhood Concerts Series at the Collingswood Community Center, East Collings Avenue in Collingswood, NJ—presents saxophonist/flutist/poet Elliott Levin and his quartet on Thursday, December 4. One show starts at 7:30 p.m., tickets are $10/$5 for students, and are only available at the door. For info: 856-858-8914 or 215-517-8337. Classically trained at the University of Oregon and via private studies with the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Michael Guera, Levin has since become one of the ...

Event

Jazz Bridge First Thursdays Neighborhood Concert Series In Collingswood Presents The Elliott Levin Quartet

Jazz Bridge First Thursdays Neighborhood Concert Series In Collingswood Presents The Elliott Levin Quartet

Source: Bruce Klauber

Jazz Bridge presents The Elliott Levin Quartet in concert at the Collingswood Community Center East Collings Avenue in Collingswood, on Thursday, January 2, as a part of their First Thursdays Neighborhood Concerts Series. Showtime is 7:30 p..m., tickets are $10/$5 for students, and are only available at the door. For info: 856-858-8914, 215-517-8337 or visit jazzbridge.org. Saxophonist/flutist/poet Elliott Levin, classically trained at the University of Oregon and via private studies with the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Michael Guera, has become one of ...

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Recording

Robert W. Getz/Elliott Levin Duo Releases "Sassafras Hello"

Robert W. Getz/Elliott Levin Duo Releases "Sassafras Hello"

Source: All About Jazz

9-20-2002

Pianist Robert W. Getz and saxophonist Elliott Levin team up for a collection of completely improvised compositions on Sassafras Hello, the latest release from Idyll Hands Recordings and the first collaboration by these Philadelphia natives.

The CD, recorded at Philadelphia's Turtle Studios in July, features Levin switching between flute, and soprano and tenor saxophones, while Getz further refines the exploratory sounds heard on his previous two releases, Wooden Box: Piano Improvisations Vol. 1 and Live At The Knitting Factory: ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Justice

High Two Recordings
2022

buy

Moon Rust Red Streets

High Two Recordings
2021

buy

Bombogenic -...

High Two Recordings
2016

buy

Elliott Levin Meets...

Ear-Rational Records
2009

buy

Now is Rising

Undivided Vision
2005

buy

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