Bob Levy

Only a Matter of Time (Silk River Music) February 26, 2018 Reviewed by John Hoglund for Cabaret Scenes Bob Levy is a 2019 MAC Award nominee for his songwriting and for this CD. This only adds to his mounting merits over the years. Some hip jazz songwriters add gusto and guts to their musical style using a mix of heart and wit in sync with something that is unique. Levy is a quirky lyricist who falls somewhere in a league with Bob Dorough and Blossom Dearie. He can also be a heartbreaker. Most of his songs are personalized and not script friendly. Sondheim he’s not. Bob Levy is an old-fashioned type of guy. The new CD is the latest in a collection of interesting and eclectic songbook discs that resonate the flavor of a time when lyrics stood for more than what passes today on the jaded radio or on deafening Internet play lists. Some of the songs here are so good they might have been lifted from a movie soundtrack from long ago. As in the past, his songs are written with intelligence. The musical styles vary from light jazz to standard American Songbook fare from another decade. He has collaborated with some of today’s popular musicians. Some of the songs are the kind that might appeal to Dick Hyman or Sinatra in their day. It all reflects Levy’s versatility as he joins with some lauded musician-songwriters of note including Tex Arnold, Alex Rybeck, Harriet Goldberg, and Ronny Whyte. The big arrangements are exceptional and prove an easy match for guest singers La Tanya Hall, Laurie Krauz, and Nicolas King. Frequent collaborator and acclaimed jazz vocalist Dane Vannatter is heard on many of the 19 cuts. Overall, the album is filled with too many pleasant surprises to list. Off the top, a smart “Crazy Dog” sung by Vannatter kicks off the disc with a cool spin that almost recalls Dave Frishberg: “when I got home, he sat on my lap and purred like a dog that thought he’s a cat… crazy dog.” “Welcome Me Home” (Levy/Rybeck) is a dreamy take on romance. Beautifully sung by La Tanya Hall, it is a warm reflection that says all the right things about love: “could this be magic? Are you just a fantasy?… no, you feel so real to me – to welcome me home.” One can imagine Bobby Darin fronting a swinging big band on a breezy “Every Time When I’m with You” by Levy and Whyte with Vannatter’s seductive crooning. Multi-talented Nicolas King teases with a little sophisticated scat on a jazzy “Best as I Can” that echoes a young Mel Tormé in tone and quality. King also shines on a well-delivered “Looks Like They’re in Love” (also by Levy/Rybeck). “Why Can’t You Fall in Love with Me?” (Levy) is a longing for love ballad sung by a smoky-voiced Laurie Krauz. “It’s Over” (Levy), a favorite of this listener, is a trenchant ballad, beautifully sung by Vannatter that is heartfelt and poignant and worthy of more attention as is most of this songbook. For anyone putting a cabaret act together, there’s a lush garden of songs to choose from here from a quality songwriter with class and a focus on well-balanced songs with meaning. We’re lucky there are songwriters still among us simply writing from the heart with meaning, fun and skilled structure in a way the greats of yesteryear wrote. Bob Levy is such a lyricist. And, this album will show you why. Levy is assisted by a strong band with excellent musicians: Piano: Tex Arnold, Daryl Kojak, Daniel May and Alex Rybeck; Bass: Tony De Paolis, Bob Renino, Steve La Spina and Steve Doyle; Drums: Thomas Wendt, John DiFiore and Dan Gross; Trumpet: Dave F. Rogers and Hollis “Bud” Burridge; Guitar: Brian Koonin and Sean Harkness; Cello: Clay Ruede. Connections Reviewed by John Amodeo for Cabaret Scenes September 28, 2015 Bob Levy’s new recording, Connections, with lyrics by Levy, and music by various composers, including himself, Levy convinces us that the craft of writing American standards is not only alive and well, but thriving. While remaining fresh and contemporary, this 20-song CD has a universal feel in its breezy nightclub sound and its lyrics that, simply put, find 20 lovely ways to say “I love you.” Levy is nothing else if not a marvelous collaborator, working with six additional composers, seven pianists/arrangers, and nine vocalists on this recording. It is a testament to his musical vision that this recording maintains its cohesion, moving seamlessly from song to song. His most fruitful teamwork shows with Harriet Goldberg, whose haunting descending harmonies in “The Moon, The Stars, The Sky” and lilting romantic tempo in “Nothing to Lose,” are real standouts. Cabaret stalwart Alex Rybeck provides great musical versatility with a bouncy “Looks Like They’re in Love,” and yet a lush arrangement for the reflective “He Remembers, She Remembers,” underscored by Jered Egan’s poignantly bowed bass and Joyce Breach’s honest delivery, making it one of the recording’s many highlights. Additional composers Ronny Whyte, Dennis Livingston, Jon Burr, Krisanthi Pappas and Levy himself add romance, seduction, shades of country, and a soupçon of the blues. Dane Vannatter, frequent Levy collaborator, sings more than half the numbers, providing smooth, buttery vocals throughout, with an essence of Stevie Wonder in “The Moon, The Stars, The Sky,” and yet a Mel Tormé style in “Looks Like They’re in Love.” Cabaret veterans Judi Figel, Barbara Porteus, Krisanthi Pappas, and Matt Ray offer additional solid vocals, while Jinny Sagorin becomes a Disney princess on Livingston’s “My Never Ending Dream.” But the top kudos goes to Levy, who paints many shades of love with his simple straightforward lyrics, that fall beautifully on these cushioning melodies. If you want a romantic night out on the town without ever leaving your house, this is your recording. http://cabaretscenes.org/2015/09/28/bob-levy-connections/ Danielle Miceli's New York Cabaret Today January 6, 2016 Bob Levy’s album, Connections, 2015, is a very eclectic production from his Silk River Music company, which is represented by ASCAP. Bob is one of the most promising songwriters around having received honors in the Billboard song competition and the VH1 Song of the Year competition. Bob is also an ASCAP Plus Award Winner for 2005 through 2022 and ASCAP selected his song, “Paris Without You” for their Emerging Jazz Writers radio broadcast series. His CD collections, available on Spotify and Amazon, consist of “Out in the Cold” (2006), “Me and My Best Friends” (2008), “Off His High Horse” (2010), “A Little Bit More” (2011), and “Fire in My Soul” (2011). To boot, his jazz and country songs are now being performed throughout the US, Canada, the UK, Italy, Greece, and Japan. If these accolades are not enough to convince you of Levy’s talent, take my opinion. I have always noticed that his songs are very “stand-out” in any show that includes them. I am really picky about new songwriters and I always find something great in Levy’s compositions. He mostly writes lyrics, but also writes music. His music collaborators on Connections are Harriet Goldberg, Alex Rybeck, Ronny Whyte, Dennis Livingston, Jon Burr, and Krisanthi Pappas. Whyte and Pappas sing on this album as well. Other vocalists on this album are: Dane Vanatter, Barbara Porteus, Judi Figel, Joyce Breach, Matt Ray, Jinny Sagorin, and Jamey Whiting. The Billy Novick Trio (Tim Ray, piano/David Clark, bass/Bill Reynolds, drums/Billy Novick, sax/ and John Wheatley, guitar) and Billy Novick Quartet (Tim Ray, piano/ David Clark, bass/Bill Reynolds, piano/ and Billy Novick, sax) are also featured on this album. Other instrumentalists on this album are Daniel May, piano/Alex Rybeck, piano/Ronny Whyte, piano/Doug Hammer, piano/Jim Rice, piano/Matt Ray, piano,/Jamey Whiting, piano/Bob Renino, bass/Steve Skop, bass/Jered Egan, bass/Boots Maleson, bass/John Burr, bass/Bill Vint, sax/John DiSanto, drums/Rex Benincasa, drums and percussion and Mauricio de Souza, drums and percussion. Levy seemed to choose all of these instrumentalists to show how important the music is on this album in addition to his lyrics and to give different musicians a chance to participate in his creative vision. The vocals are generally excellent and all of them seem to be on the same page with Levy in terms of his vision for the songs and the album, in general. Jersey Jazz, Journal of the New Jersey Jazz Society November 2015 by Joe Lang Connections (Silk River Music – 086) is a collection of songs with lyrics by BOB LEVY. The music is provided by an impressive list of collaborators including Harriet Goldberg, Alex Rybeck, Ronny Whyte, Krisanthi Pappas, Dennis Livingston and John Burr, with Levy providing his own music for four of the selections. Levy writes lyrics that are very much in the mold of the writers of classic pop tunes from the days before the singer/songwriter began to dominate pop music. To sing his words, Levy enlisted Whyte, Pappas, Barbara Porteus, Judi Figel, Joyce Breach, Matt Ray, Jinny Sagorin and Dane Vannatter, who sings on ten of the twenty vocal tracks. When listening to a program of original songs, it is often difficult to feel an immediate connection to them, but this collection quickly draws the listener’s attention in a positive manner. It is nice to know that there are still writers like Bob Levy to produce songs that have solid, intelligent lyrics. (www.silkrivermusc.com) http://www.njjs.org/p/jazzJournal.php

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Only a Matter of Time (Silk River Music) February 26, 2018 Reviewed by John Hoglund for Cabaret Scenes Bob Levy is a 2019 MAC Award nominee for his songwriting and for this CD. This only adds to his mounting merits over the years. Some hip jazz songwriters add gusto and guts to their musical style using a mix of heart and wit in sync with something that is unique. Levy is a quirky lyricist who falls somewhere in a league with Bob Dorough and Blossom Dearie. He can also be a heartbreaker. Most of his songs are personalized and not script friendly. Sondheim he’s not. Bob Levy is an old-fashioned type of guy. The new CD is the latest in a collection of interesting and eclectic songbook discs that resonate the flavor of a time when lyrics stood for more than what passes today on the jaded radio or on deafening Internet play lists. Some of the songs here are so good they might have been lifted from a movie soundtrack from long ago. As in the past, his songs are written with intelligence. The musical styles vary from light jazz to standard American Songbook fare from another decade. He has collaborated with some of today’s popular musicians. Some of the songs are the kind that might appeal to Dick Hyman or Sinatra in their day. It all reflects Levy’s versatility as he joins with some lauded musician-songwriters of note including Tex Arnold, Alex Rybeck, Harriet Goldberg, and Ronny Whyte. The big arrangements are exceptional and prove an easy match for guest singers La Tanya Hall, Laurie Krauz, and Nicolas King. Frequent collaborator and acclaimed jazz vocalist Dane Vannatter is heard on many of the 19 cuts. Overall, the album is filled with too many pleasant surprises to list. Off the top, a smart “Crazy Dog” sung by Vannatter kicks off the disc with a cool spin that almost recalls Dave Frishberg: “when I got home, he sat on my lap and purred like a dog that thought he’s a cat… crazy dog.” “Welcome Me Home” (Levy/Rybeck) is a dreamy take on romance. Beautifully sung by La Tanya Hall, it is a warm reflection that says all the right things about love: “could this be magic? Are you just a fantasy?… no, you feel so real to me – to welcome me home.” One can imagine Bobby Darin fronting a swinging big band on a breezy “Every Time When I’m with You” by Levy and Whyte with Vannatter’s seductive crooning. Multi-talented Nicolas King teases with a little sophisticated scat on a jazzy “Best as I Can” that echoes a young Mel Tormé in tone and quality. King also shines on a well-delivered “Looks Like They’re in Love” (also by Levy/Rybeck). “Why Can’t You Fall in Love with Me?” (Levy) is a longing for love ballad sung by a smoky-voiced Laurie Krauz. “It’s Over” (Levy), a favorite of this listener, is a trenchant ballad, beautifully sung by Vannatter that is heartfelt and poignant and worthy of more attention as is most of this songbook. For anyone putting a cabaret act together, there’s a lush garden of songs to choose from here from a quality songwriter with class and a focus on well-balanced songs with meaning. We’re lucky there are songwriters still among us simply writing from the heart with meaning, fun and skilled structure in a way the greats of yesteryear wrote. Bob Levy is such a lyricist. And, this album will show you why. Levy is assisted by a strong band with excellent musicians: Piano: Tex Arnold, Daryl Kojak, Daniel May and Alex Rybeck; Bass: Tony De Paolis, Bob Renino, Steve La Spina and Steve Doyle; Drums: Thomas Wendt, John DiFiore and Dan Gross; Trumpet: Dave F. Rogers and Hollis “Bud” Burridge; Guitar: Brian Koonin and Sean Harkness; Cello: Clay Ruede. Connections Reviewed by John Amodeo for Cabaret Scenes September 28, 2015 Bob Levy’s new recording, Connections, with lyrics by Levy, and music by various composers, including himself, Levy convinces us that the craft of writing American standards is not only alive and well, but thriving. While remaining fresh and contemporary, this 20-song CD has a universal feel in its breezy nightclub sound and its lyrics that, simply put, find 20 lovely ways to say “I love you.” Levy is nothing else if not a marvelous collaborator, working with six additional composers, seven pianists/arrangers, and nine vocalists on this recording. It is a testament to his musical vision that this recording maintains its cohesion, moving seamlessly from song to song. His most fruitful teamwork shows with Harriet Goldberg, whose haunting descending harmonies in “The Moon, The Stars, The Sky” and lilting romantic tempo in “Nothing to Lose,” are real standouts. Cabaret stalwart Alex Rybeck provides great musical versatility with a bouncy “Looks Like They’re in Love,” and yet a lush arrangement for the reflective “He Remembers, She Remembers,” underscored by Jered Egan’s poignantly bowed bass and Joyce Breach’s honest delivery, making it one of the recording’s many highlights. Additional composers Ronny Whyte, Dennis Livingston, Jon Burr, Krisanthi Pappas and Levy himself add romance, seduction, shades of country, and a soupçon of the blues. Dane Vannatter, frequent Levy collaborator, sings more than half the numbers, providing smooth, buttery vocals throughout, with an essence of Stevie Wonder in “The Moon, The Stars, The Sky,” and yet a Mel Tormé style in “Looks Like They’re in Love.” Cabaret veterans Judi Figel, Barbara Porteus, Krisanthi Pappas, and Matt Ray offer additional solid vocals, while Jinny Sagorin becomes a Disney princess on Livingston’s “My Never Ending Dream.” But the top kudos goes to Levy, who paints many shades of love with his simple straightforward lyrics, that fall beautifully on these cushioning melodies. If you want a romantic night out on the town without ever leaving your house, this is your recording. http://cabaretscenes.org/2015/09/28/bob-levy-connections/ Danielle Miceli's New York Cabaret Today January 6, 2016 Bob Levy’s album, Connections, 2015, is a very eclectic production from his Silk River Music company, which is represented by ASCAP. Bob is one of the most promising songwriters around having received honors in the Billboard song competition and the VH1 Song of the Year competition. Bob is also an ASCAP Plus Award Winner for 2005 through 2022 and ASCAP selected his song, “Paris Without You” for their Emerging Jazz Writers radio broadcast series. His CD collections, available on Spotify and Amazon, consist of “Out in the Cold” (2006), “Me and My Best Friends” (2008), “Off His High Horse” (2010), “A Little Bit More” (2011), and “Fire in My Soul” (2011). To boot, his jazz and country songs are now being performed throughout the US, Canada, the UK, Italy, Greece, and Japan. If these accolades are not enough to convince you of Levy’s talent, take my opinion. I have always noticed that his songs are very “stand-out” in any show that includes them. I am really picky about new songwriters and I always find something great in Levy’s compositions. He mostly writes lyrics, but also writes music. His music collaborators on Connections are Harriet Goldberg, Alex Rybeck, Ronny Whyte, Dennis Livingston, Jon Burr, and Krisanthi Pappas. Whyte and Pappas sing on this album as well. Other vocalists on this album are: Dane Vanatter, Barbara Porteus, Judi Figel, Joyce Breach, Matt Ray, Jinny Sagorin, and Jamey Whiting. The Billy Novick Trio (Tim Ray, piano/David Clark, bass/Bill Reynolds, drums/Billy Novick, sax/ and John Wheatley, guitar) and Billy Novick Quartet (Tim Ray, piano/ David Clark, bass/Bill Reynolds, piano/ and Billy Novick, sax) are also featured on this album. Other instrumentalists on this album are Daniel May, piano/Alex Rybeck, piano/Ronny Whyte, piano/Doug Hammer, piano/Jim Rice, piano/Matt Ray, piano,/Jamey Whiting, piano/Bob Renino, bass/Steve Skop, bass/Jered Egan, bass/Boots Maleson, bass/John Burr, bass/Bill Vint, sax/John DiSanto, drums/Rex Benincasa, drums and percussion and Mauricio de Souza, drums and percussion. Levy seemed to choose all of these instrumentalists to show how important the music is on this album in addition to his lyrics and to give different musicians a chance to participate in his creative vision. The vocals are generally excellent and all of them seem to be on the same page with Levy in terms of his vision for the songs and the album, in general. Jersey Jazz, Journal of the New Jersey Jazz Society November 2015 by Joe Lang Connections (Silk River Music – 086) is a collection of songs with lyrics by BOB LEVY. The music is provided by an impressive list of collaborators including Harriet Goldberg, Alex Rybeck, Ronny Whyte, Krisanthi Pappas, Dennis Livingston and John Burr, with Levy providing his own music for four of the selections. Levy writes lyrics that are very much in the mold of the writers of classic pop tunes from the days before the singer/songwriter began to dominate pop music. To sing his words, Levy enlisted Whyte, Pappas, Barbara Porteus, Judi Figel, Joyce Breach, Matt Ray, Jinny Sagorin and Dane Vannatter, who sings on ten of the twenty vocal tracks. When listening to a program of original songs, it is often difficult to feel an immediate connection to them, but this collection quickly draws the listener’s attention in a positive manner. It is nice to know that there are still writers like Bob Levy to produce songs that have solid, intelligent lyrics. (www.silkrivermusc.com) http://www.njjs.org/p/jazzJournal.php

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