Tony Levin
Tony Levin was born in Boston on June 6, 1946. He grew up in the suburb of Brookline and began playing upright bass at 10 yrs old. In high school, he picked up tuba, soloing with the concert band. He also started a barbershop quartet. But he primarily played classical music on the upright, most notably performing at the White House with Marvin Rabin's Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra for John and Jackie Kennedy. He then attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and played in the Rochester Philharmonic. Also at the school was Steve Gadd, now a renowned drummer, who introduced Tony to playing a higher level of jazz and rock. He traded in his Ampeg baby bass for an old (at that time) Fender Precision bass, which was his only instrument for many years.
In 1970, Tony moved to New York City, joined a band called Aha, the Attack of the Green Slime Beast, with Don Preston of The Mothers of Invention. Soon after, he began working as a session musician and through the 1970's he played bass on many albums.
In the late '70s wanting to do more live playing, Tony joined Peter Gabriel's band. He had met Peter through producer Bob Ezrin (with whom Tony had recorded Alice Cooper's Welcome to My Nightmare, and Lou Reed's Berlin.) Tony has played with Gabriel, both on the road and in the studio, since then. On that first Peter Gabriel album, Tony played some tuba as well as bass, and directed a short barbershop quartet version of a song.
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Album Review
- Secrets & Lies by John Kelman
- Moving Through Worlds by Robin B James
Extended Analysis
- Heaven & Earth: Live and in the Studio 1997-2008
- Levin Minnemann Rudess: From the Law Offices of Levin Minnemann Rudess
Album Review
- Levin Brothers by John Kelman
- Levin Minnemann Rudess by John Kelman
Extended Analysis
Album Review
- Stick Man by John Kelman
Extended Analysis
Album Review
- Prime Cuts: From Tony Levin's Magna Carta Sessions by John Kelman
February 15, 2002
Willie Oteri's Jazz Gunn CD project w/ Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Mike...
September 23, 2011
Tony Levin, David Torn and Alan White - Levin Torn White (2011)
September 22, 2011
Something Else! Interview: Rock Bassist Tony Levin
September 14, 2011
Debut Album from Tony Levin, David Torn and Alan White
June 24, 2002
Upcoming Willie Oteri release with Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Mike...
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bass, electric