Drummer Tony Levin has died, a few days after his seventy-first birthday, and after a battle with lymph cancer. Levin had carried on working regularly, and inspiring students in the Midlands until shortly before his death. Our sympathies to his family and friends. This is another sad loss, I saw him with some of the British greats, always good, always at home. Yesterday I was listening to Joe Harriotts album "Live At Harry's" on which Tony play's, I believe it is made from some of Tony's private recordings. He worked with a lot of the very best, Tubby Hayes, Alan Skidmore, Mike Westbrook, Mick Pyne even Humphry Littleton and of course later work with Stan Sulzmann, John Surman, Michael Garrick and Ian Carr. The last track in my show on UK Jazz Radio this week, I play a thirteen minute take from Joe Harriott "A Night In Tunisia" and who is the drummer, with a good solo Tony Levin. Tony Levin, thank you for the music. RIP Tony Levin.
The Rep.
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Tony's death was very sad. I got to know him well over the last few years as we were working with him on a project to capture all his music. If you are interested my discography (nearly finished) is at http://wallofsound.wordpress.com/2009/09/27/tony-levin-discography/ and our site at http://tonylevin.org Sadly we didn't complete the work in time for Tony to see it all working.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot and I will be visiting the site.
ReplyDeleteCheers Ray.