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Pete Levin

In a diverse music career spanning several decades, keyboardist/arranger Pete Levin has performed and recorded with hundreds of Jazz and Pop artists - including Paul Simon, Annie Lennox, Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Lenny White, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastori

About Me

PETE LEVIN

In a diverse music career spanning several decades, keyboardist/arranger Pete Levin has performed and recorded with hundreds of Jazz and Pop artists - including Paul Simon, Annie Lennox, Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Lenny White, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Robbie Robertson and John Scofield - receiving critical accolades for his work during a 15 year association with the legendary Gil Evans, and his 8 year stint with jazz icon Jimmy Giuffre.

Pete has been part of New York's jazz, pop, and electronic music scene since the ‘70s. He grew up with classical music, majoring in French horn at Boston University and later getting a Master’s at the Juilliard School in New York. In New York, he also began playing Hammond Organ with jazz and pop groups while doing recording work on French Horn. With a developing interest in electronic music, in 1973 he bought a MiniMoog, the first high-quality affordable analog synthesizer to come on the market. In 1974 he got a call to play horn with legendary jazz arranger Gil Evans, and Gil made him a regular. A year later Pete brought a Moog synthesizer to an Evans gig. Gil loved it and Pete's role was permanently changed as the band morphed into the electronic/acoustic hybrid band that recorded 35 albums and won 2 Grammys. Among the first to explore synthesizers during the 70s, Pete became a sought- after sideman for studio and live gigs. As a writer and musician he worked on film scores, jazz and pop records, and hundreds of TV and radio commercials. As production techniques changed during the 80s, Pete became a “programmer”, orchestrating with electronic sounds and recording them on computer. Today, Pete continues to use the latest computer technology combined with a mixture of new and vintage synthesizers, working in his own and other studios.

Over the years, interspersed with Gil Evans, Paul Simon, Annie Lennox and Jimmy Giuffre tours, Pete has done arranging and electronic music for feature films including MISSING IN ACTION, LEAN ON ME, SILVER BULLET, THE COLOR OF MONEY and STAR TREK, the orchestral score for the independent film, ZELIMO, an original music score for a stage production of THE DYBBUK, the electronic music score for Linda Rodgers' award-winning ”Surgical Audiotape” series, the official band/chorus arrangement of the U.S. Infantry song, and composed the anthem for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit, performing it twice in the U.N. General Assembly. His favorite collaboration was with his brother, bassist Tony Levin and drummer Steve Gadd - “THE CLAMS”, a Spike Jones tribute band - that produced a top-40 hit single “CLOSE TO YOU”, now a cult classic. In 1989 Pete released his first solo jazz album, “Party In The Basement”, for Grammavision. This was followed by “Solitary Man”, two unique jazz Christmas CDs with drummer Danny Gottlieb, and a series of New Age albums for Alternate Mode, including “Meditations”, a duo project with Jazz flautist Ali Ryerson. In 2000, Pete returned to his first keyboard love, the Hammond Organ, and has been recording and performing as a band leader in organ trio format. He has released 3 solo albums in that format, “Deacon Blues,” “Certified Organic,” and “Jump!” In 2014, Pete formed a jazz quartet with his brother, bassist Tony Levin, “The Levin Brothers.” Doing vintage jazz in the cool/bebop style of the 1950’s, their debut album was released in 2014. They have released 3 albums since then. After releasing a solo jazz album “Mobius” in 2017, Pete is now working on another one, as well as a tribute project with the “Gil Evans Remembered” band, an ensemble composed of 11 all-star alumni of the Gil Evans Orchestra from the 70’s and 80’s. The GER band performed at major European jazz festivals in July 2024. Pete is also revisiting his love of electronic music. With the new Moog Music's flagship model “One” in his home studio, Pete is working on electronic realizations of classical pieces, beginning with the suite “Inventions and Symphonias” by J.S. Bach.

Between 1964 and 2026 Pete has recorded and/or performed live with artists & groups, including ...

Michael Allman, Gary Anderson, Annie & The Hedonists, Ron Aprea, Nikki Armstrong, Dani Assis, Nanny Assis, Jennifer Aylmer, Aztec Two Step, Larry Baeder, Rene Bailey, Band of Brothers, Dave Bargeron, George Barrett, Beastie Boys, Forrest Bechtel, Joe Beck, Joe Beesmer, Bele Beledo, Jeff Berlin, Pat Bianco, Marc Black, Terrance Blanchard, Carla Bley, Rosalinde Block, Blood Sweat & Tears, Blues Project, The Blues Farm, GI Blythe, Boston Pops Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Dean Bowman, Bozo The Clown, Bridge Arts Youth Jazz Band, Beki Brindle, Broadside Brass Bed Band, Hugh Brodie, Brubeck Brothers, Cliff Brucker, Hiram Bullock, Butterfield Blues Band, Donald Byrd, Don Byron, Rennie Cantine, Rob Carlson, Daniel Carter, Regina Carter, Malcolm Cecil, Rondi Charleston, Hillary Chase, Jay Chattaway, Tommy Chong, Popa Chubby, Jeff Ciampa, The City Boys All-Stars, The Clams, John Clark, Jay Clayton, Jimmy Cobb, D.A. Cole, Judy Collins, Willie Colon, Bill Comeau, Commander Cody, Gene Cornish, Murali Coryell, Cray & Dempsey, Albert Cummings, David Darling, Kal David, Tom David, Betty Davis, Miles Davis, Andrea Dawn, Debbie Deane, Mike DeMicco, Derek Dempsey, Angela Deniro, Denise DiRenzo, Kenwood Dennard, Jacque DeShetler, Christopher DiCesare, Dog Knows, Nancy Donnelly, Danny Draher, Jossie Drechsler, Robbie Dupree, Bill Durso, Bill Edwards, Mark Egan, The Egghead Horns, Peter Einhorn, Don Elliott, Doug Elliott, Ryan Endris, Jimmy Eppard, Joey Eppard, Eric Erickson, Gil Evans, Miles Evans, Fania All-Stars, Rachelle Farelle, Patricia Fennell, Five Satins, 52nd Street, Bryan Ferry, Matt Finck, Alex Foster, Fanne Foxe, Teddy Frank, George Frayne, Al Franken, Peter Furlan, Letizia Gambi, Chrissy Gardner, Don Gardner, Gil Evans Remembered Band, Jimmy Giuffre, Leila Gobi, Danny Gottlieb, Government Mule, Sarah Greene, Janice Hardgrove, Larry Harmon, Nicole Hart, Richie Hart, Maiko Hata, Jonas Helborg, Joan Henry, Kurt Henry, Deborah Henson-Conant, Jana Herzen, Gregory Hines, Rita Hoang, Erin Hobson, Clint Holmes, Nick Holmes, Helen Hooke, D.R. Hooker, Ted Horowitz, Lillie Howard, Freddie Hubbard, Nick Humez, Chris Hunter, Kathy Ingraham, Mike Jackson, Howard Johnson, Meg Johnson, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Band, Lenny Kalikow, Raven Kane, Toshihiko Kankawa, Tim Kapeluck, Judy Kass, Randy Kaye, Bruce Michael Kean, Mamadou Kelly, Roman Klun, Charlie Kniceley, Kevin Kuhn, David Laks, La La, Pat LaBarbera, Wayne Lammers, Arnie Lawrence, Erik Lawrence, Annie Lennox, Ray LeVier, Tony Levin, Levin Brothers Band, Jennifer London, Phil LoPresti, PJ Lorenz, Ken Lovelett, Charles Lyonhart, Betty MacDonald, Rod MacDonald, Al MacDowell, Machan, Peter Mack, Mike Mainieri, David Malachowski, Tom Malone, Melissa Manchester, Chuck Mangione, Gap Mangione, Manhattan Project, Lou Marini, Lisa Markley, Keith Marks, Janet Marlowe, Jerry Marotta, Emilio Martins, Lee Marvin, Lisa Maxwell, Cynthia McCorkindale, David McGough, Mariann Megna, Jane Meryll, Bucky Milam, Don Miller, Liza Minnelli, Charles Mingus, Chris Mitchell, Tommy Mitchell, Monday Night Band, Brad Monkell, Dwight Moody, Sam Morrison, Gerry Mulligan, Amina Claudine Myers, Native Vibe, Jeremy Nesse, Carol Nethen, Olivia Newton-John, New York Mary, Jeremy Nesse, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Bob Nieske, Alwin Nikolais, Odd Couple Quintet, Eileen O'Hare, Shunzo Ohno, Old Dogs New Tricks, Olsen Twins, Ola Onabule, Al Orlo, Ted Orr & Blue Food, Jeff Oster, Shelly Palmer, Rob Paparozzi, Frankie Paris, Jon Paris, Gil Parris, Chris Pasin, Nicole Pasternak, Vincent Pasternak, Jaco Pastorius, Pamela Pentony, Roxy Perry, Eric Person, Scott Petito, Vito Petroccitto, Simon Phillips, Pieces Of A Dream, Monika Piotrowska, Elise Pittelman, Lorenza Ponce, Popa Chubby, Kitt Potter, Jim Pugh/Dave Taylor, Tony Purrone, Python Soup, Steve Raleigh, Genya Ravan, Baron Raymonde, Billy Reed, Reelin' In The Years, Athena Reich, The Retro Rockets, Bob Riccio, Nicki Richards, Amy Rogell, Robbie Robertson, Sonny Rock, Teri Roiger, Jonny Rosch, Andy Rothstein, Katrin Roush, Steve Rowell, Garland Rucker, Raphael Rudd, Bobby Rydell, Ali Ryerson, Sabrina Sa, Emily Saaen, Paul Sachs, Saints of Swing, Salt 'N Pepa, David Sanborn, Dario Saraceno, Ellie Sarty, Steve Satten, Dan Schaut, Rob Scheps, Sari Schorr, Steve Schultz, John Scofield, Mark Sganga, Marlene Shaw, Deborah Mia Shelton, Ben Sher, Karuna Shinsho, Wayne Shorter, Sidestep, Jeff Siegel, Siegel/Syracuse Duo, Carly Simon, Paul Simon, David Snider, Marilyn Sokol, Lew Soloff, Melvyn Sparks, Spirited, Straight Ahead, Roseann Sureda, Gani Tamir, Livingston Taylor, Peter Thomakos, Vaneese Thomas, Andy Toomey, Artie Traum, Happy Traum, John Tropea, Barbara Truex, Donna Trunzo, Elijah Tucker, Joe Lynn Turner, Uncle Funk, Michal Urbaniak, Thom Vala, Michael Veitch, Willa Vincitore, Jimmy Vivino, Lou Volpe, Filippo Voltaggio, Voyceboxing, Joe Louis Walker, Corbett Wall, Lynette Washington, Ernie Watts, Jim Weider, Peter Welker, Westchester All-Stars, Wet Paint, Lenny White, White Flag, Vanessa Williams, Curtis Winchester, Deborah Winters, Tad Wise, Woodstock All-Stars, Gary Wofsey, Vasily Yankovitch, David Young, Chris Zaloom, Ling Zhang, Zuice

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My Jazz Story

I was first exposed to jazz in the 1950's, in high school. Majoring on French horn, I was trained in classical music in college and graduate school but never lost my love of jazz. Living and working in New York City, in 1973 I got a call to join the Gil Evans Orchestra, taking me full-time into the jazz genre.