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Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...

John Levy, 1912-2012

January 22, 2012 by Doug Ramsey

Word came this morning from Devra Hall Levy that her husband John, a major advocate for and representative of jazz musicians, is gone. Levy died in his sleep on Friday at home in Altadena, California. He was 99.

Ahmad Jamal recently described Levy as “one of the foremost supportive bassists” of the postwar period. In that role, beginning as a teenager, Levy worked with Ray Nance, Earl Hines, Stuff Smith, Ben Webster and Lennie Tristano, among dozens of other prominent jazz figures. On the right, we see him with Jimmy Jones in 1947. When he was playing with the George Shearing Quintet in the late 1940s, Levy took over the business affairs of the group and soon made a career transition to full-time artist management. His client roster included Shearing, Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock, Joe Williams, Abbey Lincoln and Freddie Hubbard. In 2006, Levy was named an NEA Jazz Master of the National Endowment for the Arts.

As he looked forward to celebrating his 100th birthday on April 11, his wife asked people who knew John to send memories and impressions. The responses from friends, clients, and musicians who appreciated his playing are posted on the Celebration page of Devra’s Lushlife website. Hancock’s note is typical of the admiration they expressed. He wrote, in part:

I want to thank you for your lifelong support and appreciation of culture, especially jazz. Yes, I also know you as a bass player on several landmark recordings before you got a desk job. I’ve been a constant admirer of your elegance and style. Your behavior as a compassionate human being is a model for us all. You’re also continually a man of action and justice.

I wrote:

Dear John and Devra,

When I was researching the Paul Desmond biography and invaded your house for a long evening, I met John for the first time. After we had talked at length, you two took me to an elegant restaurant. I remember a long, leisurely meal that was accompanied by stories, laughter and comfortable, amused, silences. John, the warmth of that occasion, the time at Monterey when all of us and Gerald Wilson sat together in the Hunt Club, hanging out together at the NEA Jazz Masters awards in New York in 2006, you made me feel that we had been friends forever. That’s how I feel about you to this day. I always will. What a pleasure and a privilege it is to know you.

From his wife’s announcement:

According to Levy’s wishes, there will be no funeral service. Donations may be made to the “MCG Jazz John Levy Fund” which is earmarked for the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild’s nationwide “Jazz Is Life” educational programs.

John Levy’s memorial will be his work, not only on behalf of his clients but also for fair and equal treatment of all musicians and—lest we forget—for that supportive bass playing. Here he is in 1950 with Shearing, Don Elliott on vibes, Chuck Wayne on guitar and drummer Denzil Best. The piece is Best’s “Move.”

John Levy RIP.

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Comments

  1. mel says

    January 23, 2012 at 9:03 pm

    I’ve just read this sad news. I am truly sorry that John didn’t make it to 100.

    Sincere condolences to Devra.

  2. Brew says

    January 24, 2012 at 7:41 am

    R.I.P. John Levy

    Your bass will keep on walking … just like in this amazing video clip: Wow!

    They’re sounding like one man here. It’s great to see the fabulous George Shearing Quintet at “work”. And it’s very interesting to compare this version with the studio recording: This is much tighter, more concentrated, and more risky.

    Brushes & bass are blending together like one instrument. Perfection, sure, but not of the boring kind.

    As a side note: Now, one can see and hear where Oscar’s deep bass punches are coming from:

    From Earl Hines to Nat ‘King’ Cole via George Shearing directly to Oscar Peterson. — Love to see those fingers moving over the keys as if it would be just a walk; but Sir George was in Best’s & Levy’s company. — So, hardly anything could go wrong here.

  3. Carlita Kaunda says

    January 26, 2012 at 6:35 am

    Condolences to Mr. Levy’s family, but also great thanks that this generous and talented spirit was with us for so long. There is always comfort in a life well lived.

    BTW, “perfection … but not of the boring kind”? LOL

    Thanks again.

  4. Michael Levy says

    February 3, 2012 at 3:55 pm

    As John’s only surviving son, I truly appreciate all the kind and heartfelt comments concerning his life in the Music business. Music and the business of music was his life. I believe as a musician turned manager he had an innate ability to relate to the artist he represented. I worked with my Dad for a number of years after leaving Associated Booking as an agent. I truly miss him and now, having a son who is in the music business (Director of Artist Publisher relations for BMI), the legacy lives on.

    Thank you again

    Mike Levy representing the Levy clan.

Doug Ramsey

Doug is a recipient of the lifetime achievement award of the Jazz Journalists Association. He lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he settled following a career in print and broadcast journalism in cities including New York, New Orleans, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Antonio, Cleveland and Washington, DC. His writing about jazz has paralleled his life in journalism... [Read More]

Rifftides

A winner of the Blog Of The Year award of the international Jazz Journalists Association. Rifftides is founded on Doug's conviction that musicians and listeners who embrace and understand jazz have interests that run deep, wide and beyond jazz. Music is its principal concern, but the blog reaches past... Read More...

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Doug's most recent book is a novel, Poodie James. Previously, he published Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond. He is also the author of Jazz Matters: Reflections on the Music and Some of its Makers. He contributed to The Oxford Companion To Jazz and co-edited Journalism Ethics: Why Change? He is at work on another novel in which, as in Poodie James, music is incidental.

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