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M​ö​bius

by Pete Levin

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1.
Moebius 04:56
2.
3.
I Mean You 05:39
4.
Fade To Blue 05:22
5.
I'm Feeling 05:49
6.
Moebius 10:12
7.
If 06:49
8.
Kakilambe 07:39
9.
10.

about

Keyboardist-arranger-composer Pete Levin's ninth solo release, Möbius, was recorded live in the studio in two days, capturing the "no boundaries" spirit of Gil Evans. The music explores textural grooves ranging from straight-ahead bop to funk, world-beat, and the experimental. In a diverse music career spanning several decades, Levin has performed and recorded with numerous jazz and pop artists, including Paul Simon, Annie Lennox, David Sanborn, Jaco Pastorius, Robbie Robertson and John Scofield. He received critical accolades for his work during a 15-year association with Gil Evans, and his eight-year stint with jazz icon Jimmy Giuffre. Levin states, "What I got from Gil Evans was the unshakable notion that playing music was to create from a place where there are no boundaries. If it can be imagined then it can be done."

As part of New York's jazz, pop, and electronic music scene since the '70s, Levin became a sought-after sideman for session work, 'live' performances and hundreds of film scores, jazz and pop recordings.

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Notes by Pete Levin

The Möbius album, in effect, a bunch of stuff I’ve been wanting to record for some time - a couple of my older pieces and some new ones that were written for this project. Also two covers: A salute to Monk on his 100th birthday year, and a Tony Williams piece that’s always fascinated me. Möbius was recorded in 2 days, live in the studio with an unrehearsed band, a procedural departure from my last 3 projects. Even with great players and meticulous planning (I had both) the rule is, expect the unexpected - good surprises and an occasional train-wreck. But that’s when the magic happens. Mixing process aside, what you hear is essentially what we played. A couple of the tracks are actually first takes. I did my first solo album that way in 1989. What goes around comes around. And there’s the inspiration for the title.

A Möbius Strip is created from a two-dimensional rectangle by holding one end, twisting the opposite end 180 degrees, and joining it to the first end to create a continuous flat surface. Unlike a circle’s continuous outer surface, if you could walk on a Möbius Strip you’d travel on the inner and outer surfaces in a continuous, never-ending loop. Similarly, my composition Möbius is built on a tone row, a 12-note bass line that repeats endlessly. Once it gets going there’s no beginning and no end. I wrote some optional riffs and more tone rows for the horns to play on cue, but otherwise it was “roll tape” and whatever happens, happens. This recording is literally its first performance. We ran out of ideas after around 10 minutes, but some great stuff went down along the way. (Ok, digital, not tape. It’s an old expression. Back in my day ... oh, never mind.) A bit of trivia: Gil Evans used to end a set by playing a descending tri-tone riff on piano. On “I Mean You” I ended with that riff. Alex Foster, also a veteran of Gil’s band, heard it and broke up; then everybody did. We left it in the mix. There’s something of Gil in everything I do.

One exception to the 2 day schedule. “Way Down Yonder” is from an earlier, unreleased project. I’m playing organ with a different rhythm section – drummer Jerry Marotta and guitarist Kal David - plus horns, Alex and Chris, Erik Lawrence and Rob Paparozzi on harmonica.
The players on the main sessions are all pretty special, people that I’ve been working with for years. The horn players: Trumpeter Chris Pasin is a veteran of the Buddy Rich and George Russell bands. Saxophonist Alex Foster, best known as co-leader of the Mingus Dynasty and for his long tenure with the Saturday Night Live Band. Alex has been on most of my albums, going back to 1989. Guitarist Jeff Ciampa is a NYC studio veteran. We’ve played together on countless sessions and have been sidemen together in bands led by Mark Egan, Al MacDowell. I’ve been playing with the ebullient percussionist Nanny Assis for many years, both in recording sessions and in live bands. I’ve known iconic drummer Lenny White since the early 70s, when we met on a Gil Evans gig. We’ve been working together ever since, live and on many recordings. Finally, iconic Peter Gabriel and King Crimson bassist Tony Levin, I’ve known all his life. It was his suggestion in 1979 that I shave my head. Its interesting that, coming into the first session, many of the players had never met. Tony and Lenny had never played together. Alex and Chris had never met, but spent 2 days in a booth together. It made for a spontaneity that was infectious in the studio, and shows on the recording.


Between 1964 and 2020 Pete Levin has recorded and/or performed live with artists & groups, including:
Gary Anderson, Michael Allman, Ron Aprea, Nikki Armstrong, Nanny Assis, Jennifer Aylmer, Aztec Two Step, Larry Baeder, Rene Bailey, Dave Bargeron, Joe Beck, Jeff Berlin, Pat Bianco, Marc Black, Terrance Blanchard, Carla Bley, Rosalinde Block, Blood Sweat & Tears, The Blues Farm, GI Blythe, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Dean Bowman, Beki Brindle, Broadside Brass Bed Band, Hugh Brodie, Brubeck Brothers Quartet, Cliff Brucker, Hiram Bullock, Butterfield Blues Band, Donald Byrd, Don Byron, Rennie Cantine, Rob Carlson, Rondi Charleston, Hillary Chase, Jay Chattaway, Tommy Chong, Jeff Ciampa, The City Boys All-Stars, The Clams, John Clark, Jay Clayton, Jimmy Cobb, D.A. Cole, Judy Collins, Willie Colon, Commander Cody, Gene Cornish, Murali Coryell, Cray & Dempsey, Albert Cummings, David Darling, Kal David, Betty Davis, Miles Davis, Andrea Dawn, Debbie Deane, Mike DeMicco, Angela Deniro, Kenwood Dennard, Jacque DeShetler, Dog Knows, Danny Draher, Robbie Dupree, Bill Edwards, Mark Egan, 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, Al Franken, Peter Furlan, Letizia Gambi, Chrissy Gardner, Don Gardner, Jimmy Giuffre, Leila Gobi, Danny Gottlieb, Government Mule, Sarah Greene, Janice Hardgrove, Nicole Hart, Richie Hart, Maiko Hata, Jonas Helborg, Joan Henry, Kurt Henry, Deborah Henson-Conant, Jana Herzen, Gregory Hines, Erin Hobson, Clint Holmes, Nick Holmes, Helen Hooke, Lillie Howard, Freddie Hubbard, Nick Humez, Chris Hunter, Kathy Ingraham, Mike Jackson, Howard Johnson, Meg Johnson, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Band, Raven Kane, Toshihiko Kankawa, Tim Kapeluck, Randy Kaye, Mamadou Kelly, Roman Klun, Charlie Kniceley, David Laks, La La, Wayne Lammers, Arnie Lawrence, Erik Lawrence, Annie Lennox, Ray LeVier, Tony Levin, Levin Brothers Band, 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, Keith Marks, Janet Marlowe, 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, Sam Morrison, Gerry Mulligan, Amina Claudine Myers, Native Vibe, Jeremy Nesse, Carol Nethen, Olivia Newton-John, New York Mary, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Bob Nieske, Alwin Nikolais, Odd Couple Quintet, Old Dogs New Tricks, Eileen O'Hare, Shunzo Ohno, Ola Onabule, Al Orlo, Ted Orr & Blue Food, Jeff Oster, Rob Paparozzi, Jon Paris, Gil Parris, Chris Pasin, Vincent Pasternak, Jaco Pastorius, Pamela Pentony, Roxy Perry, Eric Person, Scott Petito, Vito Petroccitto, Simon Phillips, Pieces Of A Dream, Monika Piotrowska, Lorenza Ponce, Kitt Potter, Jim Pugh/Dave Taylor, Tony Purrone, Python Soup, Genya Ravan, Baron Raymonde, Billy Reed, Reelin' In The Years, Athena Reich, The Retro Rockets, Nicki Richards, Amy Rogell, Robbie Robertson, Sonny Rock, Teri Roiger, Jonny Rosch, Andy Rothstein, Katrin Roush, Steve Rowell, Raphael Rudd, Bobby Rydell, Ali Ryerson, Emily Saaen, Paul Sachs, Salt 'N Pepa, David Sanborn, Dario Saraceno, Ellie Sarty, Steve Satten, Sari Schorr, Steve Schultz, John Scofield, Mark Sganga, Marlene Shaw, Ben Sher, Wayne Shorter, Siegel/Syracuse Duo, Carly Simon, Paul Simon, Marilyn Sokol, Lew Soloff, Melvyn Sparks, Spirited, Straight Ahead, Roseann Sureda, Gani Tamir, Peter Thomakos, Vaneese Thomas, Andy Toomey, Artie Traum, Happy Traum, John Tropea, Barbara Truex, Elijah Tucker, Joe Lynn Turner, Uncle Funk, Michal Urbaniak, 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, Woodstock All-Stars, Gary Wofsey, Chris Zaloom, Ling Zhang, Zuice

credits

released August 30, 2017

Pete Levin – keyboards
Lenny White – drums
Alex Foster – sax
Tony Levin – upright bass
Jeff Ciampa – guitar
Chris Pasin – trumpet
Nanny Assis – percussion with guests
Rob Paparozzi – harmonica, jaw harp
Erik Lawrence – baritone sax
Kal David – guitar
Jerry Marotta – drums

Produced by Pete Levin.
Recorded by Scott Petito at NRS Studio, Catskill, NY, December 2016.

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