[Harp-L] Harmonica Listening(s): Anthony Molinaro and Howard Levy LIVE

[<alliance@xxxxxxxxx>]

LIVE w/ Anthony Molinaro and Howard Levy is a whole lotta somethin' . . . 

In my mind, this music (recorded live at three clubs over a 6 month period,
as well as a live radio broadcast), represents the first step towards
releasing the kinds of music Howard will eventually want to be known and
remembered for.  Joe Filisco originally told me to check it out over a year
ago, and I'm finally catching up to it.  Joe's comment at the time was
something along the lines that, if you want to hear what Howard really
sounds like these days, then this is the one for you . . . 

Here you get the Howard Levy recording that I believe he has been wanting to
unleash for a long long time.  Along with Mr. Molinaro, he plays standards
(in his very unstandard way), so-called 'odd' time signatures (19/8) of the
kind he's honed playing with the great middle-eastern masters, as well as
completely improvised pieces . . . 

There's really no harmonica precedent to compare what Howard is trying to
accomplish on these tracks, notwithstanding that he's doing it on
Richter-tuned diatonics.  Musically, I'd venture to say that Howard is
working more in the tradition of Coltrane, than in the tradition of the
great chromatic jazz pioneers like Toots and Larry Adler.  That's not to say
that it's better or worse; just different . . .  very different.

Again, I don't believe that this music represent any kind of final
destination for Howard Levy; it feels (to me anyway) very much more like a
beginning.  I think that, sooner or later, he's going to find a producer
that will take the essence of what he puts forth here, who will possibly
distill a pure, beautiful, and perhaps timeless recording . . . As it
stands, this recording is not that pure distillation, but is a powerful,
passionate, intoxicating elixir nonetheless . . . 

For those that want a careful, perfectly pitched and positioned performance,
this is not the recording for you.  If, however, you are interested in
catching a breathless musical ride whose destination is presently unknown,
then by all means check this recording out . . . 

 

Paul Messinger/Chapel Hill NC