Mind Your Own Music

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A Celebration of the Life and Music of Tony Levin 1940-2011

Saturday 18th June 2011
MAC, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH
8pm : £10 (£7 BJ members and concessions)
Box Office : 0121 4463232
Birmingham Jazz Concert Page

This concert celebrates Tony Levin’s major contribution to jazz in UK and brings together some of his closest musical colleagues to perform in his memory. Tony was born in Birmingham on January 30th 1940 and lived just past his 71st Birthday. He lived much of his life in Birmingham, but spent his early years as an evacuee in Shropshire and returned there in the last 20 or so years of his life. But he was always active in playing, promoting and latterly teaching in Birmingham.

Tony Levin was strongly influenced by the drumming of Elvin Jones, and was widely respected drummer in a straightahead style, but was increasingly attracted by ‘free jazz’ playing, especially in the group Mujician. So for this tribute to Tony, we have invited players associated with his free playing to play one set and others who played with Tony in more ’straight’ contexts to play another set. Playing the free set will be Tony’s three colleagues from Mujician, saxophonist Paul Dunmall, pianist Keith Tippett and bass player Paul Rogers. Joining them will be two drummers: Tony’s son Miles Levin and Mark Sanders. For the ’straight’ set we concentrate on a few of the great saxophonists that Tony loved to play with: Ray Warleigh on alto, Jean Toussaint, Stan Sulzmann on tenor and soprano saxophone supported by a great rhythm section of John Taylor on piano, Arnie Somogyi on bass and Clark Tracey on drums.

In each set there will be changing configurations of players with changing partnerships. All the musicians will be playing for expenses only and all proceeds will be donated to Tony’s favourite charity: Blue Chairs: Shropshire Blood Trust Fund.

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Greatly Missed, Mujician with TL