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— Molly Abraham, Detroit News 1/2/04
from page 46
ing with drums.
months in the early 1950s, for selling
"As a kid, I used to beat spoons,
narcotics. He calls it "time owed the
knives and forks — anything I could
government," and claims he "got set
get a hold of — to music on the
up" by drug dealers. He kicked his own
radio," Levey recalls in the DVD. "I
drug habit while in prison and says he
never took drum lessons, just played by was "clean" for the rest of his life.
ear. The sound was built into me, I
"In later years, playing jazz bebop
guess. Finally, my parents bought me a
music didn't pay too much, so Stan
drum set."
retired in 1973, and started making a
The DVD covers the birth of bebop
living with his longtime hobby: pho-
jazz in the many "joints" on New
tography," says Pritz. "He even shot
York's 52nd Street, from the Big Band
jazz album covers and did a lot of com-
era to such West Coast venues as the
mercial photography."
famous Lighthouse in
Hermosa Beach, Calif
— complete with the
music and photos of the
jazz greats.
Kenton describes
Levey as the "driving
force" behind his band, a
drummer who made a
"major impact" on the
music scene. Levey
played a big role in the
Kenton/Gillespie/Parker
group that helped
change the world of
bebop jazz in the 1940s.
Pritz relates how Levey
impressed everyone with
The Jazz Bop Pion
his ability to play fast
Tells His Story
tempos and execute
with special appearatms
bebop's atypical accents.
froth his fnettr1S,
He played in the first
Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis.
Quincy
Jones, Hank Jones,
racially mixed band at a
Late Schifnn, Billktolrnan,
Los Angeles club in
Charlie 'Bird' Parker,
and many more._
1945, a landmark per-
formance that divided
audiences but inspired
A documentary for aficionados of bebop music.
young musicians every-
where.
After that, Levey was in continuous
Levey's last musical job was compos-
demand by the top jazz bands and
ing music and conducting for five edu-
recording artists. "I just knew the
cational films for the Disney Corp. He
music of all of the bands in my head,"
also was interviewed for producer Ken
he explains.
Burns' PBS documentary on jazz.
He also made several albums with
The DVD was completed just before
his own quintet.
Levey died of mouth cancer.
Pritz gave the eulogy for his longtime
Overcoming Obstacles
friend. "I always wanted to make a
Levey is described as a large man physi-
DVD, and my friend Stan was the per-
cally, with a boxer's square jaw. He
fect subject," Pritz said. "He played
could be "very intimidating," and who
with all of his heroes, and he was satis-
certainly was not without his faults.
fied when he gave up music."
In the DVD, he admits that, as a
young boxer, he "took dives" in some
fights, at the request of gangsters, to
Stan Levey: "The Original
earn some extra money. But he's proud
Original" ($24.95 plus shipping)
he fought at New York's Madison
can be ordered from producer
Square "Garden and Chicago's Soldier
Arthur Pritz through the Web
Field.
site at www.stanlevey.com or
"I did pretty well as a Jewish white
through StanArt Productions,
heavyweight," he reflects, "but then I
1626 N. Wilcox Ave., #487,
got hurt and it was time to quit."
Hollywood, Calif. 90028;
He also took drugs and served a cou-
(818) 981-1178.
ple of stints in prison, including 22
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