Alex Levin Trio
A Reason for Being Alone
© 2006 Alex Levin (837101247092)
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"The Alex Levin Trio is a tribute to its predecessors and a model of contemporary jazz. The sort of jazz that would cause Monk, Carter, and Blakey to stop and take notice." --Pat Benny, Southbound Beat Magazine "An Outstanding Recording."--Vincent Herring
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New York pianist Alex Levin gives his sophomore recording a gentle façade along with bassist Diallo House and drummer Taylor Davis. Through this program of his own compositions, he reminds us of the connection that jazz has with the wee small hours of the morning and the stillness of the night. Blues and Bossa Nova play a minor role, as the pianist concentrates on night music for his message—eloquently, and filled with somber thoughts. He brings in guest artists to give the trio a quality that’s far from solitary.
The album begins with a two-tenor saxophone blues battle that stands out as the session’s high point. Levin makes you feel as if it’s late at night and you’re among friends at your favorite nightspot. “A Reason for Being Alone” differs from most of the album through its introspective appearance and the distance that the pianist places between himself and his audience. It’s like closing time at the club when most of the audience has gone. Several other pieces provide the same impression, but the album contains enough upbeat material that one can come away completely satisfied. “New Schooled” and “Blues through Stained Glass,” in particular, carry Levin’s deeply felt message with plenty of reasons to check him out.
Jim Santella - LA Jazz Scene (Print Edition) (Apr 1, 2007)
Pianist/composer Alex Levin has penned a fine set of
tunes for his sterling players - bassist Diallo House
and drummer Taylor Davis; and the complementary
playing (on selected tunes) of guests Max Hacker and
Stacy Dillard on tenor saxes, Chad Coe on guitar and
William Martina on cello - to bring to fruition. This
music is very much in the straight ahead tradition but
Levin understands how to put his own signature on
what sounds like familiar material. Cellist Martina, for
example, states the theme on the Brazilian-inspired
“Emma’s Ennui” and Levin’s bittersweet melodic line
sits perfectly in the voice of the cello. And guitarist
Coe fills out the sound of the group with color and
verve.
Levin is a smart and sensitive pianist - he’s able to
blend an accomplished technique with a sense of what
works to tell a story. He understands the jazz
vocabulary and also color and texture. He opens this,
his second album, with “Blues for Thursday”, a
crowd-pleaser that, says the composer, was written
with Art Blakey in mind. Both horns state the theme
and weave together a smoking tapestry of down-home
emotion. And then Levin changes course and offers up
a delicate ballad - the title tune - that is dark and quiet.
“Her Solitary Wish” suggests brooding emotion but its
melancholy theme and the powerful playing of Dillard
turn this into a grand statement of passion.
These tunes and all the playing have a little of
everything - blues, bebop, bossa, ballads and,
somehow more. It makes sense that Levin is an English
teacher and in pursuit of a degree in literature. His
writing and the way he creates the space for his
players to speak and act suggest the workings of a
master communicator.
Donald Elfman - All About Jazz New York (Print Edition) (Jan 30, 2007)
The title of this disc might suggest an inward-looking or melancholic listening experience; but the Alex Levin Trio, plus a couple of tenor saxophonists sitting in—Max Hacker and Stacy Dillard—blows the roof off on the opener, “Blues on Thursday.” It's a bright, gregarious, Art Blakey-esque sound, the horns sparring like a couple of free-swinging welterweights, snapping off jabs and flurries in front of a zingy rhythm. Put another quarter in the jukebox!
This is a “with guests” disc—the trio is joined on two more numbers by each of the saxophonists; a guitarist sits in on one tune, and a cellist plays on two more—but the title cut, with just the core trio, is an inward-looking, contemplative tune, with a memorable melody and an optimistic feeling. On “Emma's Ennui,” a subtle, samba-like number that floats beautifully, Levin and the trio are joined by cellist William Martina and guitarist Chad Coe.
All the compositions on A Reason for Being Alone are Alex Levin originals. He has a nice touch for penning upbeat mainstream jazz tunes with strong melodies, and for changing moods while still maintaining a continuity of feeling.
“Her Solitary Wish” shows some dark colors, with some very strong horn playing from Dillard, along with an inventive Levin piano solo. The drifting, sad-sounding tune “Your Call” features cellist Martina again, while “New Schooled,” with Max Hacker sitting in and smoldering on tenor sax, kicks up the energy level a few notches.
A strong, engaging mainstream effort.
Dan McClenaghan - All About Jazz (Dec 14, 2006)
This is a very solid trio ensemble featuring muscular players. Alex Levin (piano) Diallo House (bass), Taylor Davis (d) and special guests on various tracks Max Hacker, Stacy Dillard playing tenors, William Martina, cello, and Chad Coe guitar.
All compositions are by Levin and his straight ahead jazz style is true to the genre.
On the first tune "Blues On Thursday" there is fine interplay between the soloists and Levin's piano leads the way leaving plenty of room for guests Max Hacker and Stacy Dillard's saxes to stretch out and swing.
"New Schooled" is an up tempo gem that Hacker takes to new heights as he rises to the occasion. Alex Levin swings mightily and this tune gets off the ground in a hurry. Great 4's between Levin and Hacker.
A fine album for you lovers of the true jazz mode.
5 Stars
John Gilbert - ejazznews.com (Jan 7, 2007)
New York-based pianist and composer, Alex Levin is another one of the fine young talented players around blazing his own unique trail on the jazz scene of today. Releasing his second CD within two years, A Reason for Being Alone is a dynamic new album of fresh new material in the contemporary jazz mode played with grace and elegance.
Joining Levin on this recording are a cadre of New York sidemen including fellow band mates, Diallo House (bass) and Taylor Davis (drums) that make up his standard trio. Augmenting the line up for this project are, tenor saxophonists Max Hacker and Stacy Dillard, guitarist Chad Coe and William Martina on the cello, each appearing on different tracks. The result of course is that you have group that plays with the tightness of a small combo yet producing the sounds of a larger ensemble.
The opening number provides an excellent example of this. “Blues on Thursday,” composed with Art Blakey in mind, features both saxophonists in dueling fashion on a very boppish number. Levin plays some masterful keys on the title cut, “A Reason for Being Alone,” a beautiful introspective sweet little cut that’s all Levin. Cellist Martina introduces “Emma’s Ennui” a romantic love ballad in the style of an Antonio Carlos Jobin score that I play often.
Borrowing a phrase from Theloniuos Monk, Levin pens a melancholy tune with “Her Solitary Wish” in which the leader demonstrates his prowess on the keys backed up by a torrid tenor solo from Dillard. Other terrific cuts include the mellow “You Call,” the very lively quick rhythm of “New Schooled” highlighting some more tenor madness by Hacker and the very jazzy “Blues Through Stained Glass” capturing the very essence of the group. A number that was recorded as an after thought.
In appraising this album I would have to say that this is one very enjoyable disc that deserves to be heard. Alex Levin and the band provide an excellent performance sure to catch the attention of aficionados and critics alike.
Edward Blanco - Ejazz News (Dec 8, 2006)
ALEX LEVIN TRIO/Reason for Being Alone: Another one of those cool, under the radar piano jazzmen that you should take the time to get to know. Grabbing a degree in literature before lamming out all over the world to live the live of the itinerant jazzman, Levin soaked up a lot of something in all that different water he was exposed to and it all comes together nicely here as he shows his chops on his second outing. The set is driven by a real feel of personal passion and focus on his craft and art. Anyway, how can you go wrong with someone that can capture the feel of polar bears goofing off with his piano instead of a camera? A player you should certainly get to know.
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher - Midwest Record (Dec 19, 2006)
Pianist Alex Levin, a Philadelphia native, has demonstrated a two-track mindset scholastically, geographically, professionally and artistically. After moving to New York City to study piano at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Levin transferred to Brown University, where he earned a degree in English literature. He then moved to Berlin, where his quartet The Living Room achieved popular and critical success, gaining notoriety for unique interpretations of pop songs by the likes of Björk and Tom Waits.
After returning to New York in 2001, Levin established himself as a working musician by night and a teacher by day. He’s even double-barreled as an academic, teaching English and music in Brooklyn during the school year and working on his master’s degree in Vermont during the summer.
A Reason For Being Alone is Levin’s second release, featuring nine original compositions. His core trio of bassist Diallo House and drummer Taylor Davis is supplemented by four additional sidemen on several tracks, creating a nice sonic and stylistic variety.
One of these supplements, attractive and certainly unusual, is the work of William Martina on cello, an altogether underused instrument in jazz. A wonderfully mellow string voice offering a happy medium between bass and violin, Martina’s bowed melody line gives a markedly Django Reinhardt-ish flavor to “Emma’s Ennui,” and the song itself evokes John Lewis’ famous ode to the gypsy guitarist. This sense is further enhanced by Chad Coe, who contributes a nicely relaxed guitar solo. Martina also plays winningly on the lyrical “Your Call.”
Like most jazz pianists, Levin mixes club dates with private parties, where it is incumbent to know (as the testimonial of one pleased client puts it) how to “contribute to and not dominate the festivities.” In a compliment that might make some purists wince a bit, critic Beth Mann wrote that Levin’s first release, Night and Distance (2005), is “a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at a dinner party.” Levin himself admits it was designed as easy listening, something “people would… enjoy throughout the day—at dinner, while relaxing or reading, or when they were cooking.”
Doubtless, it’s tough these days to make a vocation—or even an avocation—as a jazz musician, especially in New York, which has no shortage of talented pianists. Levin is balancing commercial viability with artistic integrity, and he has thus far done an admirable job of walking what can be a tricky tightrope.
Here, unfettered by the need to remain politely unobtrusive and perhaps bolstered by the success of Night and Distance, Levin signals a willingness to strike a more assertive note with the opening track, “Blues on Thursday.” A distinctly Horace Silver-tinged concoction, the dueling saxophones of Stacy Dillard and Max Hacker make for a pleasantly raucous atmosphere.
Levin’s ensemble works it way comfortably through several genres, including the straightahead “For Pete’s Sake” and the bebop “New Schooled.” The Evans-esque “Blues through Stained Glass” shows Levin’s ability to raise cocktail piano to an art form, and the balladic title track is sensitively rendered.
Victor Verney - All About Jazz (Dec 13, 2006)
My first time listening to A Reason for Being Alone was on a flight to Los Angeles. As the first few bars of the great horn solo at the beginning of "Blues on Tuesday" started, cramped seating and stale peanuts faded into the background as I was transported to a front row seat in a great jazz bar. Levin's high energy piano soon comes in and establishes new themes for Dillard and Hacker to develop and explore, yet they ultimately come back to their original solo melody. Levin admits that it is "Always a crowd pleaser at our performances," and it does not disappoint as an opener on the CD. The next piece, "A Reason for Being Alone," showcases his writing and playing skills as only a difficult ballad can.
Other notable tracks include, "Emma's Ennui" featuring {William} Martina's cello work in an enjoyable Samba feel, "For Pete's Sake" exploring several novel themes as a showcase of Levin's considerable talent (and as an appropriate tribute to his teacher), and "Polar Bear Waltz" living up to its original title. "Blues through Stained Glass" is an intriguing ending to the CD. Listen and maybe even write down your initial impression before reading Levin's track notes on his website. You will probably be surprised by how much the true mood of this piece comes through in the recording.
It seems that Alex Levin had a very good "reason for being alone," allowing himself the time and space to create an exceptional CD of original compositions. It also seems that he will need much better reasons in the near future as the success of his work takes him in new and exciting directions.
Paul Sakion - Jazz Improv Magazine (May 4, 2007)
Pianist/Composer Alex Levin’s new CD entitled, A Reason for Being Alone, provides yet another angle to the rich straight ahead jazz tradition with a set of creative originals that provide a sense of freshness, yet familiarity, through the use of various styles, varied instrumentation, solid writing, and well executed playing by all.
The central core of the project is comprised of: Levin on piano, drummer Taylor Davis and Diallo House on acoustic bass. This central core is augmented on various selections by: Max Hacker and Stacey Dillard (tenor saxophones), Chad Coe (guitar), and William Martina (cello). The opening track, “Blues on Thursday,” brings to mind Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers with a bluesy unison sax melody that is juxtaposed against relaxed hits by the band. This mid-tempo swing selection has some fine tenor sax playing by both Max Hacker and Stacey Dillard. Levin provides a beautiful intro to “A Reason for Being Alone” that is very reminiscent of Keith Jarrett. The composition develops into a straight eight pulsed selection with Levin displaying his ability to build a solo with clearly articulated themes and moods which are all nicely matched by House and Davis. Image
“Emma’s Ennui” provides a nice texture change with the addition of William Martina on cello and Chad Coe on nylon strung guitar. The relaxed bossa nova’s melody and harmony is a cross between “Gentle Rain” and “How Insensitive.” Again this provides the listener with a sense of freshness, yet familiarity, all conveyed with thoughtful articulate playing. “Her Solitary Wish” finds the trio in full blowin’ swing mode that will bring back thoughts of the Miles Davis cool cookin’ relaxin’ and steamin’ sounds. “Your Call” is a great modern swing selection! Levin’s voicings are laden with rich sounding fours and seconds and his solo is just swingin’! Max Hacker (tenor sax) is no hack either!
This is a great find! The sound quality is great and the playing is the same. The familiarity of material that is always presented with freshness and thoughtfulness is sure to grab the jazz fans ears and give them A Reason for Being Alone with the Alex Levin’s musical novel, which will hopefully have a sequel soon!
Carmel DeSoto - Jazz Police (May 4, 2007)
reviews
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Great for straight listening or wonderful background for intimate dinners
author: MarthaI find myself putting on this CD when I am alone as well as when I am entertaining. It makes for terrific, peaceful straight listening or background for a dinner party, either intimate or larger group.
Fantastic
author: Elizabeth FlemingAnother great CD, the addition of cello is very pleasing and the tone of the music is both original and wonderfully relaxing. Be sure to get their other CD, it has a great cover of a Bjork song.
very relaxing , poignant jazz
author: donHad pleasure of hearing Alex live in Asheville . This cd , with lights down, and scotch in hand, is as good as the real thing.
A delightful assortment of rythms
author: Daniel (Spain)On the footsteps of a first CD mainly devoted to versions, Levin and his deeply talented companions explode now with a fantastic array of creations of his own. The result is a fascinating medley of classic be-bop, arrestingly original bossas and a continuation of the intimate piano arrangements first found on "Night and Distance". A must have.
Haunting and inspiring !
author: PatriciaThe new CD’s creativity is amazing. Emma’s ennui takes the listener into the fantasy and romantic world of Flaubert’s heroine. Faithfully echoing the literary text that inspired it, each note of this beautiful and sad composition strikes a chord. Haunting and inspiring !