By ERIC SCHELKOPF
Evanston resident and multi-Grammy Award winner Howard Levy continues to be a music innovator, as he proves with his latest project, the Howard Levy 4.
The group is comprised of Levy and three fellow Chicago area musicians who have made their own mark – Chris Siebold, house guitarist for five years on "A Prairie Home Companion" and a member of internationally renowned fusion band Kick the Cat; Josh Ramos, who was Ramsey Lewis’ bass player for five years and the bassist for CALJE, Chicago’s premier modern Latin/jazz ensemble and Luiz Ewerling, renowned drummer/composer who is one of the top Brazilian drummers living in the U.S.
The Howard Levy 4 will perform at 8 p.m. Jan. 28 at The Venue, 21 S. Broadway Ave., Aurora. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are available at The Venue's website, themusicvenue.org.
I had the pleasure of talking to Levy about the Howard Levy 4.
Q – Great talking to you again. I think the last time I interviewed you was in 2012 after you received your second Grammy.
Ah, yes. Good to hear from you again, too. It was a thrill for me to win one for Composition.
Q – Of course, a lot has happened since then, including the fact that you have this new group, the Howard Levy 4. I understand that you are longtime musical friends with the other members in the group.
Yes, that’s true. I guess I’ve known our drummer, Luiz Ewerling, the longest.
I played with him in the '80s with Som Brasil, and recorded on his great album “Nossa Terra” (Our Earth) in the mid 1990s.
I've always wanted to put a band together with him. Guitarist Chris Siebold and I have played together for more than 20 years, in my group Acoustic Express (our album is “Time Capsules”), and as a duo (our album is “Art+Adrenaline").
We've toured together all over the world, too. And I’ve known bassist Josh Ramos for a while, too, maybe 10 years, always loved his playing.
Q –Was this just the right time to put this group together? Why do you think you guys work so well together?
I actually put the band together in 2018 or 2019, and we were starting to play quite a bit when Covid stopped us in March 2020. It took a while, but we got back together last year and it’s been an absolute joy.
We all are extremely eclectic with many musical influences – jazz, rock, blues, Latin music, and more. Everyone has a great sense of humor, and we inspire each other when we play.
Each of is a great soloist and loves to groove hard, too. It’s a great combination.
Q – The Howard Levy 4 in December released “The Howard Levy 4: Live from Chicago” EP. Do you think the EP is a good representation of what someone should expect from one of your live shows?
Absolutely! We play those four tunes at most shows, but of course there is much more and the repertoire keeps on growing.
Q – How did your tour go last year? What can people expect from the band this year?
Our December tour was a blast. We played five nights in a row with long drives every day, but the musical energy was so crackling that I think we could have played another five without a break.
Every night sounded better than the previous one. The show at The Iridium in NYC was particularly inspiring. I’m still hearing about it from people!
Our upcoming gigs are a benefit concert Jan. 27 at The Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, MI and a concert at The Venue in Aurora.
We have a tour planned for May 2024 and I’m sure much more will develop. All dates are listed at: levyland.com/shows.
Q – Of course, all of you are Chicago area musicians and the Chicago area has a vibrant jazz and blues scene. What do you like about the Chicago area music scene?
People here are very open to playing in multiple styles and in general are very friendly and appreciative of each others’ playing. And everyone is rooted in the blues, which makes things soulful.
Q – You are considered one of the world’s most innovative harmonica players. How were you inspired to take the harmonica in a new musical direction?
Ah…well, I started playing harp at 18, after having played piano for 10 years. I was playing and writing some pretty advanced jazz compositions, and learning more and more all the time.
I originally picked up the harp because I wanted to play blues on it, but after I figured out how to bend notes and play blues licks, I realized that I wanted to take it into other styles of music.
After a few months, I figured out a new technique that allowed me to play it fully chromatically, which was a major breakthrough. Nobody had ever really done this before.
I loved the sound of the instrument so much that I decided to try to take it as far as possible and I haven’t stopped!
Q – In 2022, you released the book “Rhythms of the Breath, Vol.1: A Revolutionary Way to Transform Your Harmonica Playing” and you have released teaching videos on YouTube. Is it important for you to pass on your knowledge to other people? What kind of feedback have you received from people?
I really love sharing ideas with my fellow harp players. I’ve learned things from other players, and taught things to many, giving lessons, clinics, making videos, through my online harmonica school, and now with this series of books. Vol. 2 will be out soon!
The “Rhythms of the Breath” series has been a mind blower for me to write, and improved my own playing, which is why I know that the concept works!
Q – Speaking of YouTube videos, I watched a video of your 100-year-old dad, Ira, singing on the song “Return to Sorrento” as you played piano and harmonica. I understand your 97-year-old mom watched the both of you during the program.
Yes, my folks are amazing. My dad has an incredible operatic baritone voice, and his strength has not diminished with age. It is remarkable and inspiring.
Sometimes I get teary-eyed accompanying him. His voice is so beautiful and his emotional commitment to the music is absolutely sincere and heartfelt.
Q – That must have been an inspiring day, not only for your family, but for everyone watching the program.
It was truly inspiring. During Covid, I recorded over 60 tracks for him to sing along with and he gave many concerts in the building where they live.
He is an inspiration to everyone there. Playing live with him, I could feel the incredible love in the room – all those elderly people with their combined life experiences soaking it in and giving back the best vibes imaginable.
And he doesn’t use a mic! I am doing it again
with him in February!
