Lou Levy (pianist)

Louis A. Levy (March 5, 1928 – January 23, 2001) was an American jazz pianist.

Biography Levy was born to Jewish parents in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and started to play the piano aged twelve. His chief influences were Art Tatum and Bud Powell.

A professional at age nineteen, Levy played with Georgie Auld (1947 and later), Sarah Vaughan, Chubby Jackson (1947–1948), Boyd Raeburn, Woody Herman's Second Herd (1948–1950), Tommy Dorsey (1950) and Flip Phillips. Levy left music for a few years in the early 1950s and then returned to gain a strong reputation as an accompanist to singers, working with Peggy Lee (1955–1973), Ella Fitzgerald (1957–1962), June Christy, Anita O'Day, Pinky Winters, and Thelma Gracen. Levy also played with Dizzy Gillespie, Shorty Rogers, Stan Getz, Terry Gibbs, Benny Goodman, Supersax and most of the major West Coast players. Levy recorded as a leader for Nocturne (1954), RCA, Jubilee, Philips, Interplay (1977), and Verve.

Levy died of a heart attack in Dana Point, California at the age of 72.

Selected discography As leader Year recordedTitleLabelNotes1954?The Lou Levy Trio Nocturnereissued on Fresh Sound, 19881955West Coast WailersAtlanticQuintet, with Conte Candoli (trumpet), Bill Holman (tenor sax), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Lawrence Marable (drums)1956Solo SceneRCASolo piano1956Jazz in Four ColorsRCAQuartet, with Larry Bunker (vibraphone), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Stan Levey (drums)1956–57A Most Musical FellaBMG/RCA/Cloud 9Trio, with Max Bennett (bass), Stan Levey (drums)1958Lou Levy Plays Baby Grand JazzJubileeTrio, with Max Bennett (bass), Gus Johnson (drums)1962The HymnTrio, with Max Bennett (bass), Stan Levey (drums)1977Tempus Fugue-ItInterplayTrio, with Fred Atwood (bass), John Dentz (drums)1978Touch of ClassDobreTrio, with Fred Atwood (bass), John Dentz (drums)1982The Kid's Got EarsJazzizThree tracks solo piano; three tracks duo, with John Heard (bass); four tracks trio, with Shelly Manne (drums) added1993?LunarcyVerveQuartet, with Pete Christlieb (tenor sax), Eric Von Essen (bass), Ralph Penland (drums)1993Ya Know Verve/PolygramMost tracks quartet, with Eric Von Essen (cello, bass), Pierre Michelot (bass), Alvin Queen (drums)1995?By MyselfVerveSolo piano

As sideman Date Artist Album title Label Notes1957Manny AlbamThe Jazz Greats of Our Time – Vol. 2Coral1957Manny AlbamWest Coast Delivery – Jazz Lab Vol. 12Coral1963Georgie Auld QuintetThe Georgie Auld Quintet Plays the WinnersPhilips1963Georgie Auld SextetHere's to the LosersPhilips1962Louis BellsonBig Band Jazz from the SummitRoulette1966Tony BennettThe Movie Song AlbumColumbiaLevy on three tracks1956Elmer BernsteinThe Man with the Golden ArmDecca1997Dee Dee BridgewaterDear EllaVerve1978Ruth BrownYou Don't Know MeDobre Records1955Conte CandoliConte CandoliBethlehem1976Pete Christlieb / Warne MarshApogee Warner1976Pete ChristliebSelf PortraitBosco With Warne Marsh1977June ChristyImpromptuInterplaySupervised by Bob Cooper1981Al CohnNonpareilConcord JazzReleased in 19921958Bob CooperCoop! The Music of Bob CooperContemporary1991Bob Cooper QuartetFor All We KnowFresh Sound1959Herb Ellis w/ Jimmy GiuffreHerb Ellis Meets Jimmy GiuffreVerve1963Herb Ellis w/ Stuff SmithTogetherEpic1989Art FarmerCentral Avenue ReunionContemporary1958Ella FitzgeraldElla in Rome: The Birthday ConcertVerveReleased in 19881958Ella FitzgeraldElla Swings LightlyVerve1959Ella FitzgeraldElla Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin SongbookVerve1959Ella FitzgeraldGet Happy!Verve1961Ella FitzgeraldElla in HollywoodVerve1961Ella FitzgeraldElla Returns to BerlinVerve1961Ella FitzgeraldClap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!Verve1957Herb GellerFire in the WestJubilee1955Stan Getz, Shelly Manne, Leroy Vinnegar, Conte CandoliWest Coast JazzNorgran/Verve1957Stan GetzThe SteamerVerve1957Stan GetzStan Getz and the Cool SoundsVerve Levy on four tracks1958Stan GetzThe Great English Concert 1958Jazz GrooveSix (of eleven) tracks with Getz (others feat. Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge with nearly the same rhythm section)1957Stan GetzAward Winner1957Stan Getz Getz Meets Mulligan1959Stan GetzStan Getz and Gerry Mulligan / Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson TrioVerveLevy on the two tracks with Getz and Mulligan (see also Gerry Mulligan1981Stan GetzThe DolphinConcord Jazz1981Stan Getz QuartetSpring Is HereConcord JazzReleased in 19921957Terry Gibbs and Bill HarrisWoodchoppers' BallPremier Albums1957Terry GibbsA Jazz Band Ball (Second Set)Mode1959Terry Gibbs Dream BandThe Sundown Sessions, Vol. 2ContemporaryLive recording, released in 19871959Terry Gibbs Dream BandFlying Home, Vol. 3ContemporaryLive recordings, released in 1988. Levy on four tracks1959Terry Gibbs Dream BandOne More Time, Vol. 6ContemporaryLive recordings, released in 2002. Levy on four tracks1982Terry Gibbs & His West Coast FriendsMy BuddyAtlas1955Lionel Hampton and Stan GetzHamp and GetzNorgran1958Coleman Hawkins and Roy EldridgeThe Great English Concert 1958Jazz GrooveFive (of eleven) tracks (others feat. Stan Getz with nearly the same rhythm section)1958Coleman Hawkins SeptetLover Man et al.(various labels)Live recordings; two tracks with Levy from the Jazz Festival in Antibes, France: "Undecided" and "Indian Summer"; first released maybe in 1987 or earlier1960Coleman Hawkins & FriendsBean Stalkin' PabloLive recording from Paris, France, released in 1988; four (of six) tracks with a sextet feat. Levy and Benny Carter1948fWoody Herman and His OrchestraWoody Herman Second HerdCapitol1957Quincy JonesGo West, Man!ABC-ParamountLevy on three tracks1956Peggy LeeBlack Coffee (reissue)DeccaThe four additional tracks for 12" LP release with Levy1963Peggy LeeMink JazzCapitol1965Peggy LeePass Me ByCapitol1955Stan LeveyThis Time the Drums on MeBethlehem1957Stan LeveyStan Levey QuintetMode1976Warne MarshAll MusicNessa1984Warne Marsh QuartetA Ballad AlbumCriss Cross Jazz1978Charles McPhersonFree Bop!Xanadu1977Sam MostFlute FlightXanadu1957Gerry Mulligan w/ Stan GetzGerry Mulligan Meets Stan GetzVerve see also Stan Getz1954 & 1956Lennie NiehausZounds! (Vol. 2 & 3: The Octet)Contemporary1958 LP release of both octet sessions prev. issued on 7" and 10"1957Lennie NiehausI Swing for YouEmArcy1960Anita O'DayIncomparable!Verve1979Anita O'DayMello'dayGNP CrescendoLevy also arranger1955Shorty Rogers & His GiantsMartians Stay HomeAtlanticReleased 19801955Shorty RogersMartians Come Back!Atlantic1955Shorty RogersWay Up ThereAtlantic1956Shorty RogersThe Big Shorty Rogers ExpressRCA Victor1957Shorty RogersWherever the Five Winds BlowRCA Victor1958Shorty RogersPortrait of ShortyRCA Victor1960Shorty RogersThe Swingin' NutcrackerRCA Victor1959Sonny StittVerve1959Sonny StittSaxophone SupremacyVerve1959Sonny StittSonny Stitt Swings the MostVerve1960Sonny StittPreviously Unreleased RecordingsVerveReleased in 19731980Sonny Stitt & His West Coast FriendsGroovin' HighAtlasWith Art Pepper1975SupersaxLive in '75 – The Japanese Tour Vol. 2HindsightReleased in 19991977SupersaxChasin' the BirdMPS/Pausa1979SupersaxMPS/Pausa1983Supersax & L.A. VoicesL.A.Columbia1983SupersaxStone BirdColumbia1993Bennie WallaceThe Old SongsAudioQuestLevy on two tracks1985Pinky WintersLet's Be BuddiesJacquelineWith Monty Budwig

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