Elliott Levin Ensemble w/ members from DCIC April 16, 2009

Elliott Levin Ensemble Have you seen this man walking the streets of Philly? His signature single dread emits musical spores over sidewalks, music halls and coffeehouses. Elliott Levin is the ubiquitous Philadelphia musician. He has played with everyone…reading his poetry into his flute, literally, improvising with Charles Cohen, Rick Iannacone and New Ghost, the list is long. Elliott studied music and creative writing at the University of Oregon. He also studied extensively with Michael Guera (former saxophonist with the Philadelphia Orchestra), Cecil Taylor (pianist/ composer/improviser), and Claire Polin (flutist/composer). Born in 1953, Levin is a Philadelphia-born-and-based jazz musician and poet. For 10 years he toured the world with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, as saxophonist in The Sound of Philadelphia band. He regularly performs jazz and poetry with Cecil Taylor’s groups Phthongas and Unit Core Ensemble, Odean Pope’s Sax Choir, New Ghost, Interplay, Talking Free Be-Bop, Gloria Tropp, Chromatic Mysteries with Marshall Allen, and Miguel Algarin. His original music and poetry was recorded for broadcast throughout the USA as part of the New American Radio Series. He is also currently a member of drummer (Ornette Coleman, James Blood Ulmer, Lounge Lizards) G. Calvin Weston’s Big Tree; Animus (world/fusion music); The Philadelphia Phenomenon (w/ Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Rick Iannacone, Calvin Weston); and the West Philadelphia Orchestra. Elliott has recorded for FMP, ESP-DISK, CIMP, Porter Records and more!

For this performance, Elliott Levin will be accompanied by the electric guitarist Edward J. Ricart, and an ensemble of DC's finest improvisers including members of the DC Improvisers Collective, drummer Ben Azzara and saxophonist Mike Sebastian.