- News & Reviews FeedJimmy Levine
Hello SoulTrackers:
Chris and the SoulTracks Family, I want to let you know how much I appreciate everything you do for artists like me. This is my first CD in almost 20 years and the love SoulTracks and your readers are showing me is just incredible. For SoulTracks to grace me with the honor to be on your featured artist page is truly a blessing. I had no idea some thing like this could happen to me. To be on Soul Tracks featured page means SoulTracks fans all over the world will see me and listen to my cd. WOW!'
All I ever wanted is to "Share My Love"of music with the world. I thank God for blessing me so many good friends that help make this happen and support me. People like DaveCee, Di-Lee, Mick O'Donnell, Eddie Gordon, Jodie Stewart, Gary Spence, Soulsonic Joerg. Thank you to all of the great artists that performed on my CD. Howard Hewett, Phil Perry, Maysa Leak, Everett Harp, Kenda Hathaway, Phillip Ingram, Nikki Harris there are to many to mention here. To all of the great musicians that shared their creative love and talent on my project, Wah Wah Watson, Ray Parker Jr. Jubu, William Bryant, Donald Hayes, Larry Kimpel, Alex Al, Micheal Norfleet,Greg Moore, and the rest of crew. To my Co-Producer Micheal White who worked so very hard bringing all of the people together as well as keeping me focused.
Chris, you and the SoulTracks family give your fans the best of the best in music. Don't stop bringing it the way you bring it. The world of music needs more people like you. Much peace and love through the music to you, your listener's and fans around the world.
Jimmy Levine
Web Sites:
My Space page
Biography
Multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Levine has been a fixture in the pop and soul music worlds for decades. As a keyboardist, saxophonist and producer, he has worked with such legendary artists as Sly & the Family Stone, Al Green, Rick James, Teena Marie, Marvin Gaye, Janis Joplin and Herbie Hancock, and has made a name for himself as an A-Lister session musician.
His status in the music industry was exemplified when he decided to record his own Thump Records debut, Share My Love. After years of supporting others, he found himself inundated by stars willing to support him on the disc. Musicians such as Ray Parker, Jr., Everette Harp, Wah Wah Watson and Ray Fuller as well as top flight singers Howard Hewett, Maysa, Phil Perry, Kenda Hathaway, Lori Perry, Phillip Ingram and others came together to provide real firepower for Levine's soul/jazz project. European audiences responded immediately to the album, taking it to the top of the Sweet Rhythm Chart for a couple weeks in early 2007, while Levine introduced it more slowly in America.
Share My Love is an enjoyable combination of jazz licks and soul vocals, as it combines covers of classic R&B songs with new Levine compositions. The obvious standout cut is a hot remake of Switch's "There'll Never Be," with Hewett providing his typically memorable vocals. The other covers are a mixed bag, with the misses ("Reunited") generally being overshadowed by the hits ("You Are My Heaven" and a nice reworking of Aretha's "Wonderful"). But while radio may focus on Levine's take on soul standards, the most pleasant surprises on the album are his original tunes, especially the excellent title cut.
Many older artists in the soul and jazz worlds now feel compelled to provide listeners with familiar songs, and the 70s soul vaults have been raided a few too many times over the past few years. Fortunately, the generally hot arrangements on Share My Love keep it interesting and avoid many of the normal traps into which recent covers albums have fallen. But the real gems are the new songs, which are gutsier than typical smooth jazz fare and which listeners should embrace even more than the classic soul tracks. We're looking forward to hearing more original music from Levine in the future as he continues his long-deserved transition from session man to headliner.
By Chris Rizik
