JSngry

Ok, it's drummer Al Levitt's (he of Tristano-circle reknown) family band., and is very much a hodge-podge of different styles. Mrs. Levitt is a singer who sings w/more feeling than finesse (and not necessarily in a good way), and the kids do their thing in a variety of ways, some bubblegummy, some kind of "out". Al brings in his crew (REAL players, and I can swear I hear him breating a sigh of relief) for a few things. Only in the 60s, and only on ESP (broadly speaking). Here's the blurb from the ESP site: http://www.espdisk.com/esp1095.html 13 year old guitarist Sean Levitt was improvising on a borrowed guitar at the Central Park fountain for a young attentive audience when he was spotted by ESP. While being auditioned, Sean mentioned his musical family, which included his father, drummer Al Levitt; his mother, vocalist Stella Levitt; his 15 year old drummer brother George; his singing sisters Michele (16), Minou (14) and Teresa (11); and his two younger brothers Billy (9) and Robin (6) who had not as yet chosen their instruments, although Billy was convinced that if he could get his hands on a flute, he could play it. Sean's great-great-grandfather on his mother's side was a young Lisbon architect who voyaged to Mexico to design the church of Santa Maria del Oro, and there married Mariana, a beautiful Mexican girl. His grandfather is a classical and flamenco guitarist who, as a youth, ran away with a band of gypsies, and learned to play the guitar. He settled in California where he performed on radio and motion picture sound tracks. Sean's parents, Al and Stella, worked with Georgie Auld in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and toured with Lionel Hampton. Father Al played with Stan Getz, Paul Bley and Lee Konitz. Al lived in Paris during the 1950s and played there with Sidney Bechet, Bud Powell, Luckey Thompson, Martial Solal, Barney Wilen, Stephane Grappelly, Rene Urteger and Sacha Distel. This CD features the Levitts, playing with close friends, Chick Corea and Bob Leeman on piano; Ted Kotick, bass; Pete Yellin, alto sax and flute; Eddie Shu, harmonica; Evaline Steinbrock, cello; Ronnie Cuber, baritone sax; Lou Orensteen, flute; Don Heller, vocal and Larry Provost, composer and guitarist.

Personally, I think it's one of those "only on ESP" oddities that I'm glad to have , but only because I didn't pay too much for it, if you know what I mean. Mrs. Levitt's vocals just don't cut it for me. Sincere, yes. But.... OTOH, there's a very good Chick Corea cameo or two, round, firm, and fully packed, and the bubblegum songs struggle mightly to fall into the so-bad-they're-good category, and make it by a hair, I think. So, what's your opinon?

The item shown is not an LP, it's a 45 RPM EP http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...4015849311&rd=1 . Think the same cuts came out again on Savoy's THE TROMBONE ALBUME 2-fer of the early 80s. Recorded in Detroit, if memory serves. Savoy bought the DeeGee masters, I think, just like they did w/some other labels like Regent. Remember that Dizzy 2-fer in the 70s?

It's the alternate takes that I wanted! TWO Morgan/Shorter sets left now...

Potty mouth.

wait wait wait wait wait- what label is that? DeeGee.

Indeed she does!

pt 4