Adam Levin
 

Biography

These recordings include work by Mark Abrahams, Allison Adler, Eva Atsalis, Wendy Boulding, David Brooks, Valerie Gomes, Marc Landesberg, Jay Mark, Danny Obadia, Elena Rye Pellicciaro, Anne Ptasznik, Peter Stoller, Ellen Weiss, Steve Wirts and others.

(For more info, visit differentdrummusic.com/welcome.htm.)


"...a songwriter of exceptional talent and perception. I expect him to make a serious impact on the pop charts or on Broadway..."
-- Charles M. Young, Executive Editor, Musician Magazine

"...a uniquely gifted composer. His songs are powerful, perceptive, even provocative....a sensitive and intelligent performer. This is music everyone should hear."
-- Mike Stoller, Songwriter/Producer, Leiber & Stoller

"Truly enjoyable....a serious musical talent... music has the same haunting intrigue [as] Todd Rundgren’s..."
-- Alan Schlein, Journalist, Billboard Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine

"...articulate, clear-thinking... with something to say....the U2-school-of-conviction....songs with sincerity..."
-- The Music Paper

"...playful, humorous, and great melodies... sweetly ironic and finely melodic, nice arrangements and pleasant vocals... It's a sincere joy to hear a true talent like that... a musical treasure. In a world rife with tastelessness, his recordings feature style, class, passion, and extraordinary melodies... There's some sweet sincerity about it that just makes you want to listen to it again and again!"
-- On-Reflection

"His music has the rare ability to appeal to not only musicians seeking cerebral stimulation, but also innocent ears in search of a beautiful, memorable melody."
-- Tricia Tahara, Vocalist/Songwriter, Jazz Recording Artist

"...a sophisticated and contemporary writer – hear him!"
-- Kirk Nurock, Composer/Pianist, Jazz/Classical Recording Artist

"His piano playing has a great touch."
-- Wallace Roney, Trumpeter/Producer, Grammy Award-winning Jazz Recording Artist

"...elegant... heartfelt... rich and beautiful."
-- Nikki Squre, Esquire

"Sophisticated"
-- Betty Comden & Adolph Green, Librettists, Singin’ in the Rain, On the Town, etc.

"Ambitious"
-- Gary Katz, Producer, Steely Dan


Can accessible music be intelligent? And intelligent music passionate? Adam Levin tries to answer those questions with his music. Music that classical musicians have called jazz. And jazz musicians have called rock. And rock musicians? They've called it classical. With some pop, soul and funk sneaked in.

In fact, one could call Adam's work the "liberal arts" of music. One discipline is not enough. But that's predictable coming from a background of classical piano training and pop music listening.

Adam has written well over a hundred songs and instrumental pieces, with an array of instrumentation. They run the gamut from pop to contemporary classical, sometimes combining contrasting elements. His lyrics range from the state of the heart to the state of the world, with a sense of irony, poetry, spirituality, storytelling and humor.

He has composed, written lyrics, arranged, produced, played keyboards and/or sung for numerous musical, performance and recording artists, and theatre. His songs have been accepted by major music publishing, performed at hundreds of events in North America and Europe, been featured on radio and television, and received critical acclaim.

He continues to record and perform in the New York tri-state area, including as a writer, arranger, keyboardist and vocalist for Wendy Boulding, Ellen Weiss and Valerie Gomes. He has written individually as well as with Wendy Boulding, David Brooks, Joe Lobell, Elena Rye Pellicciaro, Anne Ptasznik, Kathryn Sanders, Tomas Stark and Peter Stoller, nearly all of whom he has performed with.

He studied music composition, piano and musical theatre at Interlochen Center for the Arts/University of Michigan School of Music, Indiana University School of Music, and Berklee College of Music, where he succeeded in not allowing any of it to interfere with his musical education. Despite his maverick nature, he has even received the occasional award. Even when they didn't know how to categorize his music.

You’ll have to decide that for yourself.

Read more...

Music

BLISSFUL BEHEMOTH
2007
Original progressive rock, parodies of Gentle Giant, and influences from Jethro Tull, Frank Zappa, Genesis, King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Allan Holdsworth, Talking Heads, Happy the Man, Area, Annette Peacock, Laurie Anderson, & Dave Stewart (Nat'l Health)
CD: $15.00
Reviews
2
 
A Different Page
2006
Reflective songs with hints of Todd Rundgren, Joe Jackson, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Daryl Hall, Anita Baker, Burt Bacharach & Stephen Sondheim
CD: $15.00
Reviews
1
 
et al.
2002
Eclectic retrospective with various artists from the school of Randy Crawford, Peter Gabriel, Genesis, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Annette Peacock, the Police, Steely Dan, Sting and Frank Zappa
CD: $15.00
Reviews
3
 
things left unsaid
2002
Innovative jazz/classical instrumentals with "unplugged" solo piano and saxophones, and elements of Lyle Mays, Dave Stewart (Nat'l Health), Allan Holdsworth, Steve Hackett, Steve Reich and Donald Fagen
CD: $15.00
Reviews
2
 
Live(OnTape)
2002
Passionate and soulful concert performances reminiscent of adventurous music by Burt Bacharach, Genesis, Todd Rundgren, Sade, Stephen Sondheim, Steely Dan, Brian Wilson and Stevie Wonder
CD: $15.00
Reviews
1