From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Stan Levey |
| Birth name |
Stanley Levey |
| Born |
5 April 1926 (1926-04-05)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania |
| Origin |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died |
19 April 2005 (aged 79)
Van Nuys, California |
| Genre(s) |
Jazz, Bebop |
| Occupation(s) |
Drummer, Composer |
| Instrument(s) |
Drums |
| Years active |
1942 - 1973 |
| Label(s) |
Bethlehem, Mode, Liberty Records |
| Associated acts |
Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Art Tatum, Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Errol Garner, Miles Davis, George Shearing, Lester Young, Roy Eldrige, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Stan Getz, John Lewis, Ray Brown, Sonny Stitt, Barney Bigard, Gerry Mulligan, Vince Guaraldi, Lee Konitz, Bud Shank, Charlie Ventura, Scott LaFaro, Victor Feldman, Art Pepper, Charlie Barnett, Oscar Peterson, Don Byas, Conte Candoli, Joe Thomas, Billy Taylor, Bob Cooper, Al Haig, Milt Jackson, Lucky Thompson, Chuck Wayne, Richie Kamuca, Norman Granz, Bill Holman, Howard Rumsey, Chet Baker, Frank Rosolino, Joe Mondragon, Herb Ellis, Thelonius Monk, Chris Conner, Allen Eager, Jack Sheldon, Hank Jones, Shorty Rogers, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Quincy Jones, Georgie Auld, Charlie Ventura, Boyd Reaburn, Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Skitch Henderson and The Tonight Show Band, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Gary Crosby, Pat Boone, Barbra Streisand, The Supremes, Vic Damone, Nancy Wilson, Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Bobby Darin, June Christy, Mel Torme, Lalo Schifrin, Henry Mancini, Nelson Riddle, Andre Previn, Neil Hefti |
| Website |
Official Site |
| Notable instrument(s) |
| Drums |
Stan Levey (April 5, 1926 — April 19, 2005) was an American jazz drummer. Stan Levey first began playing with Dizzy Gillespie at the age of 16. Levey is considered one of the earliest bebop drummers. Born in Philadelphia in 1926. He was one of the very few white drummers involved in the formative years of bebop and accepted as one of bop's most important drummers, along with Kenny Clarke and Max Roach. He played in Philadelphia with Dizzy Gillespie's group in 1942, at the age of 16. Soon after he went to New York, where he and Dizzy worked on 52nd Street with Charlie Parker and Oscar Pettiford. After his tenure with the Stan Kenton Orchestra he moved to the west coast in 1954, joining Howard Rumsey and the Lighthouse All-Stars, and was a major influence in what was called "west coast jazz" or the "cool school". Levey's crisp, melodic style continued to have more in common with bop than cool, and he inspired every group he ever played in. Levey has played on over 2000 recordings and has played with musicians Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and bands such as Quincy Jones, Stan Kenton, Skitch Henderson, and "The tonight show band".
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