Andres Levin

Andres Levin
Born Caracas, Venezuela
Genres Latin, Pop, Rock, R&B,
Occupations Producer, film maker, song-writer, musician, composer, philanthropist, arranger, guitarist
Instruments Guitar, bass, keyboards, programming
Years active 1980–present
Labels Funmachine
Associated acts Yerba Buena, Cucu Diamantes, Chaka Khan, John Legend, Natalie Merchant, David Byrne, D'Angelo, Caetano Veloso

Andres Levin is a Venezuelan-American record producer, band leader, film maker, recording engineer and philanthropist. Levin won a Grammy award in 2009 for his production of the In The Heights Cast Recording.[1] His Grammy nominated[2] Latin fusion band Yerba Buena was founded along with Cuban-American singer Cucu Diamantes.

Levin has been called the "master-chef of urban fusion" by the Los Angeles Times.[3]

Contents

Early life

Levin was born in Caracas, Venezuela. Since his father is a musician and producer as well, Levin was surrounded by music.[4] He began playing guitar at age 10 and was soon immersed in the musical world. In 1988, Levin took advantage of a full scholarship at Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts before studying composition at Juilliard in New York City. While in New York, Levin worked at Skyline studios and was soon hired by producer Nile Rodgers as a full time Synclavier programmer and arranger. With Rodgers, Levin worked with artists such as the B-52's, Diana Ross, INXS, and The Vaughan Brothers.[5]

Yerba Buena

Together with Diamantes, Levin formed the band Yerba Buena. Before Yerba Buena, Levin had worked in several disparate genres, including R&B, soul, and Latin. Levin said that the same year the band was founded, he and "CuCu were in Nigeria, Cuba, and Bahia...[and] those influences combined to form the Yerba Buena sound." [6] Levin has also said that even though Yerba Buena "experiments with many influences, the basis of the group is inspired by the African and Cuban diaspora, where both worlds meet. The music is a bridge between the two cultures." [7]

Music Has No Enemies

Founded by Levin and Diamantes, Music Has No Enemies is a non-profit organization that is designed "to usher the entertainment industry in a new direction toward the widespread promotion of philanthropy." The organization has worked on several projects to promote social justice and political activism:

Field of Dreams Festival

On July 24, 2010, Levin and The Bruce High Quality Foundation[8] produced and curated Celebrate Brooklyn! Presents Field of Dreams (Un Mundo Nuevo) in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York as a production of Music Has No Enemies. The festival showcased DIY artists and performing artists from around the world, including Luis Guzmán, Keziah Jones, Cucu Diamantes, Pablo Picasso, K-SISE, and Janka Nabay.[9]

Podemos Con Obama

In 2008, Levin brought together many prominent Latin musicians to make a video inspired by his work on will.i.am's "Yes We Can" video in support of Barack Obama. Celebrities such as Luis Guzman, Lin Manuel Miranda, Jessica Alba, Paulina Rubio, Alejandro Sanz, John Leguizamo, Don Omar and many others participated. The video currently has more than 350,000 views on YouTube.[10]

The Price of Silence

In 2008, Music Has No Enemies produced Amnesty International's "The Price of Silence", a commemoration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Many international artists and activists such as Stephen Marley, Aterciopelados, Natalie Merchant, Yerba Buena and Hugh Masekala filmed a video of their collaborative song set in the UN.[11]

Advertising

Levin has been involved in the music for advertising industry since 1995. In the fall of 2009 he launched Pirata (with Canadian partner Pirate)[12] to provide sonic branding and audio post production for all aspects of broadcast audio, such as original music and licensing, sound design, full service radio production and 5.1 mixing.[13] Since its creation, Pirata has provided work for Dr. Pepper, Verizon, Miller, Heineken, Cablevision, Kraft, Ritz, and Kohls.[14]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Role Notes
2010 Natalie Merchant, Leave Your Sleep Co-producer
2010 Aleks Syntek, Metodos De Placer Instantaneo Co-producer
2009 In The Heights Cast Album Producer Winner of 2009 Grammy: Best Cast Album
2009 Cucu Diamantes, Cuculand Producer Produced one song, Amanecí Sin Ti
2009 Paulina Rubio, Gran City Pop Producer
2007 Miguel Bosé, Papito Co-producer Nominated for 2007 Latin Grammy
2007 Yerba Buena, Follow Me Producer/ Writer
2007 Orishas, Antiodiotico Producer Produced five songs; three 2007 Latin Grammy Nominations
2006 Marisa Monte, Universo Ao Meu Redor Producer
2006 Eliane Elias, Around The City Producer/ Writer
2005 Yerba Buena, Island Life Producer/ Writer
2005 Orishas, El Kilo Producer Nominated for 2005 and 2006 Latin Grammy: Best Latin Alternative Album
2004 Ana Torroja, Essential Producer/ Writer Produced and wrote four songs
2004 Paulina Rubio, Pau-Latino Writer Wrote one song, "My Friend, My Amigo"
2003 Yerba Buena, President Alien Producer/ Writer Nominated for 2003 Grammy: Best Latin Alternative Album
2002 Lenine, Falange Canibal Writer Wrote one song, "Dolores." Won 2002 Latin Grammy
2002 Red Hot and Riot: The Music and Spirit of Fela Kuti Co-producer Produced nine songs
2001 Bilal, First Born Second Producer Produced one song
2000 Daniela Mercury, Sol Da Liberdade Producer
2000 Ana Torroja, Pasajes de un Sueño Producer/ Writer
1999 Ana Torroja, Pasajes de un Sueño Producer/ Writer
1996-1999 Arto Lindsay, The Prize, Mundo Civilizado, Noon Chill, Hypercivilizado, Invoke Producer/ Writer
1998 Aterciopelados, Caribe Atomico Producer Nominated for 1998 Grammy: Best Latin Rock
1998 Los Amigos Invisibles, The New Sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera Producer
1998 El Gran Silencio, Libres y Locos Producer
1998 Carlinhos Brown, Omelette Man Producer
1997 David Byrne, Feelings Producer Produced two songs, "Finite=Alright" and "The Civil Wars"
1996 David Byrne and Marisa Monte, Red Hot and Rio Producer Produced one song, "Waters of March"
1995 Chaka Khan, The Woman I Am Writer
1995 Doro, Machine II Machine Producer/ Writer/ Musician Co-produced and co-wrote four songs
1994 Cece Penniston, Thought 'Ya Knew Producer/Writer One song, "Through Those Doors"
1991 Mica Paris, Contribution Writer

Film

Year Album Role Notes
2007 Ladron Que Roba Ladron Composer
2007 Borderland Composer
2004 Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights Composer Three songs used
2003 Cheaper by the Dozen Composer "Guajira (I Love U 2 Much)" used
2003 Honey Composer "Guajira (I Love U 2 Much)" used
2003 Chasing Papi Composer "Electric Boogaloo" used
1999 Red Hot and Lisbon Producer Produced five songs

Television

Year Album Role Notes
2008 Heroes Original Soundtrack Composer One song, "Maya's Theme"
2006 South BEach Composer Wrote Theme Song
2004 Entourage Composer
2003 ER Composer

References

  1. ^ http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126077-In-the-Heights-Cast-Recording-Wins-Grammy-Hudson-and-LuPone-McDonald-Mahagonny-Also-Win
  2. ^ http://latinmusic.about.com/od/artistsoz/p/PRO01YERBA.htm
  3. ^ http://articles.latimes.com/2005/aug/21/entertainment/ca-latin21
  4. ^ http://www.funnygarbage.org/profile/press_release.php3?id=67
  5. ^ http://blog.digitalcontentproducer.com/briefingroom/2010/02/22/andres-levin-partners-with-pirate-to-launch-dedicated-multi-cultural-company-pirata/
  6. ^ http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/profiles/andres_levins_musical_playground.php
  7. ^ http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/profiles/andres_levins_musical_playground.php
  8. ^ http://artobserved.com/2010/07/bruce_high_quality_field_of_dreams/
  9. ^ http://musichasnoenemies.com/fieldofdreams/
  10. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuXqy40F4Co
  11. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xevGz8_MBKk
  12. ^ http://blog.digitalcontentproducer.com/briefingroom/2010/02/22/andres-levin-partners-with-pirate-to-launch-dedicated-multi-cultural-company-pirata/
  13. ^ http://www.trustcollective.com/portfolio/client.php?client=pirata
  14. ^ http://www.piratanewyork.com