STAN LEVEY

Stan Levey, one of the strongest drummers of his generation, was 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 Philly with Dizzy Gillespie's group in 1942, at the tender 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. Stan has played read more...