Elliot Levine

Elliot Levine
Background information
Birth nameElliot Brett Levine
Born (1963-09-28) September 28, 1963 (age 61)
Washington, D.C., United States
GenresFunk
Smooth Jazz
Jazz pop
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Piano
Electric Piano
Years active1984–present
LabelsArtifex records
Websiteelliotlevine.com

Elliot Brett Levine (born September 28, 1963)[1] is an American pianist and keyboardist.[2] He had two record releases on the Nashville-based Artifex records label between 1999 and 2004. His CD projects have been reviewed in the Wall Street Journal Online and the Washington Post.[1] In March 2012 he was the first person to use an iPad Keytar, an iPad with a guitar strap, in a live performance posted to YouTube.[3]

Levine has toured with Wilson Pickett[4] and is a member of Heatwave[5] (Always & Forever/Boogie Nights). He has opened for Brian McKnight, Freddie Jackson, McCoy Tyner,[2] and Gerald Albright.[6] He has had the #1 song on mp3.com, receiving over 1,000,000 downloads,[7] which was mentioned in the Wall Street Journal[2] and CNN.[7]

Levine has four internationally released CDs. He has headlined at Blues Alley[8] and the Kennedy Center. His playing has been described by Jazz Times as "showing plenty of talent, though also criticized as having "feather-weight play against heavy-leaden R&B backdrops".[9] In 2003, he scored the music to an Emmy nominated documentary, "Teens in Between".[10] His music was also used on "Inside the NBA" on TBS (TV Channel) (2001),[7] as well as an independent college movie, "Friends With Benefits" (2003). He is also featured on the worldwide Karvavena release "The Abduction of the Art of Noise".[11] He currently tours in the United States as a member of Heatwave.[12] During 2020/2021, he performed a series of streamed backyard performances which raised over $2,000 each for the Maryland Food Bank and Shepherd's Table during the COVID-19 pandemic[13] It was also reported that he is part owner of Authentic (racehorse), the horse that won the Kentucky Derby[14][15]

  1. ^ a b "Levine, Elliot (Brett) – Jazz.com | Jazz Music – Jazz Artists – Jazz News". Archived from the original on September 19, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Musician Elliot Levine (Keyboard) @ All About Jazz
  3. ^ Elliot Levine Ipad 3 synth Keytar keyboard solo, Can't Hide Love, 3/30/12 City View Baltimore MD – YouTube
  4. ^ Jazz Review Magazine
  5. ^ Smooth Jazz Germany magazine article on Elliot Levine
  6. ^ "Montgomery County Maryland Website". Archived from the original on May 28, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  7. ^ a b c CNN.com – Your stories: How the Net changed us – Nov 15, 2005
  8. ^ Elliot Levine – Blue in Green, Blues Alley, 1993 – YouTube
  9. ^ Jazz Albums: Urban Grooves Elliot Levine – By Hilarie Grey — Jazz Articles
  10. ^ Teens in Between – from Virginia Department of Education
  11. ^ Various Artists – The abduction of The Art Of Noise – Review – Stylus Magazine
  12. ^ Review from Smooth Jazz Daily Magazine
  13. ^ https://www.mymcmedia.org/silver-spring-artist-raises-money-in-his-backyard-to-help-others/
  14. ^ Reference from CNBC
  15. ^ Reference from WTOP