JAZZ REVIEW: Howard Levy "Heavy World" by Jeff Cebulski
Howard Levy. Heavy World.
Balkan Samba Records, 2026.
By Jeff Cebulski ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Howard Levy: harmonica, piano, keyboards, dumbek, frame drums, ocarina, and other assorted percussion.
Saying “I put a great deal of myself into this music,” Howard Levy, the multi-instrumentalist and master of the diatonic harmonica who has graced Chicagoland and instructional institutions with his expertise for many years, adds another gem, Heavy World, with its stylistic depth and sharp production, to his celebrated resume. The title is an anagram of his name and perhaps a representation of his current thoughts and feelings, but the music within is bright and spirited enough to lift the souls of his listeners, especially his regional fans who will be excited to receive the first recorded version of his multi-genre harmonica rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
On Heavy World, recorded at his home studio Levyland, Levy is the sole contributor, performing 12 works (seven original, three of them improvised) while playing an assortment of instruments. Besides his harmonica and piano, he demonstrates his proficiency on keyboards, dumbek, frame drums, ocarina, and other assorted percussion. The music travels the globe, reflecting his comfortability with various religious and cultural manifestations.
The album begins with the daunting “Niccolo’s Notion,” claimed to be the first “perpetual motion” piece composed for the diatonic harmonica. Built on a “Brazilian groove,” Levy calls this over three-minute excursion a “16th-note marathon.” The quick, dense orchestration supports Levy demonstrating remarkable breathing skills as he travels up and down his harp. The lyrical “Are You There?” is an harmonica-piano duo, with Levy displaying a Bill Evans touch during a splendid solo. The duet arrangement continues on “Yu Pei’s Smile,” a light-hearted harmonica foray. Levy’s piano on “Taking Flight” has a neo-classical tone until the harmonica, exuding a Western tinge, interrupts, leading to a juxtaposed duet that works as the two tropes blend and bend.
Three public domain songs with cultural significance are explored. “Eliyahu HaNavi/Dayenu” represents Levy’s Hebrew religious roots, but with percussive twists; “Ellyahu” is introduced with frame drums while “Dayenu” is supported with the dumbek. The aforementioned “Amazing Grace,” recorded late at night in seclusion, is a musical travelogue with five distinct movements, which sound (to these ears) Appalachian, Chicago blues, Kansas City swing, Cowboy-movie Western (with embellishments), and Black Gospel. “Danny Boy” is rendered on harmonica with appropriate cultural reverence spiced with Bach-ian interplay and jazzy understatement.
Of the remaining originals, “Any Questions” is a modal jazz treat, featuring Levy’s facility on vibes and walking bass; on “Tryptich” his harmonica rides a plodding percussive beat leading to an ocarina interlude that presages another harp/piano moment with Eastern sensibilities; and on “Nervous Squirrel” Levy bifurcates that animal’s anxiety with left hand/right hand dexterity.
In a time when our fractured society is seeking solace and humanistic glue, Howard Levy offers his brand of ecumenism in Heavy World, a sincere and welcome celebration of musical multiculturalism.
For more info, go to levyland.com.
About Jeff Cebulski
Jeff Cebulski, who lives in Chicago, is a retired English educator (both secondary and collegiate) and longtime jazz aficionado. His career in jazz includes radio programs at two stations in southeast Wisconsin, an online show on Kennesaw State’s (GA) Owl Radio from 2007 until 2015, and review/feature writing for Chicago Jazz Magazine since 2016, including his column "Jazz With Mr. C". He has interviewed many jazz artists, including Joshua Redman, Charles Lloyd, Dave Holland, John Beasley, and Chris Brubeck, as well as several Chicago-based players. Jeff is a member of the Jazz Journalists Association. Contact Jeff at jeff@chicagojazz.com
