Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom (Ron Levy Related)

Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom - Greaze Is What's Good - 1998 - Cannonball Records

"A Hammond B-3 organ should be funky, soulful, power packed, dynamic, roof-raising and greaZy. Most of all, the greaZy part. A Hammond should drip with hot licks, and no one knows that better than Levtron.com's Records master blaster Ron Levy. He's studio saavy Svengali of greaZy organ, a guy who knows about grits, gravy, greens and grooves. Long before pork became the 'the new white meat,' Levy was playing fatback organ and taking sizzling solos. His blues credits - sessions with Charles Brown, Roomful of Blues, Ronnie Earl, Champion Jack Dupree, Lowell Fulson, Ann Peebles, Otis Clay, Jimmy McCracklin, and seven years touring & recording with his excellency, B.B. King - are impeccable. After just one listen to "GreaZe is What's Good", you can add 'acid jazz master' and author to Levy's bulging resume. Look for his new 'web-book' "Tales of a Road Dog" on his website (Levtron). It describes these experiences noted above.” – from Album Notes @ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ronlevyswildkingdom18

On Greaze Is What's Good, Ron Levy is joined by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, guitarists Melvin Sparks and David T. Walker, drummer Idris Muhammad, and trombonist Steve Turre, plus Memphis blues guitarist Preston Shannon, for a solid set of grooving, bluesy soul-jazz. © Steve Huey © 2013 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved
http://www.allmusic.com/album/greaze-is-whats-good-mw0000617346

Great uptempo soul jazz/blues album with a stellar line-up including Melvin Sparks and Preston Shannon on guitar, Stanley Banks on bass, Idris Muhammad on drums, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet. CDbaby says the album is “GreaZy, funky, soulful and delicious featuring a who's who of world class A-rated musicians playing Levy's groovin' grooves. If you love blastin' Hammond B-3 organ, this is for you!” The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Killer keyboards, great guitar, and not a dud track. Buy Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom's "Green Eyed Soul" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 143 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Can I Change My Mind - Barry Despenza / Carl Wolfolk
2. Greaze Is What's Good – Ron Levy
3. One People - Ray Greene
4. Mr. Mr. Blasta from the Past'da – Ron Levy
5. What d'Freak – Ron Levy
6. Big Fine Lil' Lass – Ron Levy
7. What's Going On - Renaldo Benson / Al Cleveland / Marvin Gaye
8. Long Time Ago – Ron Levy
9. In the Middle / The King - unknown
10. J-J-Jazz It Up – Ron Levy
11. Gangsta's to Blame - Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom

MUSICIANS

Darby Hicks, Jr. - Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Fender Rhodes, Voices
Melvin Sparks , David, T. Walker, Preston Shannon – Guitar
Stanley Banks, W. Zimmermann – Bass
Ron Levy - Hammond Organ, Fender Rhodes
William F. Zimmerman – Piano
Idris Muhammad, James Gadson – Drums
Greg Morrow - Drums, Percussion
Carol Steele – Percussion
Ralph Dorsey – Congas
Gordon "Sax" Beadle - Tenor Sax
Jim Spake – Tenor & Baritone Sax
Crispin Cioe - Alto & Soprano Sax
Freddie Hubbard, Scott Thompson - Trumpet
Steve Turre - Trombone, Conch Shell
Ray Greene, Michelle Wilson – Vocals

BIO

b. Reuvain Zev ben Yehoshua Ha Levi, 29 May 1951, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Levy played clarinet during his childhood and, inspired by a Ray Charles concert, started playing piano at the age of 13. He soon took up organ too, and, influenced by Billy Preston and Jimmy Smith, was a quick learner. Two years later he was backing up blues artists performing in the Boston area. At 17 the young musician was discovered and hired by blues legend Albert King. Still in high school, Levy worked with King, who had become his legal guardian, for 18 months. From December 1969 to February 1976 he played piano and organ in B.B. King’s band. The period from that time until 1980 saw him work with the Rhythm Rockers, led by Johnny Nicholas and featuring the young Ronnie Earl on lead guitar. As the house band of the Speakeasy in Cambridge they honed their skills backing up great blues musicians, among them Walter Horton, Johnny Shines and Roosevelt Sykes. After working with Luther ‘Guitar Junior’ Johnson for three years, Levy played with Roomful Of Blues from 1983-87. In addition to recording with his own band, Ron Levy’s Wild Kingdom, he has played on numerous recordings by other artists, and since 1985, has produced a steady stream of albums for labels such as Black Top and Bullseye Blues. He became an in-house producer for the latter. © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ron-levys-wild-kingdom-mn0000287470