LF: Rod Levitt RCA vinyl

[Hank]

Steve Schwartz, who I believe is a member here, did a terrific two-hour radio show on WGBH out of Boston in honor of Rod Levitt's 75th birthday last night. I was lucky enough to pick it up while driving from Manchester, NH out to western Massachusetts in the middle of some torrential rain showers, and it made what would have been a difficult ride into an utter pleasure. So now I really want to check out Levitt's RCA sides (I already have his Riverside CD). Anyone have any leads on where I could find Levitt's three RCA albums: Insight, Solid Ground, & 42nd Street?

[Hoyt Clagwell]

They're long OOP, and to my knowledge have never been re- released in any format, except for

5 tracks on a 1988 Bluebird CD called "The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop: The Arrangers", which also includes tracks by Hal McKusick (Gill Evans and George Russell pieces), and Johnny Carisi.

Just look on ebay and used record stores, I guess. I have the Lps and the CD and could probably cassette them for you if you'd like.

These are wonderful records. I wish Mosaic could do a Select on them or someone would do something. They deserve to be in print.

There was a recreation of the Rod Levitt Orchestra at some Vermont jazz festival just last night (9/17). Unfortunately, I don't live in Vermont.

[Hank]

Thanks, Hoyt. I'm looking for the vinyl since I know they haven't made it to CD yet. I was hoping that perhaps a board member might have a line on them. Yes, they would make a great Mosaic Select--worth a message to the Mosaic suggestion box! In the meantime I'll keep haunting the usual places.

That performance of Levitt's music in Vermont last night was in honor of his birthday, too. I understand that he's lived in Vermont for some time.

[Bill Fenohr]

All three albums are being offered at reasonable prices at www.gemm.com. www.euclidrecords. com in St Louis shows they have Insight and Solid Ground.

[Hank]

Thanks, Bill. I must've been in a fog. I forgot all about Gemm, and haven't checked on Euclid in a dog's age.

[Tom in RI]

I heard some of Steve's show which also featured a recent interview with Levitt. The promo during the week said there were 4 lp's, was the 4th on a different label?

[Hank]

The promo during the week said there were 4 lp's, was the 4th on a different label?

Yeah, three were on RCA. The fourth appeared on Riverside. It's called The Dynamic Sound Patterns of the Rod Levitt Orchestra, and it was reissued on CD by OJC in 2003. Very recommended. It's the only one of his LPs to make it to CD, as far as I know.

[Tom in RI]

Thanks Hank.

[king ubu]

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...6&hl=rod+levitt

[JohnS]

I wouldn't be surprised to see these come out on Fresh Sounds RCA series.

[Late]

Moe & The Poets currently have a copy of Solid Ground for $6.99.