Traditional Mediterranean Music
Details
Oliver Levi full profile / Violin, Guitar, Bass, Percussion / 4 musicians
Other players: William Brayton, Colin O'Leary, Sebastien Aleman
Full program notes
Levitation Quartet
We are a collection of San Franciscans who enjoy bringing forth the rhythmic and melodic motifs of Jazz Manouche, Mediterranean, Balkan, and Latin Folk Music, and the Turkish Classical Tradition. These elements come together in a whirling cabaret, which aims to celebrate the levity of the free, nomadic spirit.
Personnel
Oliver Levi – Violin
William Brayton – Guitar
Colin O’Leary – Bass
Sebastien Aleman – Percussion
February 9th Valentine's Weekend Program:
Our program will explore some themes of love, loss, and resilience, including folk songs from deep in Anatolia (central Türkiye), pieces from the Jazz Manouche songbook, and several of our original compositions which reflect the influence of these styles.
Requiem (William Crescent)
Capriccio 24 (Niccolo Paganini)
Si Tu Savais (Georges Ulmer)
Dark Eyes (Russian Traditional)
Yagmur Yagar (Turkish Anatonial Traditional)
Sherele (Klezmer Traditional)
Çeçen Kızı (Tanburi Cemil Bey)
Bu Dunya Bir Pencere (Turkish Black Sea traditionalv)
Moishe (Klezmer Traditional)
Dervish (William Crescent)
Nazende / Crescent Sirto (Oliver Levi and William Crescent)
Historical context
We are playing music from the Jazz Manouche tradition, popularised by Django Reinhardt. Along the way, we also explore music from the Turkish classical and folk tradition, and finally conclude with a suite of original music in the Flamenco style.
Other programs from this ensemble
A voyage through nomadic folk music
- Musician profile: Oliver Levi
- Composers: Paganini, Reinhardt, Debussy, Ellington
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Instruments: Violin, Guitar, Bass, Hand Percussion