Barry Levenson

Barry Levenson is an American electric blues and Chicago blues guitarist, songwriter, singer, and record producer. In a varied career, Levenson has worked as a sideman to numerous blues musicians, toiled as a session musician, been an in-house record producer for both Kent and Storyville Records, played guitar with Canned Heat between 2006 and 2010, and released five albums in his own name. He has also authored two books which described playing methods for budding blues guitarists.

Life and career Levenson was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. His affection for the blues commenced at the age of 14, and gained more inspiration later when an older friend of his played him Buddy Guy's 1968 album, A Man and the Blues. Levenson began performing in his home town's local blues scene and progressed to recording studio based work. Also in 1994, Levenson released his Exciting Concepts For Blues Guitar Soloing book and CD, which gave guitar playing methodology (with both music notation and tablature) that explored the techniques found in blues soloing. In 2006, the follow-up Advanced Concepts for Blues Guitar Soloing was issued. In July 1995's issue of Billboard magazine, Levenson passed comment on a new digital audio recording process from Quad Teck, in his then-capacity as recording producer for Kent Records.

Nevertheless, promise of a recording career faltered for a number of years, before Levenson secured a solo deal with Storyville Records. A critical rather than commercial success, his disappointment was assuaged by securing production and A&R duties for the label. It helped gain him an invitation to the Blues Estafette Festival in the Netherlands. His next solo release was The Late Show in 2011. Levenson commented that "almost all the songs were cut using my 1961 Stratocaster and a few old Fender amps. I was never into effects. I'm always trying to get as much tone out of the instrument as I can with just my hands." Ten of the 15 tracks were instrumentals, with Levenson again employing the services of Mary Williams, Finis Tasby, and Johnny Dyer.

Discography

Albums (solo) Year Title Record label 1998 Heart to Hand Storyville Records 2000 Closer to the Blues Storyville Records 2003 Hard Times Won Storyville Records 2011 The Late Show Rip Cat Records 2015 The Visit Rip Cat Records

Albums (featured guest) Year Title Artist Record label 2016 Movin' On Ilana Katz Katz Regina Royale