Hank Levy

A major arranger, Hank Levy is best-known for his longtime association with Stan Kenton's Orchestra. He studied music at several different institutions (the U.S. Navy School of Music, the College of William & Mary, Peabody Conservatory, the Catholic University of America, and Towson State University), and early on developed a highly original arranging style. Levy first started writing for Kenton in 1953 and later on wrote for Sal Salvador (1960-1962), Don Ellis (in the mid-'60s), and for the studios. An expert at writing in advanced time signatures (which was a major asset with Ellis' band as can be heard on Live at Monterey), Levy became a major force in Stan Kenton's jazz workshops. Hank Levy, who was one of Kenton's chief arrangers during his final decade, has been an important jazz educator (including at Town State) since the late '60s, and a strong (if unsung) influence on today's arrangers. ~ Scott Yanow