Levi Schwartzberg is a vibraphonist who draws inspiration from the free bop artists of the 60's. His original music contains elements inspired by composers such as Eric Dolphy, Andrew Hill, Don Cherry and Herbie Nichols, among others. In order to maintain a very 'open' sound, he enjoys working in a quartet where the vibraphone is the only chordal instrument. Because the vibraphone lends itself to a greater share of melodic playing than a piano, his tunes place a larger emphasis on melody and texture, and the harmonic context is a bit looser. By emphasizing melodic development in lieu of more rigid harmonic structure, the players are free to work together to explore a wider variety of ideas. The music also more heavily relies on textural variance, provided by the unique sounds a vibraphone can make, in addition to other percussion instruments and extended techniques. Overall, the Levi Schwartzberg Quartet provides a mix of more traditional jazz improvisation with a broad array of unique soundscapes to create variation and a few fun surprises!

AARP MN & the TC Jazz Festival Present Jazz Fest Live Featuring Levi Schwartzberg Quartet