Milcho Leviev
Milcho Leviev
was born on 19 Dec. 1937 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He was exposed to musical
training from early childhood, since his aunt was a pianist and her husband
- a choir conductor. Leviev studied formally at the Bulgarian State Music
Academy in Sofia and graduated in 1960 with a Masters Degree in Composition.
In the early 60s he became the musical director for the state drama theater
and the Bulgarian radio and television big band. Leviev also led the quartet
Jazz Focus '65 from 1965-9, which won a prize at the first Montreux festival
in 1967. The musician was also active as a composer, experimenting with
music to be played by classical and jazz ensembles. Among his compositions
at this time was Music for Big Band and Symphony Orchestra (1966).
In 1970 Leviev defected in Germany, where he worked with Albert Mangelsdorff.
He then moved to Los Angeles in 1971, becoming a US citizen in 1977. In
the period 1971-77, the pianist was a key part of the Don Ellis Orchestra.
His virtuosity and ability to play effortlessly in odd meters (a skill
that arose from his familiarity with Bulgarian folk music) were major assets
during his fruitful association with Ellis. In addition to playing the
piano in the Orchestra, he also composed and arranged, finding considerable
rapport with Ellis's imaginative use of complex time signatures and incorporation
of ethnic concepts. During the 1970s Milcho Leviev worked with Willie
Bobo (1973-4) and John Klemmer (1975-9), and recorded an album with L.Subramaniam
(1979) and three albums with Billy Cobham (1974-5). The musician worked
with Airto Moreira and Roy Haynes as well, and from 1978 led a trio. In
1980 Leviev recorded in London as the leader of a bop quartet that included
Art Pepper, and they made the impressive albums Blues For The Fisherman
and True Blues. The quartet recorded live at Ronnie Scott 's Club
in London. Leviev continued to compose, and his writing ably mixed the
odd-metered music of his Bulgarian background with an excellent post-bop
technique. In the early 1980s Leviev worked with Manhattan Transfer (for
whom he arranged Parker's "Confirmation" ), and also wrote arrangements
for and recorded with Al Jarreau. From 1980 to 1983 the musician was the
founder and the leader of the quartet Free Flight, which played fusion
of jazz-rock and classical music. During this period Leviev also performed
and recorded as a member of Gerald Wilson's big band. In the mid-80s the
pianist formed a duo with Charlie Haden, with whom he recorded in 1986.
He also worked in a duo with Dave Holland, with whom he recorded The
Oracle - Live at Suntory Hall in Japan. Leviev worked frequently with
many important musicians in Los Angeles and elsewhere, playing with Ray
Pizzi, Ray Brown, and Buddy Collette, and in an all-star septet with Oscar
Brashear, Pizzi, Mundell Lowe and others. He wrote two chapters in Ellis's
The New Rhythm Book. Between 1990-1995 Leviev did solo European
tours. In 1995 he received an honorary doctorate and an award from the
Paris Academie Internationale des Arts. Presently, Milcho Leviev is a lecturer
on jazz composition and improvisation at the University of Southern California.
