Difference between revisions of "Levi Seacer, Jr."
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− | |introduction = Levi Seacer, Jr. is an American musician, songwriter and producer. He joined [[Prince]] in | + | |introduction = Levi Seacer, Jr. is an American musician, songwriter and producer. He joined [[Prince]]'s band, initially on bass, in 1987 after playing with [[Sheila E.]] in 1986. |
− | He | + | He was a member of the [[The 87-89 Band]], the 'pre-NPG in 1990 (on bass) and the original line-up of [[The NPG|The New Power Generation]] formed in 1991 as guitarist. |
− | Apart from being a band member Seacer also collaborated in the studio with [[Prince]] co-writing songs and co-producing records for associated artists. He played a significant role on the records released by [[Paisley Park Records]] in the | + | Apart from being a band member Seacer also collaborated in the studio with [[Prince]] co-writing songs and co-producing records for associated artists. He played a significant role on the records released by [[Paisley Park Records]] in the 90's and was appointed President of [[NPG Records]]. |
− | He continued to write | + | He continued to write and produce after leaving [[Prince]]'s camp. In the 2010's he became the guitarist of the bands touring with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shalamar Shalamar] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony!_Toni!_Ton%C3%A9! Tony! Toni! Toné!]. |
− | |early life = Originally from Richmond, California, Levi started | + | |early life = Originally from Richmond, California, Levi started playing guitar, bass and other instruments at the age of six in his grandmother's church. He met [[Sheila E.]] in his teens and together they played in clubs in and around the Bay Area. |
− | |before working w/prince = When [[Sheila E.]] | + | |before working w/prince = When [[Sheila E.]] was signed by [[Prince]], Levi did not initially join hewr band but instead went to play with Curtis Ohlson's band and met [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Cornelius Don Cornelius]. Together, they worked on [[Rosie Gaines]]' first album, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caring_(album) Caring] in 1985. ([[Rosie Gaines|Gaines]] was also in Curtis Ohlson's band. |
− | |work w/prince = | + | |work w/prince = In 1985, Following the [[Purple Rain Tour]], where [[Sheila E.]] was the support act, Levi joined her band replacing [[Benny Rietveld]]. His earliest (known) recording with [[Prince]] occurred later that year when he was invited to jam with [[Sheila E.]] and [[Eric Leeds]] at [[Sunset Sound Studios]]. These sessions would yield the unreleased [[Album: The Flesh|album]], which was tentatively planned to be released under the name [[The Flesh]], a forerunner to [[Madhouse]], a band in which Levi would play a role in the studio (for the second album [[Album: 16|16]]) and more prominently on stage. |
− | + | Before the Japanese leg of the [[Parade Tour]], [[Sheila E.]]'s live band is reconstructed, following her own Romance 1600 Tour. She added her childhood friend [[Boni Boyer]] on keyboards and future members of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony!_Toni!_Ton%C3%A9! Tony! Toni! Toné!] ([[Timothy Riley]] on drums, [[Rafael Wiggins, Jr]] on bass and [[Carl Wheeler]] on keyboards). Levi became the musical director and the band's guitarist. Along with [[Prince]] and [[David Z.]], they all contributed to [[Sheila E]]'s [[Sheila E.]]'s [[Album: Sheila E.|third album]] which would be released the following year (with Levi co-writing three of the songs). | |
− | Before the | + | |
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− | After the [[Parade Tour]], [[Sheila E.]], [[Boni Boyer]] and Levi Seacer, Jr joined | + | After the [[Parade Tour]], [[Sheila E.]], [[Boni Boyer]] and Levi Seacer, Jr joined Prince's group after the disbandment of [[The Revolution]]. With [[Eric Leeds]] and [[Dr Fink]], Levi is also the bassist of the live line-up of [[Madhouse]]. After the [[Sign O' The Times Tour]], Levi, [[Sheila E.]], [[Eric Leeds]] and [[Prince]] recorded [[Ten]], [[Ten And ½]], [[Eleven]], [[Twelve]], [[Fifteen]], for the second Madhouse album ([[Album: 16|16]] and four instrumentals that would later appear on [[Eric Leeds]]' [[Album: Times Squared|Times Squared]] album ([[Night Owl]], [[Overnight, Every Night]], [[Andorra]] and [[Kenya]] ). |
Between the [[Lovesexy Tour]] and the [[Nude Tour]], Levi role as a sideman became more and more important in the studio as he wrote and produced many songs with [[Prince]] for him ([[Sex]])or related artists : [[Bliss]] and [[Mind Bells]] for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahoru_Kohiruimaki Kahoru Kohiruimaki], [[Shall We Dance]] and [[Bang Bang]] for [[BrownMark]], [[Shake]] and [[Release It]] for [[The Time]]) and albums for [[Elisa Fiorillo]] ([[Album: I Am|I Am]]) , [[Ingrid Chavez]] ([[Album: May 19 1992|May 19 1992]]) and [[T.C. Ellis]] ([[Album: True Confessions|True Confessions]]). | Between the [[Lovesexy Tour]] and the [[Nude Tour]], Levi role as a sideman became more and more important in the studio as he wrote and produced many songs with [[Prince]] for him ([[Sex]])or related artists : [[Bliss]] and [[Mind Bells]] for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahoru_Kohiruimaki Kahoru Kohiruimaki], [[Shall We Dance]] and [[Bang Bang]] for [[BrownMark]], [[Shake]] and [[Release It]] for [[The Time]]) and albums for [[Elisa Fiorillo]] ([[Album: I Am|I Am]]) , [[Ingrid Chavez]] ([[Album: May 19 1992|May 19 1992]]) and [[T.C. Ellis]] ([[Album: True Confessions|True Confessions]]). | ||
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− | '''Paisley | + | '''Paisley Park's producer-for-hire''' |
− | With the successes of [[Prince]], [[Jimmy Jam]] and [[Terry Lewis]] productions in the eighties, many artists wanted to have a touch of the Minneapolis Sound on their albums. With [[David Z.]], Levi became one of Paisley | + | With the successes of [[Prince]], [[Jimmy Jam]] and [[Terry Lewis]] productions in the eighties, many artists wanted to have a touch of the Minneapolis Sound on their albums. With [[David Z.]], Levi became one of Paisley Park's "producers-for-hire". In December 1989, while working on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pointer_Sisters Pointer Sisters]' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Rhythm Right Rhythm] album at [[Paisley Park Studios|Paisley Park]], Levi called [[Rosie Gaines]] to put her voice on a title written by [[Prince]] for the group: [[I Want U]]. This song was not retained for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Rhythm Right Rhythm], released in 1990, half-produced by Levi but [[Prince]], having attended the session, was overwhelmed by Rosie's voice. He invited her to join her group for the upcoming Nude Tour as a replacement for [[Boni Boyer]], whom left the band. |
Levi Seacer, Jr also contributed to albums for other artists like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Alston Gerard Alston] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deon_Estus Deon Estus], [[Bobby Z.]] and [[Ricky Peterson]]. | Levi Seacer, Jr also contributed to albums for other artists like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Alston Gerard Alston] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deon_Estus Deon Estus], [[Bobby Z.]] and [[Ricky Peterson]]. | ||
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− | Levi Seacer Jr became [[Prince]] | + | Levi Seacer Jr became [[Prince]]'s guitarist after [[Miko Weaver]]'s departure, leaving the bass duties to [[Sonny T.]] in the new band, now called [[The NPG|The New Power Generation]]. Levi Seacer, Jr is [[Prince]]'s only musician who held two different positions in his band. Interestingly, in 1991, Levi wore a tie-hat costume to look like the blues legend [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson Robert Johnson] (Prince planned to do a movie based around him called The Robert Johnson Story). |
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− | |after working w/prince = In 1998, Levi and [[Tony M.]] filed a lawsuit against [[Prince]]. They claimed that he | + | |after working w/prince = In 1998, Levi and [[Tony M.]] filed a lawsuit against [[Prince]]. They claimed that he hadn't shared royalties he owed them for the songs they wrote with him like [[Sexy M.F.]] and [[My Name Is Prince]]. They won their case, but on the $800,000 they were claiming, they received only $40,000 each which did not cover their legal expenses. |
− | Levi wrote and produced most of the songs for [[Derick Hughes]]'"All For Love" album released in 2000. Former [[The NPG|NPG]] members [[Tommy Barbarella]] and [[Morris Hayes]] also contributed to the record. | + | Levi wrote and produced most of the songs for [[Derick Hughes]]' "All For Love" album released in 2000. Former [[The NPG|NPG]] members [[Tommy Barbarella]] and [[Morris Hayes]] also contributed to the record. |
After actively contributing to the album "Soul Symphony" by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sounds_of_Blackness Sounds of Blackness] and touring with them, Levi released in 2010 his first album under his own name with saxophonist Ric Alexander : '''2wo 4our 1one'''. It contains 12 tracks including a remake of [[Get Blue]], a song he wrote with [[Prince]] twenty years earlier and offered to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louie_Louie_(musician) Louie Louie]. The other 11 instrumentals are composed by the duo. The opening track is entitled “25 (Bopp!)” as an echo to [[Madhouse]], and contains musical similarities with "[[It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night]]". | After actively contributing to the album "Soul Symphony" by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sounds_of_Blackness Sounds of Blackness] and touring with them, Levi released in 2010 his first album under his own name with saxophonist Ric Alexander : '''2wo 4our 1one'''. It contains 12 tracks including a remake of [[Get Blue]], a song he wrote with [[Prince]] twenty years earlier and offered to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louie_Louie_(musician) Louie Louie]. The other 11 instrumentals are composed by the duo. The opening track is entitled “25 (Bopp!)” as an echo to [[Madhouse]], and contains musical similarities with "[[It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night]]". | ||
− | |current work = Levi Seacer Jr joined the live line-up of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony!_Toni!_Ton%C3%A9! Tony! Toni! Toné!] | + | |current work = Levi Seacer Jr joined the live line-up of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony!_Toni!_Ton%C3%A9! Tony! Toni! Toné!]'s in the early years of 2010, accompanying them on their occasional tours and concerts in the United States. He is also playing with a revised version of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shalamar Shalamar] with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jody_Watley Jody Watley] and continues to record in studio with these artists. |
<!-- live section --> | <!-- live section --> | ||
|first live appearance = [[06 March 1986|06 March 1986 Universal City, Universal Amphitheatre]] with Prince guesting at a Sheila E. show. | |first live appearance = [[06 March 1986|06 March 1986 Universal City, Universal Amphitheatre]] with Prince guesting at a Sheila E. show. | ||
− | *First live appearance in | + | *First live appearance in Prince's band: [[21 March 1987|21 March 1987 Minneapolis, First Avenue]] |
|performed regularly on = '''[[Sign O' The Times Tour]]''': band member | |performed regularly on = '''[[Sign O' The Times Tour]]''': band member | ||
*'''[[Lovesexy Tour]] ''': band member | *'''[[Lovesexy Tour]] ''': band member |
Revision as of 17:15, 2 October 2017
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