Difference between revisions of "Levi Seacer, Jr."
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− | {{ | + | {{Biography| |
− | | | + | |artist name = Levi Seacer, Jr |
− | | | + | |artist image = [[file:Levi-seacer-jr-thumb.jpg|200px]] |
− | | | + | |birth name = Levi Seacer, Jr |
− | + | |birth date = 30 April 1961: Richmond, CA, USA | |
− | | | + | |activity = Guitar player, Bass player, Producer, Songwriter. |
− | + | |endorsement(s) = | |
− | : | + | |activity w/prince = From 1987 to 1993 |
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− | | | + | |previous bio = [[Mike Scott]] |
− | :1986 / 1992-1993 | + | |next bio = [[Rhonda Smith]] |
− | :1987-1989 / 1990-1991 | + | <!-- BIOGRAPHY --> |
− | : | + | |introduction = '''Levi Seacer, Jr.''' is an American musician, songwriter and producer. He joined [[Prince]]’s band, initially on bass, in 1987 after playing guitar with [[Sheila E.]] in 1986. |
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− | | | + | 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. |
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− | | 1= | + | 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]]. |
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− | | | + | 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!]. |
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+ | |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.]] was signed by [[Prince]], Levi did not initially join her 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 = 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]]. These sessions would yield the unreleased [[Album: The Flesh (1986)|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. | ||
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+ | 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). | ||
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+ | '''Joining Prince’s band''' | ||
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+ | After the [[Parade Tour]], [[Sheila E.]], [[Boni Boyer]] and Levi Seacer, Jr joined Prince’s group after the disbanding of [[The Revolution]]. At that same time Levi is also the bassist of the live line-up of [[Madhouse]], together with [[Eric Leeds]] and [[Dr Fink]]. 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]]). | ||
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+ | Between the [[Lovesexy Tour]] and the [[Nude Tour]], Levi’s role as a sideman became more and more prominent in the studio with him (co-)writing and producing many songs with [[Prince]], including [[Sex]] for [[Prince]], [[Bliss]] and [[Mind Bells]] for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahoru_Kohiruimaki Kahoru Kohiruimaki], [[Shall We Dance]] and [[Bang Bang]] for [[Brown Mark]], [[Shake!]] and [[Release It]] for [[The Time]] and worked on albums [[Album: I Am|I Am]] for [[Elisa Fiorillo]], [[[Ingrid Chavez]]’s [[Album:_May_19_1992|eponymous album (also known as ''May 19, 1992'')]] and [[T.C. Ellis]]’ album ([[Album: True Confessions|True Confessions]]). | ||
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+ | '''Paisley Park’s producer-for-hire''' | ||
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+ | With the successes of [[Prince]], [[Jimmy Jam]] and [[Terry Lewis]] productions in the eighties, many artists wanted to have what became known as the Minneapolis Sound on their albums. Together 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 track 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 Gaines|Rosie]]’s voice. He invited her to join her group for the upcoming [[Nude Tour]] as a replacement for [[Boni Boyer]], who left the band following the [[Lovesexy Tour]]. | ||
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+ | 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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+ | '''The man with the blue guitar''' | ||
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+ | After [[Miko Weaver]]’s departure in 1991, Levi Seacer, Jr. became [[Prince]]’s guitarist, leaving the bass duties to [[Sonny T.]] in the new band, now called [[The NPG|The New Power Generation]]. As such Levi Seacer, Jr. is the only musician who held two different positions in [[Prince]]’s 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 tentatively planned to do a movie based around him called "The Robert Johnson Story"). | ||
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+ | In between tours and recording with [[Prince]], he continued to write songs and produce albums for other artists for [[Paisley Park Records]] ([[Album: Carmen Electra|Carmen Electra]], [[Album: The Voice|Mavis Staples]]), related artists ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martika Martika], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monie_Love Monie Love], [[Jevetta Steele]], [[The Steeles]]) and artists recording at [[Paisley Park Studios]] like ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Nunn Terri Nunn]). | ||
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+ | Between the [[Act I]] and [[Act II]] tours, Levi joins [[Prince]], [[Michael B.]], [[Sonny T.]] and [[Eric Leeds]] for a five-hour session yielding songs for a [[Madhouse]] album ([[Album: 24 (1994)|24]] that remains unreleased). | ||
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+ | '''NPG Records''' | ||
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+ | After the [[Act II]] tour, [[The NPG]] is reduced to [[Michael B.]] on drums, [[Sonny T.]] on bass, and [[Tommy Barbarella]] and [[Morris Hayes]] on keyboards. [[Prince]] asked Levi to take the reins of the new label he created to replace [[Paisley Park Records]]: [[NPG Records]]. [[Karen Lee]], his girlfriend, was in charge of the advertising for the label. But a year later, in November 1994, Levi and [[Karen Lee]] resigned while [[Prince]] was overseas. No reason was given for their sudden departure but it was said at Levi Seacer, Jr. had little interest in running a record label, particularly one so plagued with problems as [[NPG Records]] was. | ||
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+ | |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 such as [[Sexy M.F.]] and [[My Name Is Prince]] they wrote with him. 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. | ||
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+ | 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. | ||
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+ | 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 his first album under his own name, titled '''2wo 4our 1one''' in 2010, with saxophonist Ric Alexander. 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]]". | ||
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+ | |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. 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 --> | ||
+ | |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 Prince’s band: [[21 March 1987|21 March 1987 Minneapolis, First Avenue]] | ||
+ | |performed regularly on = '''[[Sign O’ The Times Tour]]''': band member | ||
+ | *'''[[Lovesexy Tour]] ''': band member | ||
+ | *'''[[Nude Tour]] ''': band member | ||
+ | *'''[[Diamonds And Pearls Tour]]''': band member | ||
+ | *'''[[Act I]]''': band member | ||
+ | *'''[[Act II]]''': band member | ||
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+ | |performed occasionally in = [[All_Concerts#1991|1991]] | ||
+ | <!-- discography --> | ||
+ | |records w/prince = '''Singles''':<br> | ||
+ | :1989: [[Single: Scandalous!|The Scandalous Sex Suite]] (non-album track : [[Sex]]) | ||
+ | :1990: [[Single: New Power Generation|New Power Generation]] | ||
+ | :1991: [[Single: Gett Off|Gett Off]] | ||
+ | :1991: [[Single: Cream|Cream]] | ||
+ | :1992: [[Single: Money Don’t Matter 2 Night|Money Don’t Matter 2 Night]] | ||
+ | :1992: [[Single: Willing And Able|Willing And Able]] | ||
+ | :1992: [[Single: Sexy M.F.|Sexy M.F.]] | ||
+ | :1992: [[Single: Damn U|Damn U]] | ||
+ | :1992: [[Single: The Morning Papers|The Morning Papers]] | ||
+ | :1993: [[Single: Nothing Compares 2 U|Nothing Compares 2 U]] | ||
+ | :1999: [[Single: Extraordinary|Extraordinary]] | ||
+ | :1999: [[Single: The Rest Of My Life|The Rest Of My Life]] | ||
+ | :1999: [[Single: 5 Women|5 Women]] | ||
+ | :1999: [[Single: It’s About That Walk|It’s About That Walk]] | ||
+ | *'''Albums''': | ||
+ | :1990: [[Album: Lovesexy|Lovesexy]] | ||
+ | :1990: [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] | ||
+ | :1991: [[Album: Diamonds And Pearls| Diamonds And Pearls]] | ||
+ | :1992: [[File:Symbolblue.png|link=Album: Symbol]] | ||
+ | :1999: [[Album: The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale|The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale]] | ||
+ | |records w/associates = '''Singles''':<br> | ||
+ | :1987: [[Sheila E.]] - [[Single: Love On A Blue Train|Love On A Blue Train]] | ||
+ | :1987: [[Sheila E.]] - [[Single: Koo Koo|Koo Koo]] on the non-album track “Paradise Gardens” | ||
+ | :1987: [[Madhouse]] - [[Single: 10|10]] | ||
+ | :1987: [[Madhouse]] - [[Single: 13|13]] | ||
+ | :1989: [[Brown Mark|Brownmark]]- [[Single: Bang Bang|Bang Bang]] | ||
+ | :1990: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_Creole_and_the_Coconuts Kid Creole And The Coconuts]- [[Single: The Sex Of It|The Sex Of It]] | ||
+ | :1990: [[Elisa Fiorillo]] - [[Single: On The Way Up|On The Way Up]] | ||
+ | :1990: [[Elisa Fiorillo]] - [[Single: Oooh This I Need|Oooh This I Need]] | ||
+ | :1991: [[The Time]] - [[Single: Shake!|Shake!]] | ||
+ | :1992: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martika Martika] - [[Single: Spirit|Spirit]] | ||
+ | :1992: [[Ingrid Chavez]] - [[Single: Heaven Must Be Near|Heaven Must Be Near]] | ||
+ | :1993: [[Carmen Electra]] - [[Single: Everybody Get On Up|Everybody Get On Up]] | ||
+ | :1993: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monie_Love Monie Love] - [[Single: Born 2 B.R.E.E.D.|Born 2 B.R.E.E.D.]] | ||
+ | :1993: [[Jevetta Steele]] - [[Single: Hold Me|Hold Me]] | ||
+ | :1993: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mavis_Staples Mavis Staples] - [[Single:_The Voice|The Voice]] | ||
+ | :1993: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mavis_Staples Mavis Staples] - [[Single: Blood Is Thicker Than Time|Blood Is Thicker Than Time]] | ||
+ | :1993: [[Margie Cox]] - [[Single: Standing At The Altar|Standing At The Altar]] | ||
+ | :1995: [[Rosie Gaines]] - [[Single: I Want U|I Want U]] | ||
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+ | *'''Albums''':<br> | ||
+ | :1987: [[Sheila E.]] - [[Album: Sheila E.|Sheila E.]] | ||
+ | :1987: [[Madhouse]] - [[Album: 16|16]] | ||
+ | :1989: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mavis_Staples Mavis Staples] - [[Album: Time Waits For No One|Time Waits For No One]] | ||
+ | :1989: [[Brown Mark|Brownmark]] - [[Album: Good Feeling|Good Feeling]] | ||
+ | :1989: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahoru_Kohiruimaki Kahoru Kohiruimaki] - [[Album: Time The Motion|Time The Motion]] | ||
+ | :1990: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_Creole_and_the_Coconuts Kid Creole And The Coconuts] - [[Album: Private Waters In The Great Divide|Private Waters In The Great Divide]] | ||
+ | :1990: [[Elisa Fiorillo]] - [[Album: I Am|I Am]] | ||
+ | :1991: [[Eric Leeds]] - [[Album: Times Squared|Times Squared]] | ||
+ | :1991: [[Jevetta Steele]] - [[Album: Here It Is|Here It Is]] (1991 French release) | ||
+ | :1991: [[T.C. Ellis]] - [[Album: True Confessions|True Confessions]] | ||
+ | :1991: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martika Martika] - [[Album: Martika’s Kitchen|Martika’s Kitchen]] | ||
+ | :1991: [[Ingrid Chavez]] - [[Album: May 19 1992|Ingrid Chavez]] | ||
+ | :1993: [[Jevetta Steele]] - [[Album: Here It Is|Here It Is]] (1993 Worlwide release) | ||
+ | :1993: [[Carmen Electra]] - [[Album: Carmen Electra|Carmen Electra]] | ||
+ | :1993: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louie_Louie_(musician) Louie Louie] - [[Album: Let’s Get Started|Let’s Get Started]] | ||
+ | :1993: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monie_Love Monie Love] - [[Album: In A Word Or 2|In A Word Or 2]] | ||
+ | :1993: [[The Steeles]] - [[Album: Heaven Help Us All|Heaven Help Us All]] | ||
+ | :1993: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mavis_Staples Mavis Staples] - [[Album: The Voice|The Voice]] | ||
+ | :1993: [[The NPG]] - [[Album: Gold Nigga|Gold Nigga]] | ||
+ | :1994: Various artists - [[Album:_1-800_New_Funk|1-800 New Funk]] | ||
+ | :1995: [[Rosie Gaines]] - [[Album: Closer Than Close|Closer Than Close]] | ||
+ | :1995: [[Mayte]] - [[Album: Child Of The Sun|Child Of The Sun]] | ||
+ | :2009: [[Rosie Gaines]] - [[Album: Concrete Jungle|Concrete Jungle]] | ||
+ | |self productions = '''Singles''': None | ||
+ | : | ||
+ | *'''Albums''': None | ||
+ | <!-- other info --> | ||
+ | |trivia = | ||
+ | |see also = '''[[The Flesh]]''' | ||
+ | *'''[[Madhouse]]''' | ||
+ | *'''[[The NPG|The New Power Generation]]''' | ||
+ | <!-------REFERENCES -------> | ||
+ | |references = | ||
+ | <b>Personal website</b>: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/levi-seacer-8bb4199a Linkedin.com] | ||
+ | *<b>Social medias</b>: [https://fr-fr.facebook.com/levi.seacer/ Facebook]; [https://twitter.com/blueguitar777 Twitter]; | ||
+ | *<b>Biography elements</b>: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_Seacer,_Jr. Wikipedia:Levi Seacer,Jr. page] | ||
+ | *<b>Discography</b>: [https://www.discogs.com/fr/artist/79904-Levi-Seacer-Jr?noanv=1 Discogs] | ||
+ | *<b>Press</b>: | ||
+ | : [http://www.waxpoetics.com/blog/features/articles/tony-toni-tone-founder-dwayne-wiggins-speaks-in-depth-about-their-1990-smash-album-the-revival/Tony! Toni! Toné! founder D’Wayne Wiggins speaks in depth about their 1990 smash album The Revival''' by ''Chris Williams'' (Wax Poetics: 12 February 2016)] | ||
+ | : [http://articles.latimes.com/1989-08-06/entertainment/ca-459_1_prince'''Prince: Back to the Movies''' by ''Paul Grein'' (LA Times: 06 August 1989)] | ||
+ | <!-------CATEGORIES -------> | ||
+ | |categories = [[Category:Biographies]][[Category:Musicians]][[Category:NPG]][[Category:Producers]] | ||
}} | }} |
Latest revision as of 08:07, 7 August 2022
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