The Levin Brothers – ‘Not So Square Dance’ [Review]

levin brothersIf you’re a regular TMMP reader, jazz is probably not your thing. If that’s the case, don’t switch over to Facebook or porn or whatever other services people use the Internet for – instead, picture a jazz band in your head. Imagine them running through a tune.

If you’re anything like I was before I fell in love with jazz, you’re probably imagining three or four or more po-faced and arrogant musos standing/sitting very still and playing horribly plain and regimented lines of notes punctuated by equally mechanical chords. But the video below is different.

This is what jazz really is (at least, when it’s done properly): It’s inventive, vibrant, and full of personality. It’s the sound of incredibly gifted and passionate musicians expressing themselves in the moment – the same basic thing that great rock and metal players do, only this way it sounds different. Fucking cool, right?

I’m willing to bet that whatever you’re normally into, you’ll find something really eye-opening and interesting via Not So Square Dance. Maybe the next time you’re out on an upmarket date with a significant other, you’ll manage to find something to appreciate about the background music rather than finding yourself consumed with the desire to stuff your ears with the entrées. Maybe you’ll find something cool to discuss with your grandparents; maybe a friend will suddenly reveal themselves as a closet jazz fiend and you’ll find something completely new to bond over. Or perhaps you’ll end up digging into the Levin Brothers’ full album (reviewed here), exploring Tony and Pete Levin’s previous work, and finding yourself arriving at the roots of some of the greatest forward-thinking music of our time.

Click play on one of the coolest, quirkiest, and most excellent jazz-related videos out there – and see what happens.

Links / Video

Read TMMP’s review of the full Levin Brothers LP here.

Check out TMMP’s interview with Tony Levin here.

Follow TMMP on Twitter for more awesome music! If you’re a regular reader, thanks for the support! Don’t stop, and keep going!

Posted on 18 September 2014

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