Geoff Levin

Geoff Levin (born September 14, 1945) is an American rock musician, film/television composer and songwriter. Performing as part of the Black Mountain Boys with Jerry Garcia in the early years of his career, in 1968 his own group, People!, scored a hit record(I Love You) on Capital Records.[1] People![2] Together with Geoffrey Lewis (actor) in 1970, he created Celestial Navigations, a storytelling group, that produced 8 albums, several made the Billboard (New Age) charts. He co-composed and co-produced "The Janitor", an Academy Award-nominated animated short based on a story by Geoffrey Lewis (actor) from the album Celestial Navigations.[3][4][5] Levin has scored over 40 full-length films and has created music used in many TV shows including The Sopranos, Chicago Fire, The Good Wife, Friends, Bloodline, SNL, Game of Thrones, Friday Night Lights, CSI, and Weeds. He co-wrote the theme song for Jakers, an Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning PBS animated series. In addition, he composed music for James Cameron's deep sea documentary, The Last Mysteries of the Titanic.[6] In 2007, as part of People!, Levin was inducted into San Jose's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[7][8][9]

Geoff Levin
Geoff Levin
Background information
Born (1945-09-14) September 14, 1945
San Francisco, California United States
OriginUnited States
GenresRock, Blues, Film Score, Country, Pop
Occupation(s)Composer, Songwriter, Producer, Guitarist
InstrumentsGuitar, Banjo, Keyboards
Years active1964–present
Websitegeofflevin.com

Biography

Levin was born in San Francisco, California, to Manny Levin and Esther Bloom. Levin grew up in San Jose and attended Willow Glen High School.[10] He began playing the guitar at 16 and started performing at 17.[10] He performed regularly at Offstage, a folk club in San Jose founded by Paul Foster that later hosted artists including the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Kantner, Jerry Garcia[11][12] David Freiberg and David Crosby, Odetta, Jesse Fuller, The Albin Brothers (members of Janis Joplin's band) and Malvina Reynolds.[10] Levin attended San Jose State University and performed with numerous artists including Jerry Garcia and The Blackmountain Boys and his own band, The Piney Creek Ramblers with his brother Robbie Levin.[10][13]

In 2017, Levin's former band People! decided to come back together to start recording their new Album which includes the single Eve of Destruction. Current members include, Gene Mason, Denny Fridkin, Robb Levin, Geoff Levin, and John Tristao.[14][15][16][17]

People!

Levin is the former member of the rock band People!.[1] People! In a recent article by Tony Ortega the band will revive itself in 2018 after the band broke up 50 years ago as post scientologists to finalize their comeback album.[18][15][17][19]

Producing

Levin helped produced the album Tusks & Horns for artist Mayuka Thaïs which was released in May 2014.[20][21] Levin and Thaïs performed the single off the album Tusks & Horns at the Global March for Elephants & Rhinos on October 4, 2014.[22]

Collaboration

For her exhibition held at the Carnegie Art Museum (Oxnard, California) Levin collaborated with artist Bobbie Moline-Kramer by adding auditory experience to complement the art pieces.[23][24][13]

Personal life

In 1975, Levin met Diana Canova and in 1976 they were married. They divorced in 1979. In 1993 Levin married Lisa London and had two children, son Collin, and daughter Savannah. Levin and London divorced in 2006.[10][25]

Discography

Films

Year Title Director Studio Notes
1983 The Measure of America Tom Solari Solari Communications N/A
1987 Heart James Lemmo New World Pictures N/A
1999 Spies and Lovers Gary Graver International Investment Holdings Ltd. N/A
1989 Beyond the Stars David Saperstein Five Star Entertainment N/A
1989 Dreamers Robert F. Lyons Midsummer Productions N/A
1990 Nerds of a Feather Gary Graver N/A N/A
1994 Skins Wings Hauser Single Wing Productions N/A
1995 The Janitor Vanessa Schwartz National Film Board of Canada Academy Award-nominated animated short based on a story by Geoffrey Lewis from the album Celestial Navigations.
1997 I'll Be Home for Christmas Jerry London Fremantle Media North America N/A
1997 Mobius Noel Sterrett Admit One Pictures N/A
1998 Second Chances James Fargo Rhineberger Organization Inc. N/A
1999 Jimmy Zip Robert McGinley N/A N/A
1999 A Kid Called Danger Eric Hendershot Speedy Films N/A
1999 Wasted in Babylon Joshua McGowan N/A N/A
1999 The Last Great Ride Ralph E. Portillo Mosquito Productions N/A
2000 The Smokers Kat Slater International Production Company N/A
2000 The Black Rose Steven Rush Handheld Productions N/A
2001 Extreme Honor Steven Rush Handheld Productions N/A
2002 Bloody Crisis Gerald Barclay Gee-Bee Productions N/A
2002 Hungry Hearts Rolf Schrader Ascension 7 Films N/A
2002 Hello Tom Cadman N/A N/A
2003 Moving Alan Christopher Shelton Destiny Entertainment N/A
2003 The Ghost Club Ralph E. Portillo Hemisphere Entertainment N/A
2003 The Wager Henry Crum N/A N/A
2003 A.N.I. 1240 Rolf Schrader American Film Institute N/A
2003 Double Negative Tue Walin Storm American Film Institute N/A
2003 Underdog Scott Leberecht N/A N/A
2003 One of Them Ralph E. Portillo MTI Home Video N/A
2003 Natural Selection Scott Leberecht N/A N/A
2004 Undercover Kids Ralph E. Portillo Hemisphere Entertainment N/A
2004 Quiet Kill Mark Jones Esoteric Pictures N/A
2004 Among Thieves Oscar Daniels Red Sea Films N/A
2004 Haunted House Conrad John N/A N/A
2005 United Taron Lexton TXL Films N/A
2005 Searching for Bobby D Paul Borghese Neighborhood Filmworks N/A
2008 Kemper Rick Bitzelberger Mainline Releasing N/A
2005 Made for Each Other Brad White White Film Production N/A
2005 Last Mysteries of the Titanic Neil Flagg Discovery Channel N/A
2005 Confessions of a Pit Fighter Art Camacho Alliance Group Entertainment N/A
2006 Strip Poker Alex D'Lerma Tostado Productions N/A
2006 House of the Rising Sun Bill Balas AYM Films N/A
2006 Who Made the Potatoe Salad? Coke Daniels Dos Bros. LLC N/A
2006 Social Security Guard Jason Cook N/A N/A
2007 Agenda Jonathan de la Luz Azisa Pictures N/A
2007 The Rat Thing Kevin Keresey Relentless Productions N/A
2007 The Tehuacan Project Andrew Lauer Reel-Aid N/A
2007 Born Richard Friedman Devil's Child Picture Company N/A
2007 From Fire: An Odyssey of Glass Karen Lavender LiveTribe Productions N/A
2007 Yours Truly Tom Wozny N/A N/A
2008 The Grift Ralph E. Portillo Hemisphere Entertainment N/A
2008 Triloquist Mark Jones Sawyers Levine Jones Productions N/A
2008 America's Phoneless Ted Prescott Prince / Prescott Productions N/A
2008 Nine Fourteen Carolyn Bevacqua N/A N/A
2009 Set Apart Ralph E. Portillo Hemisphere Entertainment N/A
2009 Becoming Jesse Tate Ralph E. Portillo GodFilms N/A
2009 Flying By Jim Amatulli Arte Films N/A
2009 Spaceman on Earth Shant Hamassian N/A N/A
2011 Dreams Awake Jerry Alden Deal Susan Johnston Casting N/A
2011 Midnight Son Scott Leberecht Free Lunch Productions N/A
2012 Henry Collin Mckenzee Levin N/A N/A
2012 iVOTE Rob Adler N/A N/A
2013 Avec amour Collin Mckenzee Levin N/A N/A
2013 Halfway to Hell Richard Friedman APT. 1B Productions N/A
2013 The Homecoming Jan Tussing Blue Boots Entertainment N/A
2013 Noah Hammer Joao Gabriel Kowalski N/A N/A
2013 Flabbergasted Bruno B. Campelo N/A N/A
2014 Finding Harmony Dagen Merrill Once Upon A Dream N/A
2016 In Search of Liberty Norm Novitsky Blu Nile Films N/A

Television

TitleYearNotes
Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour1988-1989Paul Brownstein Productions
Street Sharks1994-1996DIC Entertainment
What if1996Barraclough Carey Productions
Perfect Assassins1998Promark Entertainment Group
Beauty1998Citadel Entertainment
As Time Runs Out1999Fremantle Media North America
Riddle of the Desert Mummies1999Terra Nova Television
Sabrina, The Animated Series1999Buena Vista Television
K2: Surviving the Mountain2001National Geographic Channel
Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks2003Entara Ltd.
UnDetectables2005Discovery Channel
ChalkZone2004-2005Frederator Studios
Last Mysteries of the Titanic2005Last Mysteries of the Titanic
Random! Cartoons2007Frederator Studios

TV Movie

Year Title Director Studio Notes
1992 The Price She Paid Fred Walton Sandyhook Productions N/A
1997 I'll Be Home for Christmas Jerry London Fremantle Media North America N/A
1999 As Time Runs Out John de Graaf N/A
2001 The Valley of the T-Rex Reuben Aaronson Discovery Channel N/A

Documentary

Year Title Director Studio Notes
2005 Answering the Call: Ground Zero's Volunteers Lou Angeli Chesca Media Group LLC N/A
2007 Google Me N/A Killeen Films N/A

Video

TitleYearDirectorNotes
Hot Boyz2002Master PNo Limit Films
Far on Foot2001Stephanie R.M. SmithSisyphs Productions
Dark Wolf2003Richard FriedmanDarkWolf Picture Company LLC
One of Them2003N/AN/A
Maisie Undercover: Shadow Boxer2006J.W. McHausenMRG Entertainment
Succubus: Hell-Bent2007Kim BassV1 Cut Productions
Kemper2008Rick BitzelbergerMainline Releasing

Albums

TitleArtistYearRoleLabels
Little Wheel Spin and SpinBuffy Sainte-Marie1966Lead GuitarVanguard
I Love YouPeople!1968Lead guitarCapital Records
Both Sides of PeoplePeople!1969Lead guitarCapital Records
Isle of YouJimmy Spheeris1971Lead guitarCBS
Original Tap Dancing KidJimmy Spheeris1973Lead guitarEpic
The Eloquent ElephantDick Glass1974Lead GuitarMoonwatcher
Falling into SpringRita Coolidge1974Energy bow, dobroA&M Records
Wings LivinryteWings Hauser1975Elbow, GuitarRCA Victor
The Dragon Is DancingJimmy Spheeris1975Lead GuitarEpic
Port of the HeartJimmy Spheeris1976Lead guitaristEpic
Laverne and Shirley SingLaverne and Shirley1976SongwriterOh Gee!
Live at McCabesLarry McNeely, Geoff Levin, and Jack Skinner1977N/AFlying Fish
ConfederationLarry McNeely, Geoff Levin, and Jack Skinner1977N/ASheffield Labs
Celestial Navigations Chapter 1Celestial Navigations1986N/AK-tel
Celestial Navigations Chapter 2Celestial Navigations1989N/AN/A
After MidnightLarry McNeely, Geoff Levin, and Jack Skinner1990N/ASheffield Labs
Celestial Navigations Ice Chapter 3Celestial Navigations1992N/AN/A
Celestial Navigations Road Train Chapter 4Celestial Navigations1995N/AN/A
Celestial Navigations The Connection Chapter 5Celestial Navigations2005N/AN/A
Live at the MatrixCelestial Navigations2006N/AN/A
Celestial Navigations Space Racer Chapter 6Celestial Navigations2008N/AN/A
Celestial Navigations War Chapter 7Celestial Navigations2008N/AN/A
Tusks & HornsMayuka Thaïs2014ProducerIndependent

Singles

TitleArtistYearRoleLabels
I Love YouPeople!1968Lead guitarCapitol Records
I Love You/Somebody Tell Me My NamePeople!1968Lead guitarCapitol Records
Crying ShoesPeople!1968Lead guitarCapitol Records
Apple Cider/Ashes of MePeople!1968Lead guitarCapitol Records
Ulla/Turnin' Me InPeople!1968Lead guitarCapitol Records

Video interviews

Awards

Year Award Category Work Result
2013 Action on Film Best Score- Feature Half Way to Hell Nominated
gollark: You should stop using go.
gollark: RL networking or CC?
gollark: Now to figure out where my mysterious extra disk drive is.
gollark: It probably did have files on it. Never mind.
gollark: Wait, I think there was a weird mixup and I was reading from a different disk drive somehow.

References

  1. Harris, Ron. "Split over Scientology, '60's band 'People' Reunites for One Night". Religion News Blog. The Salinas Californian. Retrieved October 22, 2007.
  2. Levin, Geoff. "eople!: The '60s rock hitmakers with the Larry Norman connection". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  3. Barnes, Mike. "Geoffrey Lewis, Frequent Co-Star of Clint Eastwood, Dies at 79". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  4. "Celestial Navigations". Celestial Navigations.
  5. "Haunted House Movie". Haunted House Movie.
  6. Cameron, James (2012). James Cameron: Interviews. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781617031311.
  7. "San Jose Rocks". Retrieved June 23, 2007.
  8. Levin, Geoff. "Geoff Levin". Geoff Levin. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  9. "Dreams Awake". Dreams Awake Movie. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  10. Levin, Geoff. "About". Geoff Levin. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  11. "Hear Jerry Garcia Perform Rare 'Deep Elem Blues' From New Garcia Box Set". Rolling Stones. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  12. "Round Records Shares 2 Jerry Garcia 'Before The Dead' Singles". Jam Base. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  13. "APM Music - Composer Geoff Levin Creates Music From Abstract Art". www.apmmusic.com. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  14. "The Jerry Bovino Show". Grassrootstv. Archived from the original on August 30, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  15. Levin, Geoff. "People!: The '60s rock hitmakers with the Larry Norman connection". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  16. "The Reinvigoration of a Classic 60s Rock Group". SF GATE. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  17. Kaplan, Michael (January 26, 2019). "Scientology is using international stars to lure in new recruits". The New York Post. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  18. Ortega, Tony. "Fifty years later and post-Scientology, 60's band People! aims for a comeback". The Underground Bunker. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  19. Gardner, Chris. "Chuck Lorre Dabbled in Scientology in the '70s". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  20. "Mayuka Thais About". Mayuka Thais. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  21. "Beyond the zoo gates". Issh International. The International. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  22. "Global March For Elephants & Rhinos 2014". Bands in Town. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  23. Seiden, Franceasca. "Bobbie Moline-Kramer Our Willingness To Experience Art Through One Thing". LA i creative. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  24. "As Above So Below Bobbie Moline-Kramer Artist Reception". zoomdune.com. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  25. "NNDB". nndb.com. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  26. "An interview with Mat Gleason". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  27. "The Jerry Bovino Show - "Rock and Roll Brothers" with Robbie Levin, Geoff Levin, and Host Jerry Bovino". Archived from the original on August 30, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
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