O'Donel Levy -

O’Donel Levy (September 20, 1945 – March 14, 2016) was an American R&B guitarist who released six albums between 1971 and 1976 on Groove Merchant.

Background

Levy was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He took up guitar as a child while his brother, Stafford Levy, chose drums. O’Donel enrolled as a music major at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

He earned his first recorded credit on Black Pearl, the 1971 Blue Note release by soul-jazz organist Jimmy McGriff. That year, Levy became the inaugural act on Groove Merchant, an R&B/jazz label launched by producer Sonny Lester, the former head of United Artists’ jazz division, Solid State.

Black Velvet

O’Donel Levy released his debut album, Black Velvet, in 1971 on Groove Merchant.

The album presents Levy’s guitar within a relaxed, soulful framework that mixes light funk, jazz, and easy-paced R&B. Its sound balances polished chart material with two original numbers that highlight Levy’s voice as a composer.

Levy wrote “Granny” and “Nature’s Child.” The set also contains covers of Michel Legrand (“Watch What Happens”), Billy Reid (“I’ll Close My Eyes”), Francis Lai (“Love Story”), The Delfonics (“Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)”), Jackson 5 (“I’ll Be There”), Erroll Garner (“Misty”), Petula Clark (“Call Me”), and Brenda Holloway (“You’ve Made Me So Very Happy”).

The two Levy compositions show him in a looser setting, while the covers emphasize soulful pacing and atmospheric textures. “Granny” opens with a spacious guitar figure underpinned by organ and tenor sax, while “Nature’s Child” rides a mellow pulse. The standards “Misty” and “I’ll Close My Eyes” highlight Levy’s phrasing against soft keyboard voicings, while the Motown numbers lean into rhythm-section interplay. “Watch What Happens” and “Love Story” keep the program tethered to contemporary pop, but the treatments retain a warm ensemble feel.

A1. “Watch What Happens” (3:33) originated in the 1964 French musical film Umbrellas of Cherbourg.
A2. “Granny” (4:24)
A3. “I’ll Close My Eyes” (5:05)
A4. “Nature’s Child” (3:48)
A5. “Love Story” (2:09)

B1. “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” (3:06) composed by Thom Bell and William Hart.
B2. “I’ll Be There” (4:12)
B3. “Misty” (4:26)
B4. “Call Me” (4:03)
B5. “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” (4:24) originated as a 1967 Tamla single by Brenda Holloway, co-written with Frank Wilson, Berry Gordy, and Brenda’s younger sister, and Patrice Holloway (of Josie & The Pussycats). Blood Sweat & Tears scored an evergreen hit with their 1968 jazz-rock version.

Levy played guitar with Billy Skinner on trumpet, Arthur “Fats” Theus on tenor saxophone and flute, Charles Covington on electric piano and organ, Alarza Lee Collins on bass, Chester Thompson on drums, Nathaniel Rice Jr. on congas, and William Thorpe on percussion.

Sessions occurred in 1971 at a New York City studio with producer Sonny Lester.

Breeding of Mind

O’Donel Levy released his second album, Breeding of Mind, in 1972 on Groove Merchant.

The album pairs Levy with arranger Manny Albam, who scored the first side in bold orchestrations that frame the guitarist’s tone with strings, flugelhorns, and baroque textures. The remaining tracks lean on a compact rhythm trio with organ, bass, and drums.

Levy composed “Breeding of Mind,” “Cherries,” “Ideal,” and “The Chocolate Horse.” He covers tunes by The Carpenters (“We’ve Only Just Begun”), Carole King (“It’s Too Late”), The Drifters (“On Broadway”), Jackson 5 (“Never Can Say Goodbye”), Al Green (“Let’s Stay Together”), and the pop standard “Angel Eyes.”

Levy’s originals reveal the sharpest contours of his style, with “Cherries” and “The Chocolate Horse” highlighting rhythmic interplay between guitar and organ. The title track moves with a taut pace under Albam’s string accents, while “Ideal” expands the mood in lighter, chamber-like strokes. The covers range from soul material (“Never Can Say Goodbye,” “Let’s Stay Together”) to reworked pop ballads (“We’ve Only Just Begun,” “It’s Too Late”), each given extended phrasing and subtle rhythmic push.

A1. “We’ve Only Just Begun” (3:57) composed by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams.
A2. “It’s Too Late” (3:35)
A3. “Breeding of Mind” (3:14)
A4. “Cherries” (4:04)
A5. “On Broadway” (3:37) written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller.

B1. “Ideal” (4:01)
B2. “Never Can Say Goodbye” (5:18)
B3. “Let’s Stay Together” (3:09)
B4. “The Chocolate Horse” (3:17)
B5. “Angel Eyes” (4:29) is a 1946 song by by Matt Dennis and Earl Brent, popularized in the 1953 mystery drama Jennifer.

Levy played guitar with Charles Covington on organ, Eric Ward on bass, and Chester Thompson on drums. Albam arranged and conducted the first four tracks, which feature Burt Collins and Joe Shepley on flugelhorn, a string section led by David Nadien, and cellists Kermit Moore, George Ricci, and Charles McCracken.

Sessions occurred in 1972 at a New York City studio with producer Sonny Lester.

Dawn of a New Day

O’Donel Levy released his third album, Dawn of a New Day, in early 1973 on Groove Merchant.

The album continues Levy’s collaboration with arranger Manny Albam, who scored the material in widescreen orchestrations that borrow from blaxploitation soundtracks as much as jazz and soul. The result is a bigger, bolder production than its predecessor, marked by panoramic textures and prominent brass.

Levy composed “Dawn of a New Day” and “Baa Waa.” The set also includes covers of Michael Jackson (“I Wanna Be Where You Are”) Roberta Flack (“Where Is the Love”), The Stylistics (“People Make the World Go Round”), Herbie Hancock (“Maiden Voyage”), Stevie Wonder (“Super Woman”), The Persuaders (“I Want to Make It with You”), and Wes Montgomery (“Goin’ on to Detroit”).

The title track opens the album with surging brass and tightly phrased guitar, while “Baa Waa” works a more playful rhythm. “Maiden Voyage” stretches into modal passages with layered horns, and “People Make the World Go Round” deepens into soul-jazz colors. “Super Woman” and “I Wanna Be Where You Are” highlight Levy’s phrasing against organ voicings from Charles Covington, while the Montgomery cover closes the set with direct lineage to Levy’s influences.

A1. “Dawn of a New Day” (4:14)
A2. “Baa Waa” (3:37)
A3. “I Wanna Be Where You Are” (3:32) originated on Jackson’s 1972 debut album Got to Be There, written by Arthur Ross and Leon Ware.
A4. “Where Is the Love” (2:34) written by Ralph MacDonald and William Slater.
A5. “People Make the World Go Round” (4:42) written by by Thom Bell and Linda Creed.

B1. “Maiden Voyage” (5:49)
B2. “Super Woman” (4:43)
B3. “I Want to Make It with You” (3:43)
B4. “Goin’ on to Detroit” (4:13)

Levy played guitar with trumpeters Cecil Bridgewater, Burt Collins, Jon Faddis, and Marvin Stamm; trombonists Wayne Andre, Eddie Burt, and William Watrous; Charles Covington on electric piano and organ; George Russell on bass; and Chester Thompson on drums. Albam arranged and conducted the album.

Sessions occurred in 1973 at a New York City studio with producer Sonny Lester.

Friday the 13th – Cook County Jail (live)

In 1973, Groove Merchant issued Friday the 13th – Cook County Jail, a live release joint-billed to Jimmy McGriff, Lucky Thompson, George Freeman, and O’Donel Levy.

The album documents two separate performances staged before inmates at Cook County Jail in 1972. McGriff led a quintet with Freeman, Levy, Mickey Bass, and Marion Booker Jr. on a two-part extended work, while Thompson fronted a different ensemble with Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Louis Hayes on three jazz standards.

Organist McGriff composed and performed the two-part “Freedom Suite.” Thompson interpreted “On Green Dolphin Street” (Bronislaw Kaper/Ned Washington), “Everything Happens to Me” (Tom Adair/Matt Dennis), and “Cherokee” (Ray Noble).

McGriff’s “Freedom Suite” unfolds in two extended sections marked by shifting dynamics between organ, twin guitars, and rhythm. Thompson’s half of the album contrasts with focused interpretations of established standards, his soprano saxophone carving angular and heated lines on “Cherokee” and applying a softer contour to “Everything Happens to Me.”

A1. “Freedom Suite, Part I”
A2. “Freedom Suite, Part II”
B1. “Green Dolphin Street”
B2. “Everything Happens to Me”
B3. “Cherokee”

Levy backed McGriff on the organist’s 1973 studio album Giants of the Organ Come Together and its live counterpart Giants of the Organ in Concert. O’Donel also appeared on 1973/74 albums by jazz singer Ethel Ennis (10 Sides of Ethel Ennis) and organist Groove Holmes (New Groove).

Simba

O’Donel Levy released his fourth album, Simba, in October 1973 on Groove Merchant.

The album presents Levy in a brass-heavy soul-jazz setting arranged by Manny Albam, backed by top New York session players. Its sound balances tightly orchestrated horn lines with fluid guitar passages, driven by the rhythm pairing of Tony Levin and Steve Gadd.

Albam composed five of the seven tracks and co-wrote “Playhouse” with Levy. The guitarist contributed two solo compositions, “Joni” and “Nigerian Knights.”

The first side highlights high-energy themes: “Bad, Bad Simba” opens with fast-paced interplay between horns and guitar, while “Kilimanjaro Cookout” rides a sharp rhythmic push. The second side offers a slower contrast with the wistful “Sierra Lonely” and the downbeat “Sad, Sad Simba.” Levy’s “Joni” stands out for its lyrical chord progressions, while “Nigerian Knights” closes with syncopated drive.

A1. “Bad, Bad Simba” (7:15)
A2. “Kilimanjaro Cookout” (4:56)
A3. “Playhouse” (4:41)

B1. “Sierra Lonely” (5:37)
B2. “Sad, Sad, Simba” (6:08)
B3. “Joni” (5:12)
B4. “Nigerian Knights” (5:09)

Sessions occurred on July 2 and 3, 1973, in New York City with producer Sonny Lester. Manny Albam arranged the album.

Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky

O’Donel Levy released his fifth album, Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky, in 1974 on Groove Merchant.

The album continues Levy’s jazz-funk trajectory but trades the orchestrated horn arrangements of Simba for a leaner, keyboard-led sound with guest brass and woodwinds on select tracks. The mix shifts between uptempo funk workouts, wah-wah filtered soul revisions, and ballad-style readings of standards.

Levy composed four of the eight tracks. He also covers Billy Preston (“Will It Go Round in Circles”), Stevie Wonder (“Livin’ for the City”), Blue Magic (“Sideshow”), and the pop standard (“Willow Weep for Me”). Keyboardist Charles Covington appears throughout, while arranger David Matthews shaped the horn charts on the opening numbers, which feature Lew Soloff, Michael Gibson, David Sanborn, and Joe Temperley.

The set opens with the choppy rhythm lines of the title track and the angular “Marbles.” “Will It Go Round in Circles” races at fast tempo, while “Livin’ for the City” gets stretched with wah-wah phrasing. Ballad moods surface in “Sideshow” and Levy’s restrained take on “Willow Weep for Me.” His own “Hey, Love!” and “Are You Foolin’ Me” show him working short, groove-centered themes with spare vocals and percussion backing.

A1. “Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky” (3:20)
A2. “Marbles” (6:25)
A3. “Will It Go Round in Circles” (3:20)
A4. “Livin’ for the City” (4:59)

B1. “Sideshow” (4:48) written by Bobby Eli and Vinnie Barrett.
B2. “Willow Weep for Me” (6:20) composed in 1932 by Ann Ronell.
B3. “Hey, Love!” (3:17)
B4. “Are You Foolin’ Me” (3:07)

Sessions took place in 1974 in New York City with producer Sonny Lester. David Matthews arranged the horn and reed charts on the opening tracks.

Windows

O’Donel Levy released his sixth album, Windows, in 1976 on Groove Merchant.

The album places Levy in a crossover jazz-funk setting with strings, horns, and occasional vocals, aligning him with the fusion-oriented mainstream of the mid-1970s. Its arrangements balance cinematic scope with nuanced rhythmic detail, highlighting Levy’s guitar phrasing in a lusher context than his prior outings.

Levy wrote all six tracks. His brother Stafford Levy plays drums, joined by bassist Gary Grainger, pianist and synthesist Charles Covington, saxophonist–flutist David E. Smith, trumpeter Jimmy Wilson, and percussionist Jimmy Maelen. Aleta Greene contributes vocals, while Brad Baker arranged and conducted the horn and string sections that feature Lew Soloff, Randy Brecker, Lew Del Gatto, George Young, Barry Rogers, Joe Randazzo, and a full string ensemble.

The set opens with the rhythm-driven “Panama Red” and the expansive “I Believe in Miracles.” “Freedom and Good Times” builds on brisk horn stabs, while “I’ll Sing from My Window” emphasizes the vocal presence. Side two blends the slippery contours of “Moisturizer” with the more straight-ahead pacing of “Green Machine.”

A1. “Panama Red” (6:34)
A2. “I Believe in Miracles” (5:45)
A3. “Freedom and Good Times” (5:28)

B1. “I’ll Sing from My Window” (5:36)
B2. “Moisturizer” (6:22)
B3. “Green Machine” (5:14)

Sessions occurred in August 1976 at Track Studios in Washington, D.C., with producer Sonny Lester. Brad Baker arranged and conducted the horn and string sections.

Time Has Changed

O’Donel Levy released his seventh album, Time Has Changed, in 1977 on LRC.

The album places Levy in a polished jazz-funk setting with layered instrumentation, strings, and horns. It emphasizes a large-scale production that alternates between expansive instrumental passages and sections where Levy’s guitar pushes through the dense arrangements.

Levy composed all six tracks. Pianist Robert Butta also plays synthesizer, while Aleta Greene provides vocals on select passages. The lineup includes bassist Marcel Turner, drummer Bob Wyatt, percussionist Jimmy Maelen, trumpeter Jimmy Wilson, saxophonist–flutist David E. Smith, and flutist George Young.

The first side spans the title track, marked by shifting rhythmic contours, the brisk “Have You Heard,” and the concise “Dancing Girl.” Side two stretches into extended forms with “Butta,” the funk-paced “Sophisticated Disco,” and the closing ballad “Love Will Never Die.”

A1. “Time Has Changed” (7:16)
A2. “Have You Heard” (6:28)
A3. “Dancing Girl” (4:34)

B1. “Butta” (7:25)
B2. “Sophisticated Disco” (5:42)
B3. “Love Will Never Die” (7:16)

Sessions occurred between April and July 1977 at Flite Three Studios in Baltimore and Mediasound in New York with producer Sonny Lester and engineer Ed Stasium.

Time Has Changed features cover design and illustration by Hal Wilson with art direction by Andrew R. Miele Jr.

Discography:

Black Velvet (1971)
Breeding of Mind (1972)
Dawn of a New Day (1973)
Friday the 13th – Cook County Jail (live, 1973 • Jimmy McGriff, Lucky Thompson, George Freeman & O’Donel Levy)
Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (1973)
Simba (1974)
Windows (1976)
Time Has Changed (1977)