Geoff Levin

{{Short description|American musician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Geoff Levin

| image = Geoff Levin.jpg

| landscape = yes

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1945|9|14}}

| birth_place = San Francisco, California United States

| genre = Rock, blues, film score, country, pop

| origin = United States

| occupation = Composer, songwriter, producer, guitarist

| instruments = Guitar, banjo, keyboards

| associated_acts = Geoffrey Lewis, People!, Celestial Navigations, David Campbell, Mayuka Thaïs

| years_active = 1964–present

| website = [http://www.geofflevin.com/ geofflevin.com]

}}

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 Capitol Records.{{cite web|last1=Harris|first1=Ron|title=Split over Scientology, '60's band 'People' Reunites for One Night|url=http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19712/people|website=Religion News Blog|date=October 22, 2007 |publisher=The Salinas Californian|access-date=October 22, 2007}} Together with Geoffrey Lewis 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 from the album Celestial Navigations.{{cite web|last1=Barnes|first1=Mike|title=Geoffrey Lewis, Frequent Co-Star of Clint Eastwood, Dies at 79|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/geoffrey-lewis-dead-clint-eastwood-787156|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 7, 2015 |access-date=April 7, 2015}}{{cite web|title=Celestial Navigations|url=http://www.celestialnavigations.com/|website=Celestial Navigations}}{{cite web|title=Haunted House Movie|url=http://www.hauntedhousemovie.net/crew.html|website=Haunted House Movie}}

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, Last Mysteries of the Titanic.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W1-D-Zv3V4oC&dq=%22Geoff+Levin%22&pg=PR38|title=James Cameron: Interviews|last=Cameron|first=James|date=2012|publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi|isbn=9781617031311|language=en}} In 2007, as part of People!, Levin was inducted into San Jose's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.{{cite web|title=San Jose Rocks|url=http://www.sanjoserocks.org/inductees.htm|access-date=June 23, 2007}}{{cite web|last1=Levin|first1=Geoff|title=Geoff Levin|url=http://www.geofflevin.com/|website=Geoff Levin|access-date=December 24, 2016}}{{cite web|title=Dreams Awake|url=http://www.dreamsawakemovie.com/filmmakers/|website=Dreams Awake Movie|access-date=February 24, 2017}}

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.{{cite web|last1=Levin|first1=Geoff|title=About|url=http://www.geofflevin.com/about-me|website=Geoff Levin|access-date=January 7, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He began playing the guitar at 16 and started performing at 17. 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{{cite magazine |title=Hear Jerry Garcia Perform Rare 'Deep Elem Blues' From New Garcia Box Set |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/hear-jerry-garcia-perform-rare-deep-elem-blues-from-new-garcia-box-set-627792/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=April 12, 2018 |access-date=November 2, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Round Records Shares 2 Jerry Garcia 'Before The Dead' Singles |url=https://www.jambase.com/article/round-records-shares-2-jerry-garcia-dead-singles |website=Jam Base |access-date=November 2, 2018}} David Freiberg and David Crosby, Odetta, Jesse Fuller, The Albin Brothers (members of Janis Joplin's band) and Malvina Reynolds. Levin attended San Jose State University and performed with numerous artists including Jerry Garcia and the Black Mountain Boys and his own band, The Piney Creek Ramblers with his brother Robbie Levin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.apmmusic.com/blog/apm-news/composer-geoff-levin-creates-music-from-abstract-art|title=APM Music - Composer Geoff Levin Creates Music From Abstract Art|website=www.apmmusic.com|language=en|access-date=August 13, 2017}}

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.{{cite web|title=The Jerry Bovino Show|url=http://www.grassrootstv.org/view?showID=14939|website=Grassrootstv|access-date=October 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830073858/http://www.grassrootstv.org/view?showID=14939|archive-date=August 30, 2018|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |last1=Levin |first1=Geoff |title=People!: The '60s rock hitmakers with the Larry Norman connection |url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/People_The_60s_rock_hitmakers_with_the_Larry_Norman_connection_/64361/p1/ |website=Cross Rhythms |access-date=December 21, 2018}}{{cite web |title=The Reinvigoration of a Classic 60s Rock Group |url=https://blog.sfgate.com/storystudio/2019/04/08/the-reinvigoration-of-a-classic-60s-rock-group/ |website=SF GATE |date=April 8, 2019 |access-date=16 April 2019}}

Career

=People!=

Levin is the former member of the rock band People!.

=Producing=

Levin helped produced the album Tusks & Horns for artist Mayuka Thaïs which was released in May 2014.{{cite web|title=Mayuka Thais About|url=http://www.mayukathais.com/about|website=Mayuka Thais|access-date=January 7, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Beyond the zoo gates|url=http://isshinternational.org/3897/showcase/mayuka-thais/|website=Issh International|publisher=The International|access-date=January 7, 2017}} Levin and Thaïs performed the single off the album Tusks & Horns at the Global March for Elephants & Rhinos on October 4, 2014.{{cite web|title=Global March For Elephants & Rhinos 2014|url=http://www.bandsintown.com/event/10453635-mayuka-thais-san-francisco-gobal-march-for-elephants-and-rhinos-2014-2014?artist=Mayuka+Tha%C3%AFs&came_from=174|website=Bands in Town|access-date=January 7, 2017}}

=Collaboration=

For her exhibition held at the Carnegie Art Museum, Levin collaborated with artist Bobbie Moline-Kramer by adding auditory experience to complement the art pieces.{{cite web|last1=Seiden|first1=Franceasca|title=Bobbie Moline-Kramer Our Willingness To Experience Art Through One Thing|url=http://laicreatives.com/bobbie-moline-kramer-our-willingness-to-experiencing-art-through-one-thing/|website=LA i creative|access-date=February 3, 2017}}{{cite web|title=As Above So Below Bobbie Moline-Kramer Artist Reception|url=http://zoomdune.com/as-above-so-below-bobbie-moline-kramer-artist-reception/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627202325/https://zoomdune.com/as-above-so-below-bobbie-moline-kramer-artist-reception/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 27, 2018|website=zoomdune.com|access-date=February 3, 2017}}

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. Levin was a Scientologist for 30 years, even having served in the Sea Org., Scientology's religious order, aboard the Apollo.{{Cite web |title=Scientology's arbitration contracts are 'unconscionable,' say trafficking victims {{!}} The Underground Bunker |url=https://tonyortega.org/2022/09/16/scientologys-arbitration-contracts-are-unconscionable-say-trafficking-victims/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=tonyortega.org |language=en-US}}

Discography

=Film=

class="wikitable"
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=

class="wikitable"
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 movies=

class="wikitable"
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=

class="wikitable"
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}}

=Videos=

class="wikitable"
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=

class="wikitable"
TitleArtistYearRoleLabels
Little Wheel Spin and SpinBuffy Sainte-Marie1966Lead guitarVanguard
I Love YouPeople!1968Lead guitarCapital Records
Both Sides of PeoplePeople!1969Lead guitarCapital Records
Isle of ViewJimmie Spheeris1971Lead guitarCBS
Original Tap Dancing KidJimmie 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=

class="wikitable"
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

  • "An interview with Mat Gleason, Coagula Art Journal, Modern Art Blitz, Bobbie Moline-Kramer and Geoff Levin"{{Cite web |url=https://dromebox.com/page-by-show.php?id=580c165cf1b0fa36171906a2 |title=An interview with Mat Gleason |access-date=April 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015246/https://dromebox.com/page-by-show.php?id=580c165cf1b0fa36171906a2 |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |url-status=dead }} 2017
  • "The Jerry Bovino Show - Rock and Roll Brothers with Robbie Levin, Geoff Levin, and Host Jerry Bovino"{{Cite web |url=http://www.grassrootstv.org/view?showID=14939 |title=The Jerry Bovino Show - "Rock and Roll Brothers" with Robbie Levin, Geoff Levin, and Host Jerry Bovino |access-date=September 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830073858/http://www.grassrootstv.org/view?showID=14939 |archive-date=August 30, 2018 |url-status=dead }} 2017

Awards

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Award

!Category

!Work

!Result

2013

|Action on Film

|Best Score - Feature

| align="center"|Half Way to Hell

|{{nom}}

References

{{reflist}}