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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZLEVINE, Henry 'Hot Lips'(b 26 November 1907, London, England; d May 1989, USA) Trumpet, studio musician and bandleader. Levine’s family emigrated to the USA early in 1908. When he was 9 or 10 years old, he heard Nick LaRocca playing with the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, and knew that was what he wanted to do. He studied trumpet and turned professional in 1925; by extraordinary coincidence his first job was with the ODJB in '26-7, by then much changed from its original lineup. Levine played in studio bands of the mid-20s, recording with Nat Shilkret, Vincent Lopez and others, but in 1927 was hired by British band leader Bert Ambrose. He opened with Ambrose at the Mayfair Hotel in London in March and in June made records with the band. The following month he recorded under the leadership of Fred Elizalde. Towards the end of the year, he returned to New York where he was an NBC staff musicians for most of the 1930s, played in bands led by Cass Hagan, Rudy Vallee and other popular entertainers of the period, then led the studio band on NBC's Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street, where NBC bestowed the 'Hot Lips' nickname on him. At one of the band's recording sessions he was Dr. Henry Levine; many of the show's personnel had nicknames. The show's guests were often given titles: the famous New Orleans reedman became Professor Sidney Bechet. Levine led a band during his military service from md-1942, going back to freelance work after the war. There was a brief revival of the radio show in 1950. He directed radio, television and hotel orchestras in various parts of the USA, settling in Las Vegas in 1961 where he played in numerous hotel and casino bands. He retired in 1982. A good lead trumpeter and an effective soloist, Levine remained little regarded among jazz fans despite his long and active career, but interviewed by Nick Dellow at his home in 1984, he was a happy man who had lots of memories. |