Eugene Levy

Eugene Levy, CM (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian actor, comedian, producer, director, musician, and writer. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, with his role as Noah Levenstein. He often plays nerdy, unconventional figures, with his humour often deriving from his excessive explanations of matters and the way in which he deals with sticky situations. Levy is a regular colloborator of actor-director Christopher Guest, appearing in five of his films, commencing with Waiting for Guffman in 1997. Levy received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, in 2008. He was appointed to the Order of Canada on June 30, 2011.

Early life

Levy was born to a Jewish family in Hamilton, Ontario. His mother was a homemaker and his father was a foreman at an automobile plant. He went to Westdale Secondary School, and attended McMaster University. He was vice-president of the McMaster Film Board, a student film group, where he met moviemaker Ivan Reitman.

Eugene Levy (New York)

Eugene "Gene" Levy (December 1, 1926 – July 12, 1990) was a member of the New York State Senate for the 38th District covering all of Rockland County and parts of Orange County, New York. He was elected to the New York State Senate in 1984, where he remained for three terms.

During his undefeated political career, Senator Levy was elected into office 13 times. Before he was elected to the New York State Senate, Levy was twice elected as councilman of the town of Ramapo, New York. He held this position from 1964 to 1968. He then served in the New York State Assembly from 1969 until 1984.

Levy died of leukemia in July 1990. At the time of his death, he had been elected to the New York State Senate three times, and he was getting ready to run for a fourth Senate term.

Early life

Levy was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 1, 1926. He graduated from Spring Valley High School in 1944. During his high school career, Levy played basketball and football, and ran track. After high school, Levy served for two years in the Navy Medical Corps; he returned to New York in 1946 after receiving an honorable discharge.

Down to Earth (Ramsey Lewis album)

Down to Earth (subtitled The Ramsey Lewis Trio Plays Music from the Soil) is the fourth album by American jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis featuring tracks recorded in 1958 and released on the EmArcy label.

Reception

Allmusic awarded the album 4 stars stating "The music (if not essential) is quite accessible while still being jazz oriented. Worth picking up".

Track listing

Personnel

References

Down to Earth (Jem album)

Down to Earth is the second studio album by Jem, the follow-up to her successful 2004 debut, Finally Woken. The first single, "It's Amazing", was featured on the soundtrack to the Sex and the City movie. In August 2008, "Crazy" was released as a single on iTunes and other digital music outlets. By January 2009, "Keep on Walking" was distributed as a free iTunes download at US Starbucks stores.

The press release states that Jem co-wrote the album with a variety of people including Jeff Bass, Lester Mendez and Greg Kurstin and sings in Japanese on the track, "Aciiid!". The album also includes a collaboration with South African singer-songwriter and poet-activist Vusi Mahlasela on the track "You Will Make It" recalling 9/11, and dealing with the suffering of loss. The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 43, selling 10,642 copies.

Jem wrote in her blog on 20 September 2008:

Title

In September 2008, Jem's official website stated the following about the album title:

Down to Earth (Freddie Roach album)

Down to Earth is the debut album by American organist Freddie Roach recorded in 1962 and released on the Blue Note label.

Reception

The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album 4½ stars and stated "Freddie Roach differentiated himself from the legions of soul-jazz organists on his debut album, Down to Earth. Many jazz organists played the instrument down and dirty, and while there's funk in Roach's playing, his style is ultimately lighter than many of his peers, with clean, concise solos and chords... the signature of Down to Earth is Roach's tasteful bluesy grooves, which prove to be just as entertaining as the hotter styles of his Blue Note peers Jimmy Smith and John Patton".

Track listing

Personnel

References