Now Playing: Sea Level
A 2-min riff on a really great album
As I do several times each year, I gave Sea Level’s debut a spin today.
I thought some of y’all might like the reminder to queue up this gem, released in 1977 and featuring half of the then-defunct Allman Brothers Band: Jaimoe, Chuck Leavell, and Lamar Williams.
Those three, together with guitarist Jimmy Nalls, created a really cool sound that just feels really damn good.
Plus, since Jaimoe is the only drummer, his particular genius shines through.
I love to listen to his right foot. Jaimoe told me he learned to play the bass drum that way playing with Lamar Williams. That means what you hear on Sea Level leaves an important circle unbroken—the childhood musical partnership of Jaimoe and Lamar.
PLAYLISTS ON VARIOUS STREAMING SERVICES:
Random Notes
Sea Level was a play on Chuck’s name, originally pronounced “Level.”
Sea Level hit #43 on the Billboard albums chart.
Cats on the Coast, the 1978 follow-up, was Jaimoe’s last album with the group.
In 1983, in the wake of the break-up of the Allman Brothers and Sea Level, Chuck joined forces with his old ABB bandmates in Betts, Hall, Leavell, Trucks—a groundbreaking combo that was light years ahead of its time.
Lagniappes
We 3 (Jaimoe, Chuck, Lamar) “Left Turn”—a ca. 1976 demo recorded before Jimmy Nalls joined up.
Sea Level “Tidal Wave” live 2/11/1977 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ. This whole show is available.
Yours truly on a Jaimoe story about Lamar’s Allman Brothers audition.
Bought the first album when it came out. Digging it out now.
This really is a great album, Grand Larceny and Tidal Wave are regularly played on my Jazz radio show