Howard Levy, harmonica player and educator, has been taking his online harmonica school on the road as he rejoins Béla Fleck, Victor Wooten and Future Man on tour with the original Flecktones line-up. Howard, who launched his online school in 2009, has been filming video responses and providing new lessons to his students from over 35 countries as the Flecktones tour North America.
Howard’s school is part of a family of online music schools and academies that operate on the ArtistWorks platform, which allows master musicians to combine teaching with their other touring and recording commitments. Students also get a special insight into the Flecktones tour, including their recent appearances at the Bonnaroo and Telluride Festival’s, as Howard films special videos and lessons from the road.
Béla Fleck credits Levy’s participation as playing a huge role in the creation of the sound and concept of the Flecktones, with his high-spirited, improvising and intellectually adept arranging skills spurring the band into unique areas. “Howard Levy is one of the most ridiculously talented musicians on the planet” says Fleck, who refers to him as the “Tall Thin Flecktone” or the “Man with Two Brains.” Béla adds: “Howard’s a lot of fun because he seems to access new ideas every night.”
Commenting on the tour Howard Levy said:
“There is some magical sonic congruence between banjo and harmonica that doesn’t exist between banjo and any other instrument.”
Béla Fleck & The Flecktones continue their tour until December and the Howard Levy Harmonica School can be found at www.howardlevyharmonicaschool.com
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