Tony Levin (born 30 January 1940 in Much Wenlock, Shropshire; died 3 February 2011) was an English jazz drummer.
Tony played at Ronnie Scotts London club in the 1960’s with Joe Harriott Al Cohn, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Zoot Sims, Hank Mobley, Lee Konitz, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Ron Mathewson, Dave Holland, Toots Thielemanns, Mick Pyne, Clifford Jordan, Joe Henderson, Gary Burton, Kenny Wheeler, Tony Coe, and Ronnie Scott, among others.
His first major position came when he joined Tubby Hayes‘ Quartet (1965-9). He worked with numerous groups and artists, including the Alan Skidmore quintet (1969), Humphrey Lyttelton band (1969), John Taylor‘s trio, quartet and sextet (1970s), Ian Carr‘s Nucleus (1970s), Stan Sulzmann quartet, Gordon Beck‘s Gyroscope, duo with John Surman (1976), European Jazz Ensemble, Third Eye (1979), Rob van den Broeck (1982), Philip Catherine‘s trio and quartet (1990s), Sophia Domancich Trio (with Paul Rogers, double bass; 1991-2000), Philippe Aerts trio and quartet (2000s).
Since 1980, Levin worked extensively with saxophonist Paul Dunmall, including as a member of the free jazz quartet Mujician, also with Paul Rogers (double bass) and Keith Tippett (piano). In 1994, Levin released his solo album Spiritual Empathy, again with Dunmall on saxophones. In 2006 he played a trio gig with Dunmall & Rogers featuring Ellery Eskelin, Ray Anderson, Tony Malaby as guests at John Zorn’s The Stone in NYC. He later recorded again with Paul Dunmall but this time with the addition of his son Miles Levin on drums ‘The Golden Lake’.
Levin ran his own monthly club in Birmingham, and often performed duets with Paul Dunmall and guest musicians.