Even Steven Levee

About me:

Have Bass Will Travel:
Getting to the bottom of things, Even is a mild mannered bassist who while disguised as a Mac and PC Technician can not only play it, if you break it, he can fix it!
Q: Are you a bass player or a computer technician?
A: Why can't I be both? I have experience and I am certified.
Q: So what's the problem?
A: Other than the fact that I was one of 533,00 people to get laid off in November of 2008, who said there was a problem? For the last ten years I have been applying my computer skills to mainly corporate clients. Working as a consultant made it easy for me to work around my music schedule and vice versa. Except for occasional tours the majority of my music was all made at night. A great deal of my time was devoted to my indi label i-Potato Music. My partner and I developed a few new artists. In addition to playing bass, I co-produce and co-write the music. But that certainly does not satisfy my need to play bass. I am seriously addicted. I picked up my first bass when I was thirteen. I had been playing trumpet, piano, guitar and bugle earlier but when I picked up the bass my entire life changed.
Q: What do you mean?
A: Looking back I realize now, I had become obsessed with the instrument. All I wanted to do was play. I had friends suffering from the same symptom's and we all cut school and headed out of our district to jam in a friends basement almost every day. I guess I was out of control! I didn't make it easy for my parents. My dad tried to pull back on my reins and stop the madness. But, I was a renegade (or was it a gator aid? LOL). He tried to limited me to when and what kind of music I played in the house. I had to sneak down stairs after everyone went to bed just to listen to the Yardbirds. I basically used the Having A Rave Up record to teach myself how to play the bass when I was 13. I had gotten in a band before I even had a bass (or had even played one for that matter) so you can't imagine how great the band must of sounded. Either way, I was determined and I learned the bass by learning the songs off the records. Since, I've spent most of my life filling the bottom end working off the kick drum. The point is I have been playing for quite a while and I am not about to stop.
Q: Where and when did the computers come into the picture?
A: During the mid 90's a nasty cervical spine problem decided to ruin my life. Finally, by the time surgery was the only option I did not really have a life and I did not think playing bass would be my future job. During my rehabilitation I decided to reinvent myself. I enrolled in a trade school and achieve my certifications following. I pursued a career in the I.T. field where I found an entirely new culture and many retired musicians. I felt comfortable, understood, needed and well compensated but once I had that itch, it was time to rock. I eventually picked up a Danelectro Bass (it was light enough to make it possible to play without bothering me) and I developed a well balanced lifestyle consisting of working around the clock providing desktop support by day and playing bass and running a protools sytem by night. This went on until mid 2007 when suddenly I need another spine surgery. This time it was lower back and I was in need of a disk replacement proceedure. By early 2008 I had to leave my position at the NFL where I had been a consultant for over two and a half years when surgery was scheduled that February.
Q: Wow, you were working for the NFL? What was that like?
A: I have to tell you, I was never really into sports but working at NFL was as good as it gets as far as day jobs go. The display of professional appreciation and friendly team like atmosphere made it a pleasure to get up every day and go to work. But more than that, I worked with a whole bunch of really good people.
Finally by June my back was healed and I was ready to go back to work. Only one problem, my position had been re filled. I was not going to attempt to be a full time musician for a while. I felt landing a new job will give me time to continue to make a living and continue to improve my back. Problem was it took all the way until late October when I finally landed a contract job at Time Inc. I was extremely happy to finally be back in the game. Seven days in, the economy rocked my world when I was informed they would be letting 600 employees go. After the sixth week I became one of Five Hundred and Thirty Three Thousand American Employee's laid off in November. I felt comfort in knowing I was not alone.
Q: How is the back doing?
A: By June I was ready to go by the time I was working I was very happy to report my back was healed. The latest procedure ended a lot of the pain and suffering I had endured through out the years. Stuff they said I would live with for the rest of my life. I had pretty much put my music career on the side because of this and now I am version 3.0 and ready to go. I love my surgeon!
Q: Where do you think you will go?
A: It's not so much where will I go, it is what will I do when I get there? I have multiple talents and I'd jump on a horse and be a cowboy if I have to get a job done. However, I would prefer to be a bass player/recording engineer/producer (wouldn't everyone?). I will take that as it comes but unless the IT business turns around I think I am going to be reinventing myself again this time sporting a nice 5 string fretless over my shoulder as much as possible.
In the mean time I am playing the last Monday of each month with the Rythmn Club TV Band. I am also hosting the new cable show with Joy Ryder, a fabulous vocalist local to NYC. We have combined our two bands together and after completing a number of shows, it looks like this is going to be a lot of fun. We have Dave Dawson (drums), Rodrick Kohn (guitar), Roger Bartlett (guitar), Joy Ryder and myself. Rythmn Club TV will feature special guests every show.. So please come on down. It is free and we will heal the cravings of the unfulfilled.. FYI:it is at Otto's Shrunken Head 538 east 14th Street, NYC

The Bass Master General

Bass (fretted or fretless)
Protools-Mac/PC-Acid-Reason-Ableton Live-Cubase SX
Stop by for a taste of some Bass


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