As an completed sideman, Adam Levy is legendary for supplying charismatic guitar sounds for Nora Jones and Tracy Chapman. On his newest solo album, Spry, Levy positions his trusty 335 on the forefront, creating evocative jazz-based rainy-day tunes stuffed with melancholy and depth. Spry is saturated with environment and inventive refinement. He not too long ago instructed VG all about it.

How did you start writing for a jazz trio?
I used to be writing lots of solo guitar issues and little etudes for myself, attempting to get my solo-guitar factor collectively. However, two years into the lockdown, all I needed to do was play with individuals. I finished engaged on solo music and began engaged on music for Spry. There needed to be a bass line, some melody, some concord, and a pulse to it.

Once I instructed our drummer, Joey Baron, concerning the venture, he stated, “I hope there’s going to be some blues, as a result of I actually love the way in which you play the blues.”

I had not been pondering of this as a blues file; I used to be impressed extra by Julian Lage and his trio, Invoice Frisell on his Valentine file, and Wolfgang Muthspiel. However, that dialog with Joey pushed me to consider tunes like “Mitchum” and “And They All Sang.” I just like the blues, however I hadn’t considered it.

There’s a good looking sense of area on Spry. You’re in no rush.
That’s been part of my type, naturally, for lots of years. I needed lots of area as a result of I wanted to depart room for the opposite guys to do stuff, not crowd the dialog. I wish to depart room for the listener and their concepts and creativeness.

Why a 335?
A part of it’s all the years I spent with one. I bought one once I was 13 and thought they appeared cool. I instructed my guitar instructor I would wish to be a studio guitarist, so he really useful a 335. I used to be in highschool within the early ’80s, studying from information, and no person performed a 335; I favored Jeff Beck and Tom Petty, so I may by no means get the sound once I performed alongside. I used to be attempting to study “Unchained” on a 335 (laughs).

My tastes modified, and by the point I had cash to purchase one other guitar, I’d put so a few years into the 335 that I didn’t know tips on how to make anything sound good. I do now, however you’ll be able to plug a 335 into something and it’s all there. A Tele or a Strat takes a distinct contact and it’s important to take into consideration the connection between the guitar and the amp. What you wouldn’t need with a 335 is a dark-sounding amp. I used a Blues Junior on the album and what I usually do is flip the Bass down.

You play acoustic on “There’s At all times One.”
That’s a Collings DS2H, a 12-fret. I made the demos on acoustic, and the day earlier than the session, Joey stated, “Oh, you’re going to make an acoustic file?” I instructed him, “Uh, no (laughs).” I hadn’t considered it as an acoustic file, however after he stated that I assumed there could be a pair tunes that’d be higher that means.

One other tune, “Sidewalk Chalk,” is acoustic, and I used a mixture of the Ok&Ok Pure Mini pickup operating right into a Rupert Neve DI. Additionally they used a stereo pair of Telefunken M60 mics in an XY sample, so it’s a mix of the pickup and the microphone sound. There’s a little bit of bleed in all places so it sounds such as you’re within the room with us. I needed to ask individuals in.

Does “Mitchum” have something to do with Robert Mitchum, and are you utilizing a tremolo pedal?
It undoubtedly has to do with Robert Mitchum (laughs), who I feel is cool as f**okay! A lot charisma. The track is 100% Robert Mitchem.

As for the sound, I used to be getting dust from a JHS Overdrive Preamp right into a Jam pedals Delay Llama and a Harmonious Monk.

Any probability of the trio touring?
That might be a dream come true. Joey lives abroad, I’m in Brooklyn, and the bass participant, Larry Grenadier, lives a few hours north of me in Kingston, New York. I’m hoping we are able to do some reveals in Europe. I used to be so targeted on the file that I didn’t actually suppose via the chances of us enjoying gigs collectively, however I actually would like to do it.

This text initially appeared in VG’s February 2024 subject. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.