Keyboardist
Chuck Leavell formed the
Sea Level quartet in 1976 in the aftermath of
the Allman Brothers' first breakup of their post-
Duane Allman years, and since two other
Sea Level members had also been in
the Allmans -- bassist Lamar Williams and original
Allmans drummer Jaimoe -- it was tempting to regard the band as an
Allman Brothers spinoff, but that wasn't exactly the full story. Jaimoe and Williams had played together before
the Allmans formed, and
Sea Level guitarist Jimmy Nalls had been part of
Alex Taylor's band -- which also included
Leavell -- before both
Leavell and Williams had joined
the Allmans in the wake of the deaths of
Duane and original
Allmans bassist Berry Oakley, so the four musicians of
Sea Level might be seen as simpatico even outside the
Allman Brothers narrative. Of course, the
Allmans sound was a major touchstone for
Sea Level; certainly,
Leavell's pianism had reached its largest audience ever with his solo break on "Jessica," and he would bring similar stylings to his quartet's 1977 eponymous debut album. But
Sea Level didn't need to stand in the shadow of any other group, as the debut made clear. The opening track, the
Leavell-penned "Rain in Spain," is as driving and melodic as any
Allman Brothers instrumental but also possesses a jazzy harmonic sophistication beyond what
the Allmans might have attempted in the lead-in to their first breakup, and the same goes for other instrumental tracks like
Leavell's "Tidal Wave," the
Neil Larsen composition "Grand Larceny," and certainly the moody, sensitive read of
Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair."
Leavell also wrote the swampy, funky "Nothing Matters But the Fever," with wah-wah slide guitar from Nalls, woozy, disorienting effects on the piano, and a fine vocal turn from
Leavell as well, a bluesy cry from the soul that never crosses the line into histrionics. Another pleasure of this album derives from Jaimoe's role as sole drummer/percussionist; for those who had only heard him as half of
the Allman Brothers' powerful drum tandem with Butch Trucks, his inventiveness, drawing from jazz, blues, rock, soul, and funk idioms, stood out on
Sea Level in a way that was revelatory for many listeners.
Sea Level was a fine debut from a killer quartet, and with the addition of singer/songwriter and saxophonist
Randall Bramblett, guitarist Davis Causey, and drummer George Weaver to the lineup for the recording of the sophomore album
Cats on the Coast, it did not seem unreasonable to surmise that this band's future possibilities were nearly without limits. ~ Dave Lynch