Sea Level (band)

Sea Level is the name of a group that mixed jazz, blues and rock that existed between 1976 and 1981.

Formed with the initial destruction of The Allman Brothers Band, the group that evolved into Sea Level was the trio "We Three". Featuring Lamar Williams (bass), Jaimoe (drums) and Chuck Leavell (piano, keyboards, vocals), all then-members of the Allman Brothers, the trio would occasionally open shows for the group in 1975 and 1976. With the Allmans' first disbanding in 1976, the trio added guitarist Jimmy Nalls and named the band based on a phoenetic pun of their leader's name (C. Leavell). They toured relentlessly, eventually signing with Capricorn Records (home of the Allman Brothers) and recording their debut album.

After the release of their first album, the group expanded to a septet with the additions of Davis Causey (guitar), George Weaver (percussion) and Randall Bramblett (saxophones, keyboards and vocals). That configuration recorded the group's second album (which produced a moderate "hit" with "That's Your Secret"). By the time of the third, Jaimoe and Weaver had both left, replaced by Joe English. The sextet of Bramblett, Causey, English, Leavell, Nalls and Williams recorded the fourth album, unreleased in the United States for nearly twenty years, adding percussionist Matt Greeley for their fifth and final album, issued on Arista in 1980. Their greatest hits album (CD) wrapped up their body of work, minus a handful of appearances on various compilation albums (mostly Southern Rock).

Discography

* "Sea Level" (1977, Capricorn)
* "Cats on the Coast" (1978, Capricorn)
* "On the Edge" (1978, Capricorn)
* "Long Walk on a Short Pier" (1979, Capricorn)
* "Ball Room" (1980, Arista)
* "Best of Sea Level" (1997, Capricorn)

Group Members

* Chuck Leavell: piano, Moog synthesizer, organ, clavinet, keyboards, percussion, vocals (1976-1980)
* Lamar Williams: bass, vocals (1976-1980)
* Jimmy Nalls: guitars, vocals (1976-1980)
* Jaimoe: drums, percussion (1976-1978)
* Davis Causey: guitars (1977-1980)
* Randall Bramblett: saxophones, piano, keyboards, vocals (1977-1980)
* George Weaver: percussion (1977-1978)
* Joe English: drums, percussion, vocals (1978-1980)
* Matt Greeley: percussion (1980)