From Teacher to Touring Musician: Eli Lev Brings a World of Sound to Ellenville

Singer-songwriter Eli Lev, a former middle school teacher, will perform Thursday at The Common Good in Ellenville, blending folk, spiritual, and globally inspired music.

“I taught on the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona for a few years and I picked up some pretty amazing culture, and ideas, and knowledge, one of which was the four directions,” Lev said. “Fast forward 15 years later, I decided to follow my dreams and pursue music as a full-time occupation. And the four directions is actually the first project of my music project.”

His first project, Four Directions, explores Navajo concepts of balance and place, with EPs titled All Roads East, Way Out West, Deep South, and True North. “All together they create a 20-song project and each EP came out about a year away from each other,” Lev said.

After nearly a decade teaching internationally, Lev returned to the U.S. and began performing locally. “I went back home… I started doing shows. And my first show was my parents came and two friends was in the corner of a coffee shop. And they were like, ‘When’s your next one?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know.’… Here I am, eight years later, Tim, and music has been the guiding force of my life ever since.”

His latest Three Worlds project includes the EPs Present Journey and Past Lives. “Past Lives was recorded in Peekskill. Its spiritual home is actually in the Hudson Valley in New York area… I figured out a way to play my ancestors’ voices live during the show,” Lev said.

Lev’s music mixes diverse instruments and influences: “The native flute from the nation from the Navajo Nation… harmonica, and the Lynn, piano, acoustic guitar… different tunings as well, open tunings from the Middle East. I have some songs in Spanish.”

On creativity, Lev encourages others to follow their passions. “As teachers we’re always telling folks to follow their dreams. And there’s no reason why we can’t also do that… I do feel like there is a place for creativity in all of our lives.”

More information at thecommongoodny.com, and more about Lev and his music is at eli-lev.com.

Note: The Common Good is owned by Radio Catskill Board Member Matthew Goldman.

Image Credit: Eli Lev