Stewart Levine

In the summer of 2003 Levine was asked to work with a young British jazz artist by the name of Jamie Cullum. Levine produced Jamie’s debut album Twenty Something, which became a massive crossover hit, selling 1.3 million copies in England and over 2.5 million copies worldwide.

After this album, Levine decided to take a break from the studio to concentrate on composing and playing the saxophone. “I was burnt out,” he says, “I needed to refuel.” He emerged re-energized in 2002, producing a reunion album with his old friends The Crusaders. This was followed by another reunion, this time with Simply Red. Levine produced their hit version of “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” as well as their single "Sunrise," putting them back on the charts. Next came David Sanborn’s first new album in many years, Time Again, which stayed as the #1 jazz album for many months.

Next came Simply Red’s A New Flame, which included the international #1 version of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now.” A New Flame sold over eight million copies, but the best was yet to come. In 1991 he produced Simply Red’s Stars, which became one of the largest selling albums in British history, and was the highest selling album in Britain for two consecutive years. Stars contained four UK hit singles, sold 3.5 million copies in the UK and over eleven million copies worldwide. He also produced the Everyday People 1990 album You Wash... I'll Dry.

In 1982 Levine produced “Up Where We Belong” with Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes. Used as the end title song to the film An Officer and a Gentleman, “Up Where We Belong” became a #1 pop hit, Grammy winner and Academy Award winner. He then produced Sly and the Family Stone’s début album for Warner Bros. Records.

In 1974, Levine came up with the idea of putting together a music festival Zaire 74 in Kinshasa set around The Rumble in the Jungle boxing match - the Ali/Foreman fight in Zaire. He produced the festival, which brought together the greats of soul music alongside Africa's greatest artists. The entire event was filmed and eventually released in 1996 as the award-winning documentary When We Were Kings.

Stewart Levine (born 1946) is an American record producer. He has worked with such artists as The Crusaders, Minnie Riperton, Lionel Richie, Simply Red, Hugh Masekela, Dr. John, Randy Crawford, B.B. King, Huey Lewis and the News, Patti LaBelle, Sly Stone, Boy George, Peter Blakeley, Joe Cocker, Oleta Adams, Killing Joke, Jon Anderson, Boz Scaggs, Womack and Womack, David Sanborn, Brenda Russell, Lamont Dozier, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Aaron Neville, Everyday People, Jamie Cullum and The Marshall Tucker Band.