Announcing a Special Concert featuring Howard Levy, presented by St Tim's Coffeehouse with WFMT!

2-time Grammy Award winner and virtuoso master of the diatonic harmonica in a rare SOLO performance 

Let's get 2025 off to a bright new start!

It's an extravaganza that's in addition to our six-concert series.

What people say about Howard..

“… single-handedly developed the full jazz potential of the diatonic harmonica… Although he cites McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock as influences, Levy the pianist has a sunnier, more ebullient style than either, enlivened by an unfailing upward momentum..." — Jazz Times Magazine

Howard Levy, two-time Grammy Award Winner (Pop Music Performance and Instrumental Composition) is an acknowledged master of the diatonic harmonica, a superb pianist, innovative composer, educator and producer. At the age of 19, he discovered how to play the diatonic harmonica as a fully chromatic instrument by developing techniques on it that had never existed before. This enabled Howard to take the harmonica out of its usual role as a Folk and Blues instrument, and into the worlds of Jazz, Classical, Middle Eastern music, and more. His discovery unlocked infinite possibilities for the harmonica world.At home in many musical styles, he is a favorite with audiences worldwide and a recording artist sought after by Kenny Loggins, Dolly Parton, Paquito D’Rivera, Styx, Donald Fagen, Paul Simon, and many others. Howard has appeared on hundreds of CD’s and several movie soundtracks, most prominently on A Family Thing with Robert Duval and James Earl Jones. 

“As Art Tatum was to the piano, so is Levy to the harmonica: a hyper-virtuoso whose feats can be admired and studied but never really replicated.”     — Chicago Tribune

His solo album Alone and Together (Balkan Samba Records) and his trio album Tonight and Tomorrow (Chicago Sessions) both received 4-star reviews in DownBeat. Howard also put out a classical CD featuring his Concerto for Diatonic Harmonica and Orchestra- the first true concerto composed for the instrument. 

“Levy has single-handedly revolutionized the harmonica..." — NPR

As an educator, Howard has taught at leading universities and conservatories, and online for TrueFire/ArtistWorks. His revolutionary technique book “Rhythms of the Breath” is the first of its kind to apply drum rudiments to the harmonica, influencing players around the world.

Howard tours as a solo artist, with Trio Globo, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and his new band, The Howard Levy 4.

Be part of the live radio audience.

If you are out of town, join the livestream concert!

or listen to the live broadcast at 8 PM - WFMT 98.7 FM

Since February 2016, St Tim's Coffeehouse has presented

a six-concert series of Americana & Folk music

in the sanctuary of St. Timothy's Lutheran Church in Skokie, IL. 

Our season runs from September to April. It is entirely staffed by volunteers. 

We are partnered with WFMT-98.7 FM

for the Folkstage Program (8 PM) on select concerts*.

2024 - 2025 St Tim's Coffeehouse Season

September 14, 2024 Gina Forsyth

*October 12, 2024 Jim & Susie Malcolm

November 9, 2024 Sons of the Never Wrong

*February 8, 2025 David Roth

*March 8, 2025 Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt

*April 12, 2025 Kray Van Kirk, Ph.D.  

* designates a Folkstage live broadcast of WFMT-98.7 FM