Jennifer Leitham | |
|---|---|
 Jennifer Leitham performing in March 2012 in Sierra Madre, California | |
| Born | August 10, 1953 Illinois, United States |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, bassist |
| Instruments | Vocals, bass |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Website | www |
Jennifer Leitham (born John Leitham, August 10, 1953) is an American musician and double bass player. Being left-handed, she has also used the nicknames "Lefty" or "The Southpaw." [1]
Her first musical influences included The Beatles and the music of Vince Guaraldi from the Peanuts holiday cartoons. [2] She started performing in high school when she joined the chorus, revealing an aptitude for music. [2] Her first music teacher was Al Stauffer and her music education grew thanks to the mentorship of some of the giants of the bass world, such as Milt Hinton, George Duvivier, and Slam Stewart. [2]
An active live performer, Leitham has been bassist on more than 125 recordings including ten of her own. She is known for long associations with Mel Torme and Doc Severinsen. She has also appeared with Woody Herman, George Shearing, Gerry Mulligan, Peggy Lee, Joe Pass, Cleo Laine, Louis Bellson, Pete Rugolo, Bill Watrous, k.d. lang, Take 6, Milcho Leviev, Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, Bob Dorough, Eartha Kitt and been a member of The Tonight Show All-Stars, The Woody Herman Thundering Herd, the Benny Carter Quintet, and the Bob Cooper Quartet. [3]
Leitham has performed as a featured artist or group member at major jazz festivals in North America and internationally. and has been a presenter at workshops and clinics in the U.S. She has performed clinics and master classes at many major universities and was jazz bass instructor at CSULB. She has been a featured artist at many of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals and clubs. She has appeared with her trio at some of the finest venues in the world, including the Blue Note, Iridium, Smalls, and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in New York, The Toronto Pride Fest, also festivals in France and The Netherlands, Hungary and Japan, Mammoth Lakes and Sweet and Hot Jazz Festivals in California, Blues Alley in Washington, DC, Catalina's, Blue Whale, The Jazz Bakery, The Lighthouse, Donte's. Carmello's, Alphonse's, and Cafe 322 in Los Angeles, Shanghai Jazz, the Deer Head Inn in the Delaware Water Gap and a host of others.
Leitham own recordings include Leitham Up, The Southpaw, Lefty Leaps In, Live! and Two for the Road (a duo with guitarist Jimmy Bruno). Her 2006 release, The Real Me, features her original compositions and arrangements and, for the first time, her singing voice. Additionally 2008's critically acclaimed Left Coast Story, the 2011 release of a live DVD The Real Me Live, her 2014 release Future Christmas, and her 2015 release "MOOD(S)WINGS". Also, the Mood(S)wings album was voted one of the Top 3 CDs of 2015 by the readers of "JazzEd" magazine. Her observations on the events of the day were reflected in her 2019 release Remnants Of Humanity. [4]
In 2001, Leitham transitioned from being known as John Leitham. [3] [5]
Leitham is the subject of an award-winning documentary, "I Stand Corrected". It premiered and won the best film award at the American Documentary Film Festival in April, 2012.
Anita Belle Colton, known professionally as Anita O'Day, was an American jazz singer and self proclaimed “song stylist” widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances that shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer". Refusing to pander to any female stereotype, O'Day presented herself as a "hip" jazz musician, wearing a band jacket and skirt as opposed to an evening gown. She changed her surname from Colton to O'Day, pig Latin for "dough", slang for money.
Woodrow Charles Herman was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his death in 1987. His bands often played music that was cutting edge and experimental; their recordings received numerous Grammy nominations.
Bill Chase was an American trumpeter and leader of the jazz-rock band Chase.
Serge Chaloff was an American jazz baritone saxophonist. The first and greatest bebop baritonist, Chaloff has been described as 'the most expressive and openly emotive baritone saxophonist jazz has ever witnessed' with a tone varying 'between a light but almost inaudible whisper to a great sonorous shout with the widest but most incredibly moving of vibratos.'
Georgia is a 1995 American independent film starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Mare Winningham. Leigh plays Sadie Flood, a barroom punk singer who has a complicated relationship with her older sister, Georgia, played by Winningham.
Howard Vincent Alden is an American jazz guitarist born in Newport Beach, California. Alden has recorded many albums for Concord Records, including four with seven-string guitar innovator George Van Eps.
"Isn't She Lovely" is a song by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album, Songs in the Key of Life. The lyrics celebrate the birth of his daughter, Aisha Morris. Wonder collaborated on the song with Harlem songwriter and studio owner Burnetta "Bunny" Jones.
Joseph Edward Filippelli, known professionally as Flip Phillips, was an American jazz tenor saxophone and clarinet player. He is best remembered for his work with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts from 1946 to 1957. Phillips recorded an album for Verve when he was in his 80s. He performed in a variety of genres, including mainstream jazz, swing, and jump blues.
John Madrid was a jazz and pop trumpeter, active mainly from 1966 to 1989. He was most notable professionally as a lead trumpet artist due to his accuracy and endurance.
Kenneth Lee Ascher is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger who is active in jazz, rock, classical, and musical theater genres — in live venues, recording studios, and cinema production. With Paul Williams, he wrote the song "Rainbow Connection" for The Muppet Movie. Both Williams and Ascher received Oscar nominations for the 1979 Academy Awards for Best Original Song and Best Original Score. The song was also nominated for the Golden Globes for "Best Original Song" that same year.
Scott Hamilton is an American jazz tenor saxophonist associated with swing and straight-ahead jazz. His eldest son, Shō Īmura, is the vocalist of the Japanese rock band Okamoto's.
Joe Beck was an American jazz guitarist who was active for over 30 years.
Jeff Hamilton is an American jazz drummer and co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. A former member of the L.A. Four, Hamilton has played with jazz pianist Monty Alexander, bandleader Woody Herman, and singer Rosemary Clooney, and has worked extensively with singer Diana Krall.
Salvatore Nistico was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.
Roger O'Neal Ingram is a jazz trumpeter, educator, author, and instrument designer. He played trumpet for the orchestras of Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Wynton Marsalis, Ray Charles, and Harry Connick Jr.
Toni Harper, also known as Toni Dunlap, was an American former child singer who retired from performing at the age of 29.
Vince Guaraldi Trio is the debut studio album by American jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, released in the US by Fantasy Records in September 1956. It was recorded in San Francisco, California, in April 1956.
Rickey Woodard is an American jazz saxophonist.
Jacqueline Anne Cooper is an Australian jazz singer, known for her full and harmonious vocals. She has released five independent studio albums and one live album. Cooper won Best Jazz Vocal in the 2010 Musicoz Awards. Cooper travels Australia with her husband, drummer and big band leader John Morrison, teaching workshops at schools and music camps, and appearing at festivals and jazz clubs. Her song "Don't Die Wond'rin'" was a finalist at the UK Songwriting Contest, Jazz/Blues section, in 2013.
John Oddo was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He is most notably associated as pianist and musical director for Woody Herman, Rosemary Clooney and Michael Feinstein.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
