Jay Leonhart: Press Kit

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See Jay Leonhart's e-Press Kit to Download Photos, Bio and More >>

A Woman’s Perspective: Robust Music, Racy Lyrics


By STEPHEN HOLDEN
Published: March 31, 2008
Fundador, a Spanish brandy reputedly favored by Ernest Hemingway, conspicuously entered American popular song literature in 1964 with the Cy Coleman-Carolyn Leigh hit “When in Rome (I Do as the Romans Do).” Ms. Leigh’s racy lyrics in this paean to self-indulgent tourism insist, “Don’t deplore my fondness for Fundador/You know how a Fundador can lead to a few/And baby/ When in Rome I do as the Romans do.” It was performed on Saturday evening at the 92nd Street Y by Karen Ziemba as an amused tribute to Anita Ekberg’s trance-dance in the Trevi Fountain in “La Dolce Vita.”

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Hiroyuki Ito for The New York Times
Karen Ziemba and Jay Leonhart performing in "I've Got Your Number," part of the Lyrics & Lyricists series at the 92nd Street Y.
That edifying nugget of trivia was dropped by Deborah Grace Winer, the host of “I’ve Got Your Number: Romance, the Rat Pack and Carolyn Leigh,” the newest program in the 92nd Street Y’s Lyrics & Lyricists series. (Its final two of five performances are Monday.)

In some ways the show is a sequel to last season’s homage to Rosemary Clooney, a program also conceived by Ms. Winer and featuring several of the same performers. This year, besides Ms. Ziemba, James Naughton and Debby Boone, the roster includes the suave singer and pianist Loston Harris. Once again the musical director is John Oddo (Ms. Clooney’s former conductor), whose inventive swing arrangements for five musicians, including the bassist Jay Leonhart, create a robust big-band sound.

Ms. Winer, recently named the overall artistic director of Lyrics & Lyricists, is the author of “On the Sunny Side of the Street: The Life and Lyrics of Dorothy Fields.” In examining the life of Ms. Leigh, who died in 1983 at 57, Ms. Winer places her as the successor to Fields, not only because both were women in a male-dominated field but also because both collaborated with Cy Coleman, and both wrote songs from a female perspective. Leigh’s lyrics, Ms. Winer astutely noted, were “Fields’s lyrics put through psychoanalysis.”

Demure and glamorous, Ms. Winer is ideally suited to the delicate task of infusing the long-running series with new energy without upsetting its staid format, and her new show refines a polished blend of scholarship and anecdotal biography. Her illustration of Ms. Leigh’s feminine perspective is the 1958 ballad “It Amazes Me” (also sung by Ms. Ziemba), whose self-critical narrator, looking at herself through the eyes of a lover, finds her passion (in Ms. Winer’s words) simultaneously “requited and unrequited.”

The unrequited part, Ms. Winer implied, was Ms. Leigh’s own self-doubt. A fierce perfectionist, she kept a worry book.

The show’s nifty matches of performer to material included Mr. Naughton’s “Westport,” an obscure comic number about suburban adultery from a 1957 Julius Monk revue; Mr. Harris’s boyish “I Won’t Grow Up” (from “Peter Pan”); and Ms. Boone’s torchy, lovelorn “On Second Thought.”

How formidable an artist was Ms. Leigh? In her greatest lyrics, including “You Fascinate Me So” (Mr. Naughton), “(How Little It Matters) How Little We Know” (Ms. Boone), “Witchcraft” (the entire cast), she could go one-on-one with the best of Cole Porter and come up even.

“I’ve Got Your Number” repeats Monday at 2 and 8 p.m. at the 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue, (212) 415-5500; www.92Y.org/concerts.

Click here to download this this print-ready photograph of Jay with bass

Mike Joyce-Washington Post

If singing and playing upright bass at the same time were indeed impossible, as Jay Leonhart briefly lamented at the Kennedy Center's KC Jazz Club on Thursday night, he'd have to jettison half his act. All the wry, witty and wonderful lyrics that make his trio performances such a rare treat would go right out the window.
Thank heavens, Leonhart is a multi-tasker. Among the delightful amusements performed Thursday was "Lenny and Me," a song inspired by a pure stroke of luck -- a transcontinental flight encounter with Leonard Bernstein. Pianist Ted Rosenthal's whimsically orchestrated the first-class-passenger scenario with allusions to "West Side Story." Afterward, Leonhart's trio, featuring guitarist Joe Cohn, saluted Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim by nimbly revisiting "Cool."
Traveling may not be high on Leonhart's list of favorite things to do, but the experience has certainly enriched his repertoire. Watching his bass undergo a "colonoscopy" at an airport security checkpoint inspired a lyric that provoked lots of laughter; a mad and ultimately maddening dash to make a Mel Torme gig at Blues Alley spawned another.
Modeled after Oscar Peterson's trio with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis, Leonhart's group played with great finesse throughout set, often favoring a smoothly woven brand of swing. Rosenthal's arrangement of "If I Only Had a Brain" was particularly imaginative, with its fresh harmonies and halting rhythms. Also welcomed were a couple tunes by guitarist Cohn's late father, saxophonist Al Cohn. Both melodies were brightened by the trio's casual-sounding yet close-knit interplay.
-- Mike Joyce

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Click here to download this this print-ready photograph of Jay with his bass on his head!

Click here to download this this print-ready photograph of Jay with Bass and cap

Reviews of "Cool' The new CD by the The Jay Leonhart Trio. Cool is now #6 in Jazz airplay.

"appealing tracks on an album awash in colorful arrangements. Leonhart's trio, featuring Ted Rosenthal on piano and Joe Cohn on guitar, is a tight ensemble that calls to mind the classic piano-guitar-bass lineup of Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis and Ray Brown. If I Only Had A Brain" is playful and unpredictable. I Loves You, Porgy, gentle and understated, with Leonhart gracefully soloing throughout." All About Jazz - New York, February 2005

4 STARS: "To the distinguished jazz pedigree of bass-piano-guitar groups can be added bassist Leonhart's trio with pianist Ted Rosenthal and guitarist Joe Cohn. It's a fluent, hand-in-glove working band that wears its individual and collective virtuosity with a light touch. The trio swings hard and the internal balance is impeccable; both Leonhart and Cohn are in fine form, but the star of the show, in a beguilingly tasty example of the genre, is Rosenthal, who somehow raises the bar every time he solos."The Irish Times, January 2005

"Cool (Sons of Sound) works precisely because the Jay Leonhart Trio does manage within the framework of revisiting classic works to do them with dashes of personality and flair. often exciting solo sections polished and disciplined pros who still find ways to sneak in clever licks or quick turns within the set musical situations. this is a solid mainstream/repertory date." Nashville City Paper, January 2005

4 STARS: "Jay Leonhart drew inspiration early in his musical life from the Oscar Peterson Trio (with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis), which serves somewhat as a model for this trio date. With pianist Ted Rosenthal and guitarist Joe Cohn, they put together a delightful set, sharing the solo spotlight and playing superb backgrounds for one another� "Take Four" serves as a snappy opener while featuring some of the best solos of the date in this neglected bop masterpiece� thoroughly enjoyable CD." � All Music Guide, December 2004

"The Jay Leonhart Trio gives great cool sounds with the release of Cool. It is a nice listening journey the jazz audience will relate to, and enjoy� The keynote to this fine collection is the exceptional solo and group work, each song a showcase for the musicians. This is one of the best trios around� Enjoyable. Memorable listening experience." � jazzreview.com, December 2004

"The jazz on Cool is absolutely solid but never dense � it's playful and flowing, full of imagination and wit� The trio freshens the familiar with new arrangements� flashes of humor with profound respect and love for the tradition� If you liked Oscar Peterson with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis, you'll love this new release." � All About Jazz , December 2004

THE BASS LESSON

JAZZ REVIEW
Leonhart: Humor played to a bass rhythm
By Don Heckman
Special to The LA Times

September 9 2003

Add Jay Leonhart to the small, very exclusive list of jazz
humorists. The New York bassist-singer-songwriter's performance at the Friar's Club onSunday easily positioned him in the upper echelon of a group thatincludes Oscar Brown Jr., Dave Frishberg and BobDorough.

Appearing as the headliner in a "ParlorPerformances" event, Leonhartoffered a one-man
show, "The Bass Lesson," singing and telling his original songs and stories with the sole accompaniment of his own bass playing.

He immediately addressed the quandary he faced by singing "It's Impossible to Sing and Play the Bass," countering the premise of the song by displaying that given sufficient talent ? it was indeed possible to simultaneously sing while operating his cumbersome
instrument.

Another number, "Ban Bass Solos," decried the difficultiesfacing audience members when bassists take their solos, drummers get lost, and listeners lose their musical reference points. Continuing his lesson, he
described his instrument's origins with a humorous fragment explaining its development by the 16th century violin maker Gasparo da Salo.

Reaching even further back, he came up with a hilarious fantasy about the "first bass players" in a song describing the difficulties of "Life inthe Middle Ages."

Along the way, other tunes were tossed into the hopper: a description of a plane trip in which he was assigned a seat next to Leonard Bernstein (who "did the London Times crossword puzzle in 10 minutes ? with his pen"; a sardonic view of the flight of the Hindenburg; and the need to keep dogs away from basses ("they're made of wood, you know").

Good stuff, all of it, the product of a whimsical imagination combined with artfully understated
musical virtuosity.

Cool
Jay Leonhart Trio | Sons of Sound


This CD isn't ?cool? in the sense of inscrutable players wearing dark shades and attitude. It's more like the ?cool? applied to something delightful, like this trio's deft and friendly handling of the material. The jazz on Cool is absolutely solid but never dense?it's playful and flowing, full of imagination and wit.



The trio freshens the familiar with new arrangements. They dare to commit reharmonization on ?C Jam Blues,? and it works; so does the rubato bass lead on ?I Loves You Porgy,? which transforms that tired tune into something pensive and deep. Three tracks were written by Joe's father, Al Cohn: the wake-up opener, ?Take Four,? the swinging ?You and Me,? and the audible fun between ?Two Funky People.? Also represented are Fats Waller and Nat Cole, in the jaunty ?Jitterbug Waltz? and the intricate ?Bop Kick.? Leonhart sings his dreamy lyric to Tommy Flanagan's ?My Bluebird,? vocalizes his own thoughtful ?For Real,? and delivers one of his patented wry performances on ?Cool.? His droll liner notes capture the feel of the music: both include flashes of humor with profound respect and love for the tradition.



All three musicians are seasoned stars in their own right, and their combination is sparkling and classy. If you liked Oscar Peterson with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis, you'll love this new release.

~ Dr. Judith Schlesinger

"Cool" The Jay Leonhart Trio

"...a grand and marvelous recording, through and through.
Very well conceived, beautifully played. It sounds casual,
but is so well crafted and sweet while still being very
interesting, compelling listening."

�Leonhart is the Fred Astaire of jazz � a craftsman so
seamlessly smooth that casual observers often fail to
grasp the immensity of his talent. As a bass player,
Leonhart�s in the same exalted league as his mentor,
teacher and musical hero, Ray Brown. As a vocalist,
he remains, much like Astaire, significantly
underappreciated.�
� Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes, November 2003

Karryn Allison about Jay Leonhart and My Bluebird


�� I first heard the great Tommy Flanagan play this on the �QE2� last year. Tommy wrote this in honor of a club in his hometown of Detroit
called �The Bluebird.� Jay Leonhart wrote these lyrics and
gave it a whole new meaning. I�m a big fan of Jay�s tunes
(�Robert Frost,� �Me & Lennie�) and since I�m a �birder,
� this tune is even more special to me, since I think birds
do have something to say! The sweet melody paired with
these words have a fairy-tale like quality.

Bass fun
Bassist, singer and storyteller Jay Leonhart can grab a crowd
with his artistry, his wit, and his stories about anyone from
Leonard Bernstein to Mel Torme. Catch his one-man show on
Monday, 8 p.m., at the Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum,
6 Normandy Heights Road at Columbia Turnpike, Morristown.
Tickets are $12-$13. Call (973) 971-3706 or visit

Rodgers and Leonhart

Jay Leonhart | Sons of Sound

This great little recording offers a freshly-performed collection
of Richard Rodgers compositions presented in a springtime
nouvelle fa?. Bassist/vocalist Leonhart provides this
recording with a beautifully fresh sense of humor and
novel invention.

Multiple vocalists ply their respective wares on these
Broadway gems. Notable tunes from the list of usual suspects
include two from The Sound of Music. The show title and
"Edelweiss" represent worthy additions to the American Canon.
These performances on the whole have a generous personality
and a wiseacre sense that occasionally becomes too much�for
example, on "You Took Advantage of Me"�but even then,
the performances are still compelling and effective. For the
most part, these songs are performed in the style of pre-
and early swing. This disc is as wholesome as the girl next
door�as fresh, too.

C. Michael Bailey - Jazz Times

The Jay Leonhart Trio

CD Title: Cool

Musicians: Jay Leonhart, bass, vocal, leader. Ted Rosenthal,
piano. Joe Cohn, guitar.

Review: The Jay Leonhart Trio gives great cool sounds with
the release of COOL. It is a nice listening journey the jazz
audience will relate to, and enjoy.

There are thirteen songs on the CD. Among the many fine
performances are "Cool," "Nobody Else But Me," "Shall We
Dance," "My Bluebird," "C Jam Blues," and "I Loves You, Porgy."

The keynote to this fine collection is the exceptional solo and
group work, each song a showcase for the musicians. This is
one of the best trios around.

Enjoyable. Memorable listening experience.

Tracks: "Jitterbug Waltz" highlights the driving energy of this
fine trio, and showcases their individual talents.

Reviewed by: Lee Prosser