Harry Leahey
Encyclopedia
Harry Leahey was a jazz guitarist
and guitar teacher who lived, taught and performed primarily in New Jersey
.
at the age of thirteen. He went on to study with Lou Melia, at Sayer's Studio in Plainfield; Al Volpe, the renowned studio guitarist and teacher of such players as Joe Pass
and Sal Salvador
; leading jazz
and studio guitarist Johnny Smith
and Dennis Sandole
, teacher of such students as Pat Martino
and John Coltrane
. He studied music theory
and composition
at Manhattan School of Music
.
at Carnegie Hall
, Gerry Mulligan
, Al Cohn
, Jack Six, Warren Vaché
, Mark Murphy
and other well-known jazz artists. As part of the Newport Jazz Festival
, the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra and the Phil Woods Quintet shared the bill at a midnight concert on June 28, 1977.
He was on the Grammy award
winning Phil Woods Six - Live from the Showboat (1977) album. His composition "Rain Danse" and his arrangement of Django Reinhardt
's "Manoir de mes Rêves (Django's Castle)" were featured on the album. From 1978 to 1990 he performed with his own trio, featuring Roy Cumming on bass
and Glenn Davis on drums
and in duo settings with various bass players. As leader, he recorded one album with his trio, one duo album with bassist Steve Gilmore
and one solo album.
, and from 1974 to 1988 at William Paterson University
(then William Paterson College). Over the course of a thirty-year career as a guitar teacher, Leahey taught literally thousands of students, many of whom went on to successful careers. Among his former students are Vic Juris
, Bob DeVos
, Jon Herington
, Warren Vaché
, Jack Six, Walt Bibinger, Larry Barbee and Chuck Loeb
.
. “He was the top of the heap. He was the best guitar player that I had ever played with and I played with every [one].” – Phil Woods
. “I don’t think there’ll ever be another Harry Leahey.” – Jack Six. “He was a great guitarist and a very beautiful man.” – Leo Johnson
.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and guitar teacher who lived, taught and performed primarily in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Guitar studies
Leahey received his first guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
at the age of thirteen. He went on to study with Lou Melia, at Sayer's Studio in Plainfield; Al Volpe, the renowned studio guitarist and teacher of such players as Joe Pass
Joe Pass
Joe Pass was an Italian-American jazz guitarist of Sicilian descent. He is generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century...
and Sal Salvador
Sal Salvador
Sal Salvador was a bebop jazz guitarist and a prominent music educator.He was born in Monson, Massachusetts and began his professional career in New York City. He eventually moved to Stamford, Connecticut. He taught guitar at the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Connecticut as well as at...
; leading jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and studio guitarist Johnny Smith
Johnny Smith
Johnny Smith is an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist.-Early years:...
and Dennis Sandole
Dennis Sandole
Dennis Sandole , 1913-2000, was a jazz guitarist, composer and music educator from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a music educator and performer he left his fingerprint on music history. His students most notably included John Coltrane and Pat Martino, as well as lesser-known musicians such as...
, teacher of such students as Pat Martino
Pat Martino
Pat Martino is an Italian-American jazz guitarist and composer within the post bop, fusion, mainstream jazz, soul jazz and hard bop idioms.-Biography:...
and John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
. He studied music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
and composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
at Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
.
Career
Leahey's career began in the early 1960s and continued until his death in 1990. He played and recorded with Phil WoodsPhil Woods
Philip Wells Woods is an American jazz bebop alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.-Biography:...
at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, Gerry Mulligan
Gerry Mulligan
Gerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading baritone saxophonists in jazz history – playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz – he was also...
, Al Cohn
Al Cohn
Al Cohn was an American jazz saxophonist and arranger and composer.-Biography:Alvin Gilbert Cohn was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was initially known in the 1940s for playing in Woody Herman's Second Herd as one of the Four Brothers, along with Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, and Serge Chaloff...
, Jack Six, Warren Vaché
Warren Vache
Warren Vaché is a jazz trumpeter, cornetist and flugelhornist born in Rahway, New Jersey. He came from a musical family as his father was a bassist. In 1976 he released his first album...
, Mark Murphy
Mark Murphy (singer)
Mark Murphy is an American jazz singer based in New York. He is most noted for his definitive and unique vocalese and vocal improvisations with both melody and lyrics...
and other well-known jazz artists. As part of the Newport Jazz Festival
Newport Jazz Festival
The Newport Jazz Festival is a music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. It was established in 1954 by socialite Elaine Lorillard, who, together with husband Louis Lorillard, financed the festival for many years. The couple hired jazz impresario George Wein to organize the...
, the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra and the Phil Woods Quintet shared the bill at a midnight concert on June 28, 1977.
He was on the Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning Phil Woods Six - Live from the Showboat (1977) album. His composition "Rain Danse" and his arrangement of Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
's "Manoir de mes Rêves (Django's Castle)" were featured on the album. From 1978 to 1990 he performed with his own trio, featuring Roy Cumming on bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
and Glenn Davis on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and in duo settings with various bass players. As leader, he recorded one album with his trio, one duo album with bassist Steve Gilmore
Steve Gilmore
Rear Admiral Stephen 'Steve' Richard Gilmore AM, CSC, RAN is the current COMAUSFLT of the Royal Australian Navy.-Service history:Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore, AM, CSC, RAN joined the Royal Australian Navy as a junior entry Cadet Midshipman in 1977...
and one solo album.
Tuition
A dedicated and practical family man, he chose to devote himself to teaching the guitar, teaching privately at his home in Plainfield, New JerseyPlainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
, and from 1974 to 1988 at William Paterson University
William Paterson University
William Paterson University is a comprehensive public institution located in Wayne, New Jersey serving nearly 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students through five colleges: , , , , and ....
(then William Paterson College). Over the course of a thirty-year career as a guitar teacher, Leahey taught literally thousands of students, many of whom went on to successful careers. Among his former students are Vic Juris
Vic Juris
Victor E. Jurusz, Jr., known professionally as Vic Juris is an American jazz guitarist.Juris played with Lyn Christie early in the 1970s and made his first recordings with Eric Kloss in 1975. Soon after he joined Barry Miles 's group, remaining with Miles well into the 1980s...
, Bob DeVos
Bob deVos
Bob deVos is an American jazz guitarist whose playing style is similar to that of Kenny Burrell and Wes Montgomery. He is most noted for his work with organist Richard Holmes.-Biography:...
, Jon Herington
Jon Herington
Jon Herington is an American guitarist, singer-songwriter and record producer, most known for being a session musician. Currently, he is known for being Steely Dan's lead guitarist...
, Warren Vaché
Warren Vache
Warren Vaché is a jazz trumpeter, cornetist and flugelhornist born in Rahway, New Jersey. He came from a musical family as his father was a bassist. In 1976 he released his first album...
, Jack Six, Walt Bibinger, Larry Barbee and Chuck Loeb
Chuck Loeb
Chuck Loeb is a guitarist who performs numerous styles of music, most notably jazz. Loeb's own solo projects have generally been commercially successful crossover jazz, which has "contemporary" or "smooth" jazz....
.
Death
Leahey died at the age of 54. Although he had received little critical acclaim, fellow musicians were unanimous in their praise for Harry Leahey. A few representative quotes: “Harry was a master.” – Glenn Davis. “The most complete guitarist I ever heard.” – Vinnie Corrao. “I was flabbergasted by his playing.” – Warren VachéWarren Vache
Warren Vaché is a jazz trumpeter, cornetist and flugelhornist born in Rahway, New Jersey. He came from a musical family as his father was a bassist. In 1976 he released his first album...
. “He was the top of the heap. He was the best guitar player that I had ever played with and I played with every [one].” – Phil Woods
Phil Woods
Philip Wells Woods is an American jazz bebop alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.-Biography:...
. “I don’t think there’ll ever be another Harry Leahey.” – Jack Six. “He was a great guitarist and a very beautiful man.” – Leo Johnson
Leo Johnson
Leo Johnson is a character from the television series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. He is portrayed by Eric Da Re.Leo is a trucker who also moonlights as Twin Peaks' primary source of narcotics, which he obtains from the Renault Brothers, and traffics it over the Canadian/US...
.
Discography
- 1973: Giant Box - Don SebeskyDon SebeskyDon Sebesky is an American jazz trombonist and arranger.-Biography:Sebesky trained in trombone at the Manhattan School of Music; in his early career, he played with Kai Winding, Claude Thornhill, Tommy Dorsey, Warren Covington, Maynard Ferguson and Stan Kenton...
, with, among others, Hubert LawsHubert LawsHubert Laws is an American flutist and saxophonist with a 40+ year career in jazz, classical, and other music genres. Alongside Herbie Mann, Laws is probably the most recognized and respected jazz flutist...
(f), Jerry DodgionJerry DodgionJerry Dodgion is an American jazz saxophonist and flautist.Dodgion played alto sax in middle school and began working locally in the San Francisco area in the 1950s. He played in bands with Rudy Salvini, John Coppola/Chuck Travis and Gerald Wilson and worked with the Vernon Alley Quartet, who...
, Walt LevinskyWalt LevinskyWalt Levinsky was an American big band and orchestral player, composer, arranger and band leader. While many of his big band assignments were as lead alto sax player, his favorite instrument was the clarinet...
, Randy BreckerRandy BreckerRandal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
, Freddie HubbardFreddie HubbardFrederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
(t), Jim Buffington, Wayne AndreWayne AndreWayne Andre was an American jazz trombonist, best known for his work as a session musician.Andre's father was a saxophonist, and he took private music lessons from age 15. He played with Charlie Spivak in the early 1950s before spending some time in the U.S. Air Force...
, Warren CovingtonWarren CovingtonWarren Covington was an American big band trombonist. He was active as a session musician, arranger, and bandleader throughout his career.-Biography:...
(tb, eu), Garnett BrownGarnett BrownGarnett Brown is a jazz trombonist who has worked with The Crusaders, Herbie Hancock, Lionel Hampton, and others.He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and later studied film scoring and electronic music at UCLA In 1974 he won the Down Beat Reader's poll for trombonist, and...
(tb), Ron CarterRon CarterRon Carter is an American jazz double-bassist. His appearances on over 2,500 albums make him one of the most-recorded bassists in jazz history, along with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar. Carter is also an acclaimed cellist who has recorded numerous times on that...
(b), Billy CobhamBilly CobhamWilliam C. Cobham is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who has called Switzerland home since the late 1970s....
(d), Airto MoreiraAirto MoreiraAirto Moreira is a Brazilian jazz drummer and percussionist. Airto is married to jazz singer Flora Purim, and their daughter Diana Moreira is also a singer. He currently resides in Los Angeles.-Biography:...
(per),
- 1978: Le Jazz Grand - Michel LegrandMichel LegrandMichel Jean Legrand is a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and pianist...
, with, among others, Phil WoodsPhil WoodsPhilip Wells Woods is an American jazz bebop alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.-Biography:...
(as), Gerry MulliganGerry MulliganGerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading baritone saxophonists in jazz history – playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz – he was also...
(bar), Jon FaddisJon FaddisJon Faddis is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator renowned for both his highly virtuosic command of the instrument and for his expertise in the field of music education...
, Ron CarterRon CarterRon Carter is an American jazz double-bassist. His appearances on over 2,500 albums make him one of the most-recorded bassists in jazz history, along with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar. Carter is also an acclaimed cellist who has recorded numerous times on that...
(b), Jimmy Madison, Grady TateGrady TateGrady Tate, , is a hard bop and soul-jazz drummer and singer.He has played with Lional Hampton, Jimmy Smith, Grant Green, Lena Horne, Astrud Gilberto, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Blossom Dearie, Chris Connor, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Cal Tjader, Peggy Lee, Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Count...
(d), Erroll 'Crusher' Bennett, PortinhoPortinhoPortinho is a town on São Tomé Island in the nation of São Tomé and Príncipe....
(per),
External links
- Harry Leahey discography at JazzDiscography.com