Leon Spencer
Encyclopedia
Leon Spencer is an American
acid jazz
/ soul jazz
organist
born in Houston, Texas, in 1945. He played piano with David Newman, and later organ with Melvin Sparks
.
Spencer is best-known for his albums for the Prestige Records
label in the early 1970s, i.e. Sneak Preview (1970) Louisiana Slim (1971) and Where I'm Coming From (1973). Some of the musicians who appeared with him on these albums include Grover Washington, Jr.
, Idris Muhammad
, Melvin Sparks
, Buddy Caldwell
, and Virgil Jones.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
acid jazz
Acid jazz
Acid jazz is a musical genre that combines elements of jazz, funk and hip-hop, particularly looped beats. It developed in the UK over the 1980s and 1990s and could be seen as tacking the sound of jazz-funk onto electronic dance: jazz-funk musicians such as Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd and Grant Green are...
/ soul jazz
Soul jazz
Soul jazz is a development of jazz incorporating strong influences from blues, soul, gospel and rhythm and blues in music for small groups, often an organ trio featuring a Hammond organ.- Overview :Soul jazz is often associated with hard bop. Mark C...
organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
born in Houston, Texas, in 1945. He played piano with David Newman, and later organ with Melvin Sparks
Melvin Sparks
Melvin Sparks was an American soul jazz, hard bop and jazz blues guitarist. He recorded a number of albums for Prestige Records, later recording for Savant Records...
.
Spencer is best-known for his albums for the Prestige Records
Prestige Records
Prestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
label in the early 1970s, i.e. Sneak Preview (1970) Louisiana Slim (1971) and Where I'm Coming From (1973). Some of the musicians who appeared with him on these albums include Grover Washington, Jr.
Grover Washington, Jr.
Grover Washington, Jr. was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with George Benson, John Klemmer, David Sanborn, Bob James, Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre.He wrote some of his material and...
, Idris Muhammad
Idris Muhammad
Idris Muhammad is a jazz drummer. He changed his name in the 1960s upon his conversion to Islam. He is known for his funky playing style. He has released a number of albums as leader, and has played with a number of jazz legends including Lou Donaldson, Johnny Griffin, Pharoah Sanders and Grover...
, Melvin Sparks
Melvin Sparks
Melvin Sparks was an American soul jazz, hard bop and jazz blues guitarist. He recorded a number of albums for Prestige Records, later recording for Savant Records...
, Buddy Caldwell
Buddy Caldwell
James David Caldwell, Sr., or Buddy Caldwell , is the Republican attorney general of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Prior to serving as attorney general, Caldwell was the district attorney for Madison, East Carroll, and Tensas parishes from 1979 to 2008...
, and Virgil Jones.
Leader Discography
- Sneak Preview (Prestige, 1971)
- Louisiana Slim (Prestige, 1971)
- Bad walkin' woman (Prestige, 1972)
- Where I'm comin' from (Prestige, 1973)
Sideman Discography
- Wilbert Longmire Revolution (World Pacific, 1968)
- Lou DonaldsonLou DonaldsonLou Donaldson is a jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker.His first recordings were...
The Scorpion - Live at the Cadillac Club (Blue Note, 1970) - Lou DonaldsonLou DonaldsonLou Donaldson is a jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker.His first recordings were...
Pretty Things (Blue Note, 1970) - Melvin SparksMelvin SparksMelvin Sparks was an American soul jazz, hard bop and jazz blues guitarist. He recorded a number of albums for Prestige Records, later recording for Savant Records...
Sparks ! (Prestige, 1970) - Sonny StittSonny StittEdward "Sonny" Stitt was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. He was also one of the best-documented saxophonists of his generation, recording over 100 albums in his lifetime...
Turn it on (Prestige, 1971) - Gene AmmonsGene AmmonsEugene "Jug" Ammons also known as "The Boss," was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, and the son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons.-Biography:...
You talk that talk (Prestige, 1971) - Melvin SparksMelvin SparksMelvin Sparks was an American soul jazz, hard bop and jazz blues guitarist. He recorded a number of albums for Prestige Records, later recording for Savant Records...
Akilah (Prestige, 1971) - Rusty BryantRusty BryantRoyal G. "Rusty" Bryant was an American jazz tenor and alto saxophonist....
Fire Eater (Prestige, 1971) - Melvin SparksMelvin SparksMelvin Sparks was an American soul jazz, hard bop and jazz blues guitarist. He recorded a number of albums for Prestige Records, later recording for Savant Records...
Spark Plug ! (Prestige, 1971) - Lou DonaldsonLou DonaldsonLou Donaldson is a jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker.His first recordings were...
Cosmos (Blue Note, 1971)