Arlee Leonard

ARLEE LEONARD - VOCALIST, SONGWRITER, POET, PRODUCER, WRITER WHY IS ARLEE LEONARD’S DEBUT CD CALLED “WILD HONEY?” Because she’s unbridled, warm, dynamic, and sweet! As her CD co-producer, jazz saxophonist DON BRADEN says, “She’s all natural!” Being the daughter of acclaimed blues/folk icons “DAVID & ROSELYN,” Arlee was brought up on the road and on stage. That is where she still feels most at home. WHETHER MS. LEONARD is singing in the New Year at JAZZTOWN in Moscow (Dec. 31, 2007), harmonizing with a classical harpist at TCHAIKOVSKY CONCERT HALL (MOSCOW, Oct. ‘06), scatting samba with SYMPHOJAZZ in SHOSTAKOVITCH GREAT HALL (ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. ‘05), swinging with WYNTON MARSALIS’ group in New Orleans for a TV taping, “AMBASSADORS OF SWING” (Aug. ‘06), stomping the blues in SINGAPORE (Summer ‘06 and Fall '07), smoldering a ballad in BANGKOK (Winter/Spring ‘05, '06, '07), feeling the spirit at SACRED CENTER NY, or leading her bands in NEW YORK and NEW ORLEANS (1996 - 2008), Arlee brings her joie de vivre and well-honed expertise to every stage. She works it out and sets the pace for 2 or 20,000 happy listeners! WITH HER 4-OCTAVE RANGE and strong command of the classic elements of jazz vocalizing, Arlee's multifaceted singing style is complimented by her joyfully engaging stage presence and graceful moves. She flows effortlessly from swing to soul, from slow caress to Afro/Latin rhythmic explosions, shifting on again to beautiful ballads and down home blues. Arlee has begun exploring spoken word following an outpouring of writing in response to Hurricane Katrina and the devastation in New Orleans. She continues to develop a project, “THE SOUL OF NEW ORLEANS,” and intends to record and publish a book. She is working on two other collections of poetry, lyrics, memoir moments and travel notes, one on love’s ups and downs, the other exploring her spiritual and life journey. THIS VERSATILE SINGER BEGAN PERFORMING at age six in coffee houses in DETROIT with her parents. In 1991, her multi-racial family toured GERMANY, FRANCE, HOLLAND and SWITZERLAND, and she’s sung with them or other bands for the last twenty JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVALS in New Orleans, where her family thankfully still has a home. Ms. Leonard, raised in California, Michigan and New Orleans, studied music, theater and dance at SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL and the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ, earning a B.A. in Sociology, with honors. ARLEE CURRENTLY TRAVELS THE WORLD as a guest vocalist and bandleader, receiving praise from critics and audiences alike for her CD "WILD HONEY" and live performances. Ms. Leonard has performed in SINGAPORE, RUSSIA, THAILAND, FRANCE, CHINA, THE PHILIPPINES, JAPAN, DUBAI, TAIWAN, SPAIN, CANADA, GUATEMALA and across the UNITED STATES. Arlee has performed at the homes of US AMBASSADORS in Bangkok, Thailand (Feb. '07), and Moscow, Russia (Oct. '06). At the CUTTING ROOM in New York City Arlee hosted and sang with a cadre of D.C. dignitaries known at THE COALITION OF THE WILLING, as well as with RONNIE SPECTOR and with the JULLIARD JAZZ SEXTET, in a fundraiser for the NEW ORLEANS MUSICIAN'S CLINIC (April '07). She sang for the opening of a GUGGENHEIM Exhibit, "200 YEARS OF AMERICAN INNOVATION" at the PUSHKIN MUSUEM and RITZ-CARLTON in Moscow (July '07) with the ARI ROLAND QUARTET. In July '07, Arlee's performance at New Orleans' premier jazz venue, SNUG HARBOR, was broadcast live over the world wide web on WWW.WWOZ.ORG, and she performed for the first time at New Orleans' SATCHMO SUMMERFEST in Aug. '07. September '07 saw a return to New York's SWEET RHYTHM before Ms. Leonard was off to a repeat engagement at HARRY'S BAR - Boat Quay in Singapore with THE CHROMAZONE BAND. She ended the year with performances in Louisiana and Russia, and began 2008 singing back in New York at SWEET RHYTHM. When home in New York and New Orleans, Arlee graces the stage at renowned jazz venues including SNUG HARBOR and SWEET LORRAIINE'S (New Orleans), and BIRDLAND, LENOX LOUNGE, BLUE NOTE, BAMCAFE (New York). Arlee has sung for the FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL, NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL (New Orleans), INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR JAZZ EDUCATION (IAJE) conference in Toronto, and for the JVC JAZZ FESTIVAL, WOMEN IN MUSIC FESTIVAL, several INTERNATIONAL WOMEN IN JAZZ (IWJ) concerts, and the IMPACT FESTIVAL in New York. She was a panelist and showcase artist at the CUTTING EDGE MUSIC BUSINESS CONFERENCE in New Orleans (Aug. 2006). ARLEE RELEASED HER SELF-PRODUCED DEBUT CD "WILD HONEY" (SolaJazz Records) in 2000, and has recorded for other producers, bandleaders, and songwriters, including a Fall '07 release by New Orleans' trumpeter SHAMARR ALLEN. Her debut includes seven originals and distinctive arrangements of five classics by some of her favorite composers. She assembled some of New York’s finest for the recording, including DON BRADEN/sax, MARCUS PRINTUP/trumpet, MIRI BEN-ARI/violin, ERIC LEWIS/piano, FREDDIE BRYANT/guitar, DWAYNE BURNO/bass, DWAYNE “COOK BROADNAX/drums, and DANNY SADOWNICK/percussion. Some of her U.S. band mates have been ART HIRAHARA, FRED SANDERS, CARLTON HOLMES, DEANNA WITKOWSKI, LARRY SIEBERTH and JOE ASHLAR/piano, RON AFFIF and FREDDIE BRYANT/guitar, CALVIN JONES, PAUL BEAUDRY, EDWIN LIVINGSTON, DON VAPPIE, JAMES SINGLETON and DAVID PULPHUS/bass, JASON MARSALIS, DWAYNE BROADNAX, TROY DAVIS, JAZ SAWYER, ADONIS ROSE, OLEG BUTMAN and JOHNNY VIDACOVICH/drums, WALTER BLANDING, JR., WESS ANDERSON, JR., TONY DAGRADI, CLARENCE JOHNSON III and REBECCA BARRY/sax, MARCUS PRINTUP and IRVIN MAYFIELD/trumpet, and DELFEAYO MARSALIS/trombone. IN ADDITION TO CONCERTS, Ms. Leonard sings and hosts for corporate and private functions, churches, fundraisers, film events, and universities. Arlee has performed as an actress and dancer, recorded for radio, television and video, and is a certified MUSIC TOGETHER® teacher. For several years she was the Secretary to the Board of Directors of IWJ, and has been a member of IAJE, the Jazz Foundation of America, the Jazz Vocal Coalition, and Jazz Alliance International. Arlee is an ASCAP writer and publisher. As an artist and as a person, Arlee is always reaching for her higher ground. When she shines, you will smile!