"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."

--Don Heckman, LA Times

 

"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

 


"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-Washington Post