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Leonard Feather

April 08, 2024

Leonard Geoffrey Feather (13 September 1914 – 22 September 1994) was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer, who was best known for his music journalism and other writing.[1]

Leonard Feather
Feather in 1946
Background information
Birth nameLeonard Geoffrey Feather
Born(1914-09-13)13 September 1914
London, England
Died22 September 1994(1994-09-22) (aged 80)
Encino, California, US
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Journalist, composer
Instrument(s)Piano
Spouse(s)Jane Feather

Biography edit

Feather was born in London, England, into an upper middle-class Jewish family. He learned to play the piano and clarinet without formal training and started writing about jazz and film by his late teens. At the age of twenty-one, Feather made his first visit to the United States, and after working in the UK and the US as a record producer finally settled in New York City in 1939, where he lived until moving to Los Angeles in 1960. Feather was co-editor of Metronome magazine[2] and served as chief jazz critic for the Los Angeles Times until his death.[1]

Feather made a significant contribution to the development of jazz broadcasting in Britain, first devising three Evergreens of Jazz programmes broadcast in August and September 1936, using George Scott-Wood and His Six Swingers.[3] Leonard Feather's Swing Time, which was first broadcast National Service in January 1937, probably derived its programme title from the 1936 American RKO musical film, songs from which were featured in BBC gramophone recitals several times in December 1936. Initially trailed in the Radio Times as a programme of "Gramophone Records of Dance Music (Swing Time)".[4] He also wrote the regular 'Tempo di Jazz' column in the Radio Times in the mid-1930s.[5]

Feather's compositions have been widely recorded, including "Evil Gal Blues" and "Blowtop Blues" by Dinah Washington, and what is possibly his biggest hit, "How Blue Can You Get?", co-written with his wife Jane,[6][7] recorded by blues artists Louis Jordan and B.B. King.[1] But it was as a writer on jazz (as a journalist, critic, historian, and campaigner) that he made his biggest mark: "Feather was for a long time the most widely read and most influential writer on jazz."[8] Even jazz enthusiasts who did not read his books and articles would have known him from the liner notes that he wrote for hundreds of jazz albums. He was not always a neutral commentator on the jazz scene: "Feather's skill at writing glowing advance press pieces about artists he was to record, including his own compositions on the session, and then reviewing his own productions as if he were an impartial critic, was almost an art form in itself."[9] He also hosted radio shows including Jazz Club in the early 1950s and Platterbrains that aired from 1953 to 1958. Feather organized the first Carnegie Hall jazz concerts, the only two jazz concerts at the original Metropolitan Opera House.[10]

He wrote the lyrics to the jazz song "Whisper Not", which was recorded by Ella Fitzgerald on her 1966 Verve release of the same name.[1]

In 1984, Feather was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music.[11] Feather's archives are part of the International Jazz Collections at the University of Idaho Library.[12]

Feather died from complications of pneumonia in Encino, Los Angeles, California, at the age of 80. He was the father of lyricist and songwriter Lorraine Feather.[13]

Bibliography edit

  • 1955: The Encyclopedia of Jazz, with foreword by Duke Ellington (Horizon Press)
  • 1956: The Encyclopedia Yearbook of Jazz (Horizon)
    • 1993 reprint (Da Capo) ISBN 0-306-80529-4
  • 1963: Laughter from the Hip co-written with Jack Tracy (Da Capo) ISBN 978-0-306-80092-4
  • 1966: The Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Sixties
  • 1972: From Satchmo to Miles (Stein and Day)
  • 1977: Inside Jazz (Da Capo) ISBN 0-306-80076-4
  • 1977: Pleasures of Jazz (Delacorte) ISBN 0-385-28786-0
  • 1987: Encyclopedic Yearbook of Jazz reprint (Da Capo) ISBN 0-306-76289-7
  • 1987: The Jazz Years – Earwitness to an Era (Da Capo)
  • 1988: Book of Jazz (Horizon) ISBN 0-8180-1202-1
  • 1999: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz co-written with Ira Gitler, second (revised) edition (Oxford University Press) ISBN 0-19-507418-1
  • 2000: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Discography edit

  • 1937–1945: Leonard Feather 1937–1945 (Classics)
  • 1951: Leonard Feather's Swingin' Swedes (Prestige)
  • 1954: Dixieland vs. Birdland (MGM)
  • 1954: Cats Vs. Chicks (MGM)
  • 1954: Winter Sequence (MGM)
  • 1956: West Coast vs. East Coast (MGM)
  • 1956: Swingin' on the Vibories (MGM)
  • 1957: Hi-Fi Suite (MGM)
  • 1957: 52nd Street (VSOP)
  • 1958: Swingin' Seasons (MGM)
  • 1959: Jazz from Two Sides (Concept)
  • 1971: Night Blooming Jazzmen featuring Kittie Doswell (Mainstream)
  • 1971: Freedom Jazz Dance (Mainstream)
  • 1971–1972: Night Blooming (Mainstream)
  • 1972: All-Stars (Mainstream)
  • 1997: Presents Bop (Tofrec)

With Langston Hughes

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 131/2. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  2. ^ Davis, Miles (1989). Miles: The Autobiography. Simon & Schuster. p. 67. ISBN 978-0671725822.
  3. ^ "Search Results - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk.
  4. ^ . Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  5. ^ . Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  6. ^ "B.B. King NAILS "How Blue Can You Get" LIVE". Society Of Rock. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Remembering B.B. King With Bluesman Guy Davis". WNYC. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  8. ^ Carr, Ian; Fairweather, Digby; Priestley, Brian (2004). The Rough Guide to Jazz. Rough Guides. pp. 258–259. ISBN 978-1843532569.
  9. ^ Shipton, Alyn (2001). Groovin' High. Oxford University Press. p. 98.
  10. ^ "Leonard Feather". IMDb.com. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  11. ^ "Leonard Feather; Jazz Critic, Composer". Los Angeles Times. 23 September 1994.
  12. ^ "Leonard Feather Jazz Collection". University of Idaho. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  13. ^ Watrous, Peter (24 September 1994). "Leonard Feather, 80, Composer And the Dean of Jazz Critics". The New York Times.

External links edit

  • Leonard Feather at AllMusic
  • Leonard Feather pianist and producer appearing on Donald H. Gabor's Continental 78 RPM Jazz Records

April 08, 2024
leonard, feather, leonard, geoffrey, feather, september, 1914, september, 1994, british, born, jazz, pianist, composer, producer, best, known, music, journalism, other, writing, feather, 1946background, informationbirth, nameleonard, geoffrey, featherborn, 191. Leonard Geoffrey Feather 13 September 1914 22 September 1994 was a British born jazz pianist composer and producer who was best known for his music journalism and other writing 1 Leonard FeatherFeather in 1946Background informationBirth nameLeonard Geoffrey FeatherBorn 1914 09 13 13 September 1914London EnglandDied22 September 1994 1994 09 22 aged 80 Encino California USGenresJazzOccupation s Journalist composerInstrument s PianoSpouse s Jane Feather Contents 1 Biography 2 Bibliography 3 Discography 4 References 5 External linksBiography editFeather was born in London England into an upper middle class Jewish family He learned to play the piano and clarinet without formal training and started writing about jazz and film by his late teens At the age of twenty one Feather made his first visit to the United States and after working in the UK and the US as a record producer finally settled in New York City in 1939 where he lived until moving to Los Angeles in 1960 Feather was co editor of Metronome magazine 2 and served as chief jazz critic for the Los Angeles Times until his death 1 Feather made a significant contribution to the development of jazz broadcasting in Britain first devising three Evergreens of Jazz programmes broadcast in August and September 1936 using George Scott Wood and His Six Swingers 3 Leonard Feather s Swing Time which was first broadcast National Service in January 1937 probably derived its programme title from the 1936 American RKO musical film songs from which were featured in BBC gramophone recitals several times in December 1936 Initially trailed in the Radio Times as a programme of Gramophone Records of Dance Music Swing Time 4 He also wrote the regular Tempo di Jazz column in the Radio Times in the mid 1930s 5 Feather s compositions have been widely recorded including Evil Gal Blues and Blowtop Blues by Dinah Washington and what is possibly his biggest hit How Blue Can You Get co written with his wife Jane 6 7 recorded by blues artists Louis Jordan and B B King 1 But it was as a writer on jazz as a journalist critic historian and campaigner that he made his biggest mark Feather was for a long time the most widely read and most influential writer on jazz 8 Even jazz enthusiasts who did not read his books and articles would have known him from the liner notes that he wrote for hundreds of jazz albums He was not always a neutral commentator on the jazz scene Feather s skill at writing glowing advance press pieces about artists he was to record including his own compositions on the session and then reviewing his own productions as if he were an impartial critic was almost an art form in itself 9 He also hosted radio shows including Jazz Club in the early 1950s and Platterbrains that aired from 1953 to 1958 Feather organized the first Carnegie Hall jazz concerts the only two jazz concerts at the original Metropolitan Opera House 10 He wrote the lyrics to the jazz song Whisper Not which was recorded by Ella Fitzgerald on her 1966 Verve release of the same name 1 In 1984 Feather was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music 11 Feather s archives are part of the International Jazz Collections at the University of Idaho Library 12 Feather died from complications of pneumonia in Encino Los Angeles California at the age of 80 He was the father of lyricist and songwriter Lorraine Feather 13 Bibliography edit1955 The Encyclopedia of Jazz with foreword by Duke Ellington Horizon Press 1956 The Encyclopedia Yearbook of Jazz Horizon 1993 reprint Da Capo ISBN 0 306 80529 4 1963 Laughter from the Hip co written with Jack Tracy Da Capo ISBN 978 0 306 80092 4 1966 The Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Sixties 1972 From Satchmo to Miles Stein and Day 1987 reprint Da Capo ISBN 1 4176 1892 2 1977 Inside Jazz Da Capo ISBN 0 306 80076 4 1977 Pleasures of Jazz Delacorte ISBN 0 385 28786 0 1987 Encyclopedic Yearbook of Jazz reprint Da Capo ISBN 0 306 76289 7 1987 The Jazz Years Earwitness to an Era Da Capo 1988 Book of Jazz Horizon ISBN 0 8180 1202 1 1999 The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz co written with Ira Gitler second revised edition Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 507418 1 2000 Oxford Dictionary of National BiographyDiscography edit1937 1945 Leonard Feather 1937 1945 Classics 1951 Leonard Feather s Swingin Swedes Prestige 1954 Dixieland vs Birdland MGM 1954 Cats Vs Chicks MGM 1954 Winter Sequence MGM 1956 West Coast vs East Coast MGM 1956 Swingin on the Vibories MGM 1957 Hi Fi Suite MGM 1957 52nd Street VSOP 1958 Swingin Seasons MGM 1959 Jazz from Two Sides Concept 1971 Night Blooming Jazzmen featuring Kittie Doswell Mainstream 1971 Freedom Jazz Dance Mainstream 1971 1972 Night Blooming Mainstream 1972 All Stars Mainstream 1997 Presents Bop Tofrec With Langston Hughes Weary Blues MGM 1959 References edit a b c d Colin Larkin ed 2002 The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music Third ed Virgin Books pp 131 2 ISBN 1 85227 937 0 Davis Miles 1989 Miles The Autobiography Simon amp Schuster p 67 ISBN 978 0671725822 Search Results BBC Genome Genome ch bbc co uk Issue 692 Archived from the original on 21 July 2019 Retrieved 21 July 2019 Issue 675 Archived from the original on 1 October 2020 Retrieved 21 July 2019 B B King NAILS How Blue Can You Get LIVE Society Of Rock 23 March 2015 Retrieved 10 January 2023 Remembering B B King With Bluesman Guy Davis WNYC 15 May 2015 Retrieved 10 January 2023 Carr Ian Fairweather Digby Priestley Brian 2004 The Rough Guide to Jazz Rough Guides pp 258 259 ISBN 978 1843532569 Shipton Alyn 2001 Groovin High Oxford University Press p 98 Leonard Feather IMDb com Retrieved 7 November 2017 Leonard Feather Jazz Critic Composer Los Angeles Times 23 September 1994 Leonard Feather Jazz Collection University of Idaho Retrieved 2 October 2017 Watrous Peter 24 September 1994 Leonard Feather 80 Composer And the Dean of Jazz Critics The New York Times External links editLeonard Feather at AllMusic Leonard Feather pianist and producer appearing on Donald H Gabor s Continental 78 RPM Jazz Records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leonard Feather amp oldid 1216801313, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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