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CHARLES LEIGHTON
BIOGRAPHY / LINER NOTES
For the first time on CD, the alluring sound of
Charles Leighton, digitally re-mastered, captures the romance of his legendary tone and
unparalleled performance. A must-have album.
Charles Leighton, a native New Yorker, taught himself to play the harmonica at the age of
twelve. At only 16 he left home to hit the proverbial long hard road and begin his colorful
career. He toured the entire United States playing in vaudeville theatres as lead harmonica
with various harmonica groups including the Philharmonicas and illustrious Cappy Barra
Harmonica Gentlemen, having the time of his life while sending money home to his
family.
The 1940s found him in Hollywood, where he appeared in motion pictures for
Columbia and RKO. During this time he also played country music on the radio with
The Hollywood Barn Dance and The Hoagy Carmichael Show, and recorded with The
Riders Of The Purple Sage, Merle Travis, Johnny Bond and The Andrew Sisters.
Upon returning to New York, he signed with USO Camp Shows and toured throughout Japan,
Korea, and China, entertaining the Military. After this tour, he returned home, to work as
a studio musician playing on numerous radio and television commercials and recorded
with Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, Harry Belafonte, Mitch Miller, Andre Kostelanetz, Clint
Eastwood, Hugh Downs, Dionne Warwick, just to name a few.
By the mid 1950s he
founded and operated his own recording studio, and gave up playing entirely. Years later a
very good friend asked him to make a harmonica recording of one of his favorite flute
solos called "Poem" by CharlesT Griffis, an American composer. Never having heard this
piece, Leighton assumed it would be an easy task to please a friend, so without giving it
too much thought he promised to record it. After seeing the music he realized it was more
complex than he had expected, but a promise was a promise and Charles was determined
to keep his word. He met the challenge with intense practice, and made the recording.
Ironically, it gave him so much pleasure to play again, that he researched other classical
pieces and to our good fortune, assembled this CD.
Not just a 'harmonica man' but considered a musician's musician,
the harmonica in the hands of Charles Leighton becomes the instrument of transport that
carries you to Charley's world. It is a world in which art and science, philosophy and
music merge and are at once reinvented by Charley.
For many in his legion of longtime fans, the Charles Leighton presented in this collection
manifest the most compelling side of his multi-faceted persona. Whether he is rendering
a love song at a slow dance tempo or taking flight into an improvisational articulation,
he always speaks his heart. And, he speaks volumes. Smooth transcendent lyricism is
always the central voice of his music even when, at any given moment, he will burst into
tones characteristic of a horn, bending a high note into a new dimension.
Covering ballads to bossa to blues, this is destined to become a collector's album,
including a rare BONUS track sparkling like a precious gem in the history of 'Radio
Americana'. After having (just before the show aired live) kicked around a few songs
together, Carmichael publicly praises Leighton's playing. But, even Carmichael's praise
become understatements once Charley's performance begins.
Always on the leading edge, Charley is truly the man for all seasons. You can find him
trading jazz solos Tuesdays, when he holds court with some of the finest jazz musicians
in town. So for those not holding the password to his esoteric jam, here in these 17
tracks you can slip into the joy of Charley's world. - S.L.R.
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