Ray Leatherwood

Ray Leatherwood, his surname providing recycleables for both his device along with a case for this, played bass and tuba professionally since saddling up with an clothing referred to as the Mustang Music group within the ’30s Tx territory band picture. He offers since been presented on a lot more than 120 jazz albums only, keeping his submit during his final years with demanding rehearsal groups such as for example Dick Cary’s Wednesday Night Close friends. Pile the complete Leatherwood discography within a mound and it?s likely that great most listeners will step over it to access one particular name, vocalist Julie London’s Julie Is normally Her Name, Vol. 1 record, recorded in an interval of almost a year between your end of 1955 as well as the outset of the next year. Because of this masterpiece the sultry London is normally accompanied just by stuffy, conventional, but flashy guitarist Barney Kessel as well as the Leatherwood bass. One melody from this program, “Cry Me a River,” flowed correct onto the strike parade. The complete record — just like the duet program offering Sammy Davis, Jr. supported just by guitarist Laurindo Almeida or Ella Fitzgerald’s many edges featuring just piano — demonstrates the amazing power of vocal music when agreements are stripped right down to the weapon and holster, as they say. In case a bassist is normally involved, this technique works best once the player originates from the previous school of offering base, shorn of extra noodling or portamento that appears like a dolphin getting massaged. Leatherwood is normally a reliable tempo section player pursuing within the bass patterns of Jimmy Blanton, Ray Dark brown, and Crimson Mitchell. He performed with violinist Joe Venuti in the past due ’30s, going to the sets of Bob Chester and Tommy Dorsey within the ensuing 10 years. Leatherwood’s years within the provider were spent arranging armed forces rings in California. He remained put following the end from the battle, gigging in California night clubs and engaging in the rhythm portion of bandleader Les Dark brown from 1947 in to the early ’50s. Freelance activity continuing on the LA picture, the bassist turning up on pop recordings by Doris Time and Rosemary Clooney, also handling a program for nation & traditional western fellow Sonny Wayne.