Jazz Musician Jennifer Leitham Releases New Album: MOOD(S)WINGS

Jennifer Leitham Featured in Vanity Fair’s “Trans America” Special Edition
By: Sinistral Records
 
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Oct. 20, 2015 - PRLog -- Jennifer Leitham (http://jenniferleitham.com/) (pronounced “lite-em”) is a renowned “left-handed virtuoso of the upright bass” (Los Angeles Times), “a true musical rarity” (Vanity Fair), and professional jazz performer who has played for over 40 years with industry luminaries, including Mel Tormé, Peggy Lee, Doc Severinsen and k.d. lang.  Leitham is releasing her tenth album, MOOD(S)WINGS from Sinistral Records, on Friday, October 23, 2015.  The project is a mood swinging statement of joy, sorrow, pain and exhilaration, with The Jennifer Leitham Trio, special guests, and features Jennifer’s wry lyrics, compositions and arrangements.  The CD will be available via iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby for $7.59 (digital download) and $15.00 (CD).

Leitham is featured in the 2015 Vanity Fair Special Edition “Trans America” (on newsstands through November 16th) as one of the top 20 pioneers in the transgender community.

Leitham says, “It is an honor to be recognized by Vanity Fair as a pioneer in the transgender community, and I do my best to be a positive role model for others.  But it is my music for which I’d like to be known.  I live to perform, playing my bass, singing, composing and touching the audience’s heartstrings.  I would be happiest touring the country in a bus playing one-nighters along the way.”

As Vanity Fair points out, American author and music critic Will Friedwald (Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Village Voice) has extolled of Leitham, “She is one of the few practitioners of her instrument, of any gender, genre or generation, who can completely command my attention with what is, essentially, an entire set of bass solos.”

The documentary about Leitham’s life story, “I Stand Corrected (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUCHJ4iyI_k),” ran the festival circuit in 2012, winning 11 fest laurels—all were audience or jury awards.



To succeed in the socially conservative and male-dominated jazz world, Jennifer (formerly “John”) kept her true internal identity a secret for much longer than she would have liked.  It was finally in 2001 that she took the courageous step to introduce the world to her true self, and it created a firestorm in the industry.

Leitham comments, “To this day, the jazz world still largely resists accepting me because of my transition.  I’m a better musician now, yet, since 2001, getting myself or my trio booked at places where I had previously played regularly has been one of the biggest challenges.”

She has been extremely open about her transition and the obstacles she has faced in her journey, however, after 15 years, she prides herself on being grounded and highly optimistic, even in the face of an industry that has largely turned its back on her.

There will be an album release party for MOOD(S)WINGS on Wednesday, October 21st  at the cutting edge Blue Whale Jazz Club in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, where Leitham will perform with her trio, including Rich Eames on piano (filling in for Andy Langham who plays on the album) and Randy Drake on drums.  The album features original compositions, arrangements and vocals by Leitham.

As we come upon the holiday season, Leitham’s album Future Christmas (Sinistral Records, 2014) is a timely listen.  In particular, she hopes to spread awareness for global warming with her title track, "Future Christmas (The Global Warming Winter Holiday Blues."

About Jennifer Leitham

Jennifer Leitham is an American musician and jazz bass virtuoso.  Being left-handed, she has also used the nicknames "Lefty" or "The Southpaw."  Her many roles include bassist, vocalist, composer, arranger, lyricist, producer and educator.  An active live performer, Leitham has been bassist on more than 125 recordings, including ten of her own.  She is known for long associations with Mel Tormé and Doc Severinsen.  She has also appeared with Woody Herman, George Shearing, Gerry Mulligan, Peggy Lee, Joe Pass, Cleo Laine, Louis Bellson, Pete Rugolo, Bill Watrous, and been a member of The Tonight Show All-Stars, The Woody Herman Thundering Herd, the Benny Carter Quintet, and the Bob Cooper Quartet. The first record she made with Tormé, A Vintage Year (also with Shearing) won a Grammy Award for Tormé as “Best Male Jazz Vocalist.”  Leitham’s basslines have graced many film and television shows.  She has performed as a featured artist or group member at major jazz festivals in North America and internationally and has been a presenter at workshops and clinics in the U.S. Recent venues include the Blue Note, Iridium, Smalls, and Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola in New York; The Toronto Pride Fest; The Bohem Festival (Budapest); Breda Jazz Fest in the Netherlands; Münster Jazz Festival in France; Yamaha Jazz Festival in Hamamatsu, Japan; Mammoth Lakes and Sweet and Hot Jazz Festivals in California; Blues Alley (Washington, DC); Catalina's; The Jazz Bakery and The Lighthouse in Los Angeles, amongst others.  Leitham’s own recordings include Leitham Up; The Southpaw; Lefty Leaps In; Live! and Two for the Road (a duo with guitarist Jimmy Bruno).  Her 2006 release, The Real Me, features her original compositions and arrangements and, for the first time, her singing voice.  2008 saw the critically acclaimed Left Coast Story, and in 2011, she released a live concert DVD "The Real Me Live."  Next released was the #1 top-selling holiday album on CD Baby, Future Christmas (2014), and MOOD(S)SWINGS (2015).  In 2001, Leitham transitioned from being known as John Leitham.  Her life story and transition is featured in the award winning documentary, "I Stand Corrected."  She was awarded the 2014 Community Leader Angel Award at the Angels of Change event benefitting the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.  This award is given annually to an individual for continuous support and advocacy toward the advancement of trans youth in the community.  In 2015, she is featured on U.S. newsstands as one of the top 20 pioneers in Vanity Fair’s “Trans America” Special Collector’s Edition.

Website: http://jenniferleitham.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.leitham

Twitter: @jenniferleitham

You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHRtBv5QXem3EB7tQyYcW6Q
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Source:Sinistral Records
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Tags:Jennifer Leitham, Vanity Fair, MOODSWINGS
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