Biography
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Members
- Harlan Leonard
- Walter Monroe
Harlan Leonard (Kansas City, Missouri, July 2, 1905 - November 10, 1983, Los Angeles, California) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist (alto, tenor and soprano), composer and bandleader.
His music is considered transitional between swing and bebop.
A professional musician from the age of 17, he joined Benny Moten’s orchestra in 1923, where he led the reed section until 1931. In 1931, he and Thamon Hayes formed the Kansas City Skyrockets, which included trumpeter Ed Lewis, trombonist Vic Dickenson, and pianist Jesse Stone. After disputes with the Chicago local branch of the American Federation of Musicians, the band broke up.
Leonard then formed a new band, Harlan Leonard & His Rockets. Charlie Parker played in this band for five weeks, but was fired by Leonard for lack of discipline. The band’s music is considered transitional between swing and bebop. The band broke up during the Second World War, and Leonard left professional music.
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