Leon Merian (17 September 1923 – 15 August 2007) was an American jazz trumpeter and teacher.
Dizzy Gillespie described his playing as "One of the most beautiful sounds you'll ever hear."
Merian was also a French teacher and public school administrator.
Life
He was born Leon Megerdichian
in South
Braintree, Massachusetts, on 17 September 1923, to Armenian immigrant parents.
Merian learned trumpet from
Georges Mager
Georges C. Mager (1885–1950) was a French musician, and principal trumpet with the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1919 until his death in 1950. He was a renowned trumpeter in Paris before the First World War, playing at the Paris Opera, Concert ...
.
He was a sidesman to
Lucky Millinder
Lucius Venable "Lucky" Millinder (August 8, 1910 – September 28, 1966) was an American swing and rhythm-and-blues bandleader. Although he could not read or write music, did not play an instrument and rarely sang, his showmanship and musical ...
, touring with his band in the
segregated south
In the United States, racial segregation is the systematic separation of facilities and services such as Housing in the United States, housing, Healthcare in the United States, healthcare, Education in the United States, education, Employment in ...
, where, not welcome at either "white" or "colored" establishments, he ended up sleeping on the tour bus.
Merian moved to
20th Century Fox Records in November 1958.
He later had his own band; one member of it was
Herb Phillips.
His publications included the well known ''Trumpet Isometics''. He wrote an autobiography that was published in 2000.
Merian died on 15 August 2007, in
Sarasota
Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sou ...
, Florida.
Discography
As leader
* ''The Magic Horn'' (Decca)
As sideman
*
Specs Powell
Gordon "Specs" Powell (June 5, 1922 – September 15, 2007) was a jazz drummer who began performing in the swing era.
Career
Specs was the first black staff musician hired by CBS in 1943. Born in New York City, he started on piano but ...
, ''
Movin' In'' (Roulette, 1957)
*
Tito Puente
Ernest Anthony Puente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – June 1, 2000), commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz ...
, ''The Essential Tito Puente'' (RCA, 2005)
*
Pete Rugolo
Pietro "Pete" Rugolo (December 25, 1915 – October 16, 2011) was an American jazz composer, arranger and record producer.
Life and career
Rugolo was born in San Piero Patti, Sicily. His family emigrated to the United States in 1920 and settle ...
, ''
Rugolomania
''Rugolomania'' is an album by composer, arranger and conductor Pete Rugolo, featuring performances recorded in 1954 and 1955 and released on the Columbia label.Minn, MMaynard Ferguson Discographyaccessed October 6, 2016Smith, P. GJulius Watkins ...
'' (Columbia, 1955)
Lucky Millinder Orchestra
With the
Lucky Millinder Orchestra:
Gladys Bruce
With
Gladys Bruce:
Alan Freed Rock 'n' Roll Band
Bibliography
* ''Trumpet Isometrics''
* ''Leon Merian, The Man Behind The Horn'', Leon Merian with Bill Bridges, Diem Publishing Co,
Bradenton
Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698.
History
Late 18th and early 19th centuries
A settlement established by Maroons or escaped sl ...
, Florida, 2000, 287 pp.
References
External links
Obituary
1923 births
2007 deaths
American jazz trumpeters
{{Jazz-musician-stub