Leroy Lovett (March 17, 1919, Philadelphia - December 9, 2013, Chatsworth, California) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

pianist and arranger. Lovett studied piano with Sophie Stokowski (the wife of Leopold Stokowski) from the age of four, and began composing early. He received a bachelor's degree from

Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then called Ba ...

and then continued his studies at the Schillinger House of Music. He directed his own band in Philadelphia before settling in New York City in 1945. There he arranged for Tiny Bradshaw and

Luis Russell Luis Russell (August 5, 1902 – December 11, 1963) was a pioneering Panamanian jazz pianist, orchestra leader, composer, and arranger. Career Luis Carl Russell was born on Careening Cay, near Bocas del Toro, Panama, in a family of African-Car ...

, and worked with

Noble Sissle Noble Lee Sissle (July 10, 1889 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz composer, lyricist, bandleader, singer, and playwright, best known for the Broadway musical ''Shuffle Along'' (1921), and its hit song "I'm Just Wild About Harry". Ea ...

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 ...

, and Mercer Ellington. He was in the band of Johnny Hodges (during his period away from Duke Ellington) and recorded with him until 1955. At the end of the 1950s, he was in the bands of

Cootie Williams Charles Melvin "Cootie" Williams (July 10, 1911 – September 15, 1985) was an American jazz, jump blues, and rhythm and blues trumpeter. Biography Born in Mobile, Alabama, Williams began his professional career at the age of 14 with the Yo ...

and

Cat Anderson William Alonzo "Cat" Anderson (September 12, 1916 – April 29, 1981) was an American jazz trumpeter known for his long period as a member of Duke Ellington's orchestra and for his wide range, especially his ability to play in the altissimo ...

and recorded two albums under his own name. From 1952, he was a music publisher, was a record producer in the 1950s (1956/57 for Norman Granz) and had a dance orchestra in Philadelphia. From 1959, he worked for Wynne Records and 1968 to 1973 for

Motown Records Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...

. He also wrote film music. He was still active as a musician with the Melodymakers Orchestra, to which he had belonged since 1987 and for which he also arranged. He also appeared with the Uni-Bigband of

Halle Halle may refer to: Places Germany * Halle (Saale), also called Halle an der Saale, a city in Saxony-Anhalt ** Halle (region), a former administrative region in Saxony-Anhalt ** Bezirk Halle, a former administrative division of East Germany ** Hall ...

. He recorded under his own name and with Al Sears (1951),

Harry Carney Harry Howell Carney (April 1, 1910 – October 8, 1974) was a jazz saxophonist and clarinettist who spent over four decades as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He played a variety of instruments but primarily used the baritone saxopho ...

Al Hibbler Albert George Hibbler (August 16, 1915 – April 24, 2001) was an American baritone vocalist, who sang with Duke Ellington's orchestra before having several pop hits as a solo artist. Some of Hibbler's singing is classified as rhythm and blue ...

(1954), Lawrence Brown,

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop si ...

(1955),

(1957), and

(1959), as well as Johnny Hodges.

Discography

*''Jazz Dance Party'' (Wynne Records, 1959) *''Lee Plus 3'' (Wynne, 1959)

References

*"Leroy Lovett". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, ed.

Barry Kernfeld Barry Dean Kernfeld (born August 11, 1950) is an American musicologist and jazz saxophonist who has researched and published extensively about the history of jazz and the biographies of its musicians. Education In 1968, Kernfeld enrolled at U ...

, 2004. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lovett, Leroy 1919 births 2013 deaths American jazz pianists American male jazz pianists Jazz musicians from Philadelphia Temple University alumni Berklee College of Music alumni