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Guitarist Jay Leach has
worked or recorded with Roy Orbison, Barry Manilow, Gladys Knight, John
Denver, The Pointer Sisters, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt, and Kirk
Whalum; has been session guitarist on over 70 contemporary Christian
albums including artists such as Carman, Barry McGuire, and Joni
Eareckson Tada; was also the guitarist for the Promise Keepers band.
Additionally Jay has major industry credits on Pedal Steel, Dobro and
Banjo. TV shows include Matlock, In The Heat of The Night, Murder She
Wrote, Jake and the Fatman, Several episodes of Touched By An Angel,
Disney Channel cartoon episodes of Dumbo's Flying Circus; many TV and
radio commercials such as: IBM, Budweiser, Denny's, McDonald's, Nike,
Black Angus Steak House, and Mercedes; Movie soundtracks include Mars
Attacks, Trip to Bountiful, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Gone Fishin',
Tough Enough, A Simple Wish, Smokey and the Bandit III, Urban Cowboy,
Big Business, and Six Days and Seven Nights.
JAZZIZ Magazine Review of Jay's
CD, "Beyond Words".
"A worship service
may seem like an unlikely place to hear smooth jazz, but when guitarist
Jay Leach stood at the altar of Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los
Angeles one recent Sunday morning, playing plucky acoustic melodies to a
DAT track, the faithful couldn't help but say "Amen!" Leach
gathers a handful of the genre's finest Christian musicians -- Justo
Almario, Abe Laboriel, Alex Acuna, and Kirk Whalum -- for an eclectic
praise-and-jam session on Beyond Words (Playlist), providing scripture
to meditate on in the liner notes as one listens to a blend of electric
funk and string-section-enhanced acoustic solos. While Leach's quiet
eloquence on hymns like "Amazing Grace" and "Great Is Thy
Faithfulness" might make great background music for quiet times (in
prayer or peaceful meditation), secular smooth-jazz fans are more likely
to dig into the bursts of energy found on the swaying funk of "Holy
Holy Holy (Hosanna)." On that track, Leach duets on acoustic with a
synth-horn section, then engages in a call-and-response on the electric
with Whalum's aggressive sax. On "Walkin' the Walk," Leach (on
electric) and Whalum seem to battle over who can praise with the most
passion. Leach offers a laid-back Latin vibe on the gently percussive
"Festejo," a bright, little opportunity to duet with Almario's
fluttering-leaf flute style. Overall, this is more fun than any church
service you've ever been to."
For other CD's, Products,
and information visit:
www.jayleach.com |
Jay has a new CD,
"Cleared For Takeoff" and joining him on this recording is Alex Acuna,
Abe Labrioel, Justo Almario, Kirk Whalum, Bill Cantos, and Chester
Thompson ( many who are members of our network! ) Wow, what a line up!
The resulting CD is outstanding, including Latin Jazz flavors with
originals penned by Jay, a very cool cover of the Hillsong worship song,
"Love You So Much",
and much more!
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Audio Samples here!
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