Charles Leighton

Charles Leighton
Born (1921-06-24)June 24, 1921
Died June 26, 2009(2009-06-26) (aged 87)
Genres Jazz, Classical
Occupation(s) Harmonica player
Recording engineer
Instruments harmonica
Years active 1940–2009
Labels JAC Recording

Charles Leighton (24 June 1921 – 26 June 2009) was an American virtuoso classical and jazz harmonica player who flourished from the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s, then — after a hiatus while managing a recording studio that he co-founded — reemerged in the mid-1980s and continued to play publicly until his death.[1] He had been member of harmonica ensembles of international rank; he had performed as soloist; and he had recorded as studio musician for radio, television, and film.

Leighton, in the mid-1950s, founded a small, prolific recording studio — JAC Recording, Inc. — which was housed in his apartment on the eighth floor at 152 West 58th Street (Apartment 8D), Manhattan, New York. In the late 1950s, his studio hired Phil Ramone whom Leighton and other engineers from the studio mentored. Ramone, who attributes his first love of studio engineering to Leighton, went on to become one of the most prolific producers and recording engineers of pop music, jazz, and notably, rock n roll.

Career history

Pre World War II

Charles Leighton, a native New Yorker, taught himself to play the harmonica at the age of twelve. At age sixteen (1937), Leighton began to tour the United States, playing in vaudeville theaters as lead harmonica with harmonica groups, including the Philharmonicas[2] and the Cappy Barra Harmonica Gentlemen.

During the early 1940s, Leighton worked in Hollywood, both in the studio and on screen, appearing in motion pictures for Columbia and RKO. During this time he also played country music on the radio with The Hollywood Barn Dance and The Hoagy Carmichael Show, and recorded with The Riders Of The Purple Sage, Merle Travis, Johnny Bond, and The Andrew Sisters.

Post World War II

Leighton served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. After the war, he returned to New York and signed with USO Camp Shows and toured throughout Japan, Korea, and China, entertaining the Military. His harmonica trio — with Harry Halicki (né Harry Henry Halicki; 1920–2002) and Joe Pittello (né Joseph Anthony Pittello; 1920–2008), who he had met in the U.S. Coast Guard — made a hit with the war-born show "Tars and Spars." They performed with Henry Morgan, Paul Whiteman, and Kay Kyser.[3] After touring with the USO, Leighton returned to New York City to work as a studio musician playing on numerous radio and television commercials and recorded with entertainers that included Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, Harry Belafonte, Mitch Miller, Andre Kostelanetz, Clint Eastwood, Hugh Downs, Dionne Warwick.

Mid 1950s

By the mid-1950s Leighton co-founded and operated a recording studio — JAC Recording, Inc. — giving up playing entirely. Years later a friend asked him to practice and record a harmonica transcription of a flute solo called Poem by Charles Griffes. Never having heard the piece and initially underestimating its difficulty, Leighton agreed to do it. He produced a studio recording and the exercise served as an impetus for embarking on a follow-up project which led to a full classical CD.[4]

Tuesdays at Charlie Leighton's

For nearly 30 years, up until just before his death, Leighton hosted jam sessions at his 8th floor apartment every Tuesday at 3 PM. He called it Leighton's Leightons. Members included Charles Spranklin (Charles Edward Spranklin; born 1932), William Galison, Randy Weinstein, Stan Harper, Stanley Silverstone, Gregoire Maret, Phil Caltabelotta, and Rob Paparozzi.

Selected discography

As soloist, classical
Reissued by Mega Mouth Records (2000); OCLC 50112301 LCCN 2002-576514
Originally 2 albums, recorded in 1983 and 1985
  1. "Mazurka" (Opus 13), Frédéric Chopin
  2. "The little shepherd," Claude Debussy
  3. "Après un rêve," Gabriel Fauré
  4. "Afternoon of a faun," Claude Debussy
  5. "Second prelude," George Gershwin
  6. "Poem," Charles Griffes
  7. "Liebesfreud," Fritz Kreisler
  8. "Syrinx," Claude Debussy
  9. "Flute sonata," Paul Hindemith †
  10. "Forlane," Maurice Ravel
  11. "Vocalise," Sergei Rachmaninoff
  12. "Requiem for Tabby Andriello"[lower-roman 1]
† Transcribed by Leighton

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As soloist, jazz
  • Angel Eyes, featuring Charles Leighton on chromatic harmonica and Ted Simon on piano, Mega Mouth Records (2001)
  1. "Angel Eyes"
  2. "Bossa
  3. "Yesterdays"
  4. "I Can't Give You Anything But Love"
  5. "Ghost Of A Chance"
  6. "Watch What Happens"
  7. "I'm In The Mood For Love"
  8. "In A Sentimental Mood"
  9. "Charley's Tune"
  10. "I Understand"
  11. "Tapioca"
  12. "Someone To Watch Over Me"
  13. "Tin Roof Blues"
  14. "Sophisticated Lady"
  15. "Sugar Blues"
  16. "For All We Know"
  17. "St Louis Blues," from the Hoagy Carmichael Radio Broadcast (1944)

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As guest soloist, jazz
Gene Bertoncini (guitar), Lou Pallo (guitar), Paul Nowinsky (bass), Alan Ferante (guitar), Greg Packham (bass guitar), Charles Leighton (guest chromatic harmonica player on one track)
  1. "Time After Time" (Leighton trades solos with Rosenberg)

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As sideman
Musicians: Dominic (Don Henry) Quagenti, Cham-Ber Huang (1925–2014), Charles Leighton, Frank (Moose) Mitkowski, Victor Pankowitz (né Victor Paulukewich; 1919–2000), Alan Pogson (né Joseph Alan Pogson; 1915–2006), Alan (Blackie) Schackner (né Irving Schackner; 2013–2013)
  1. "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," Columbia 40555 (78 rpm) (1955) OCLC 81425620

    (matrix CO53621-1A)

  2. "Back Home Again in Indiana," Columbia OCLC 13809015
  • The Fi Is Hi, Eddy L. Manson and His Orchestra, Vik (records) LX-1134 (LP) (1958) OCLC 13075458
Recorded in New York, Aug. 13-15, 1957.
Musicians: Charles Leighton, Alan (Blackie) Schackner (né Irving Schackner; 2013–2013), Alan Pogson (né Joseph Alan Pogson; 1915–2006), Michael Chimes (1914–1970) (harmonicas); Eddy Manson (né Eddy Lawrence Manson; 1919–1996) (leader & arranger)
Musicians include Robbie Kondor, Joe Mardin, Rob Mounsey, Clint de Ganon, Wayne Pedziwiatr, Jeffrey Mironov, Lou Marini, Charles Leighton
Recorded at Sorcerer Sound, New York City
Musicians: Natalie Robinson-Whylie, Black Tie (background vocals), Ori Kaplan (saxophone), Mark Hartman (accordion, piano, synthesizer), Charley Leighton (harmonica), Elliot Peper (drums, bongos, conga), Terry Silverlight (drums), Bill Morgan (tambourine), Stephen Bocchino (1951–2013) (piano), John Merrill, Ron Zebeski (guitars), Tom Abbs (bass)

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As part of compilations, collections
  1. "Second prelude," by George Gershwin, performed by Charles Leighton

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Singles available via streaming on the internet
From the Album, Marlene Van Planck loves Johnny Mercer OCLC 13654486, 593764868
All lyrics by Johnny Mercer; musicians: Marlene VerPlanck, Tony Monte, Bucky Pizzarelli, Milt Hilton, Butch Miles (drums), Charlie Leighton, Brian Koonin, George H Buck
First session recorded at JAC Recording, New York, New York, September 1978, published and distributed by Audiophile Records (1979)
  1. "I Remember You," by Victor Schertzinger
  2. "That Old Black Magic," by Harold Arlen
  3. "Early Autumn," by Ralph Burns & Woody Herman
  4. "Hit the Road to Dreamland," by Harold Arlen
  5. "Skylark," by Hoagy Carmichael
  6. "Any Place I Hang My Hat is Home," by Harold Arlen
  7. "Fools Rush In," by Rube Bloom
  8. "Day In, Day Out," by Rube Bloom
  9. "Let s Take the Long Way Home," by Harold Arlen
  10. "I'm Old Fashioned," by Jerome Kern
  11. "Jeepers Creepers," by Harry Warren
  12. "Midnight Sun," by J. Francis Burke & Lionel Hampton
  13. "Something s Gotta Give"
  14. "I Thought About You," by Jimmy Van Heusen
  15. "Out of This World," by Harold Arlen
  16. "P.S. I Love You," by Gordon Jenkins
Second session recorded at Rockland Studio, New York, New York, August 2, 1988
  1. "I Remember You," by Victor Schertzinger
  2. "How Do You Say Auf Wiedersehn?," by Tony Scibetta
  3. "Charade," by Henry Mancini
  4. "Love s Got Me In A Lazy Mood," by Eddie Miller
  5. "That Old Black Magic," by Harold Arlen
  6. "Summer Wind," by Henry Meyer (Heinz Meier)
  7. "My Shining Hour," by Harold Arlen

Videos of Charles Leighton playing harmonica

Filmography

As membger of the Cappy Barra Boys Harmonica Quartet

Audio books

Charles Leighton (harmonica)
Peter Fernandez (director)

Selected studio engineering

Leighton engineered and mixed countless studio recordings , including:

For Stash Records
Recorded and mixed 1981 at JAC Recording Studios
Private party, New York, 1962
  • Anne Marie Moss, Don't You Know Me? ST-211 (1981); OCLC 8066438
Recorded January 1981, JAC Recording Studios, New York City
Famous Door Records, Harry Lim Recordings (Flushing)
Recorded February 1981, JAC Recording Studios, New York City
Recorded July 1982, JAC Recording Studios, New York City

Publications

Family

Charles Leighton was married to Rosanne G. "Ro" Leighton (née Fingeroth; 1928–2002). They had no children.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Tabby Andriello, also known as Frank Andriello (né Rocco Carmelo Andriello; 1920–1988), was a musician and an award-winning studio sound effects specialist

  2. ↑ The F & R Farrell Company, which sold harmonicas, closed in 2005 due to declining health of its proprietor, Richard E. Farrell (1920–2007)

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Inline citations
  1. ↑ Studio Stories: How the Great New York Records Were Made: From Miles to Madonna, Sinatra to the Ramones, by Dave Simons, Backbeat Books (2004), pg. 59; OCLC 57543979 ISBN 0879308176
  2. ↑ Harmonicas, Harps, and Heavy Breathers: The Evolution of the People's Instrument, by Kim Field, First Cooper Square Press (2000), pps. 9, 15–16, 59–60, 84, 85, 90, 239, 243–244 (bio), 255–256, 286, 299, 314, 342; OCLC 28292843 (1993 ed.)
  3. ↑ "Theater," by George Alexander Currie (1894–1953), Brooklyn Eagle, August 18, 1949, pg. 4
  4. ↑ "Biography of Charles Leighton," liner notes by Cathi Anne Norton (born 1949), from the CD, Angel Eyes, featuring Leighton on harmonica, Mega Mouth Records (c/o Susan J. Rosenberg, née Lavit; born 1949), Bridgeport, Connecticut (2001)
  5. ↑ "Marlene Van Planck" Alexandria, Virginia: Alexander Street Press (dead link Dec 23, 2014)
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