West End Jazz Band

Leah is called
"The Windy City Songbird "

LEAH BEZIN took piano lessons as a young child. After notably learning this challenge, her parents offered to continue the woman musical education regarding tool of her choice. She used the banjo. She had the opportunity, through her mother’s passion of obtaining collectibles, to be controlled by a couple of 78 rpm documents on original gear, especially Coon-Sanders’ “Roodles” and Morton’s “Dr. Jazz.” Someplace along the way, she became knowledgeable about the impressionable noises of Van & Schenck. If it wasn’t adequate, Bix Beiderbecke came into the picture. She quickly became a member of the Coon-Sanders Nighthawks Club, (***The Coon-Sanders Nighthawks Orchestra ended up being a favorite Kansas City-based jazz team launched in 1919 by Joe Sanders and Carlton Coon, which stayed a popular draw through the 1930s primarily through their particular connection with Chicago’s Blackhawk Restaurant) and, after that, became a social outcast due mainly to preferred musical correctness. She then followed her very own course anyhow, undaunted and progressing, to a stint within the high-school orchestra on string bass, providing this lady some ancient back ground to balance the blend.

Someplace along the way to music endowment, Leah met some big names such as for instance Guy Lombardo, Joe Venuti, Bill Rank, Doc Ryker, Rex Downing and Spiegle Wilcox. In awe, she found nerve to simply accept the task to stay in using western End Jazz Band inside their start at a local diving. Demonstrating the woman capabilities to expert Mike Bezin, she became a consistent and in addition embarked on being a jobbing musician inside traditional jazz circuit within the Chicago area and across the country.

Currently, Leah will continue to play rhythm section banjo in a number of groups. She matters as highlights of the woman music profession touring European countries two times using WEJB; a one-week wedding during the Hyatt resort in sweet, France, with exact same; playing Mike Pingitore in the Paul Whiteman Orchestra relaxation using western Suburban Symphony; burning Spiegle Wilcox regarding track “Idolizing, ” that he recorded with Bix; and doing along with her own band as Leah LaBrea, “The Windy City Songbird” and Her Flexo Boys, performing songs from 20s and 30s.

Some quotes from peers:
“Metronomic” (Franz Jackson)
“The Freddie Green of banjo” (Paul Libman).
“Chord Beast” (Charlie DeVore).
“The Persistent Banjo” (Mike Cogan).
“Fluid virtuosity” (Howard Reich)
“Banjo excellence!” (Hal Smith)
“That’s the way in which banjo should be played” (Lynn Zimmer)
“If you can’t swing with Leah and Walbridge in the rhythm part, you need to be dead from the hair down” (Wayne Jones)
“Great voice – Great rhythm” (Ranger Doug)

Playing hot dance is the girl fantasy come true.

Some of the woman other passions feature being co-founder of Women’s Auxiliary regarding the Females Haters Club section associated with Three Stooges Fan Club (Unofficial); equestriana; cowboy and traditional songs; fly fishing and regular fishing; and travel.