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Leon Spencer
Leon Spencer was born in Houston, TX, in 1945, and started piano lessons early, studying the instrument
for more than ten years. He gigged around Texas with David Newman then attended Texas Southern University
to study engineering. He later attended the University of Houston. After getting out of the army, Leon
heard Jimmy Smith in person and decided to take up the organ and backed Houston visitors like Peggy Lee
and Lou Rawls when they came through town.
He also gigged around Texas with fellow Houston native, guitarist Melvin Sparks, whom he first met while the two were in school together. In 1969, Spencer spent three months in Los Angeles, where he made his recording debut with guitarist Wilbert Longmire, who he'd work with again over the years. He came to New York in 1970 and immediately found opportunities working with his friend, Melvin Sparks. Important was also his cooperation with Lou Donaldson; they recorded various albums together. His recording career concentrated in the early 1970's, when albums such as Sneak Preview, Louisiana Slim, Bad Walking Woman, and Where I'm Coming From were released on the Prestige label. Some of his music was reissued in 1997 as Roots of Acid Jazz. Bob Porter wrote in his liner notes: "As a player Spencer was all Jimmy Smith on top, but his use of organ bass was most unusual. He would use the lower manual much more than most players and develop bass lines that had considerably more than average range. It is fortunate that master engineer Rudy Van Gelder was aboard for these dates because he brings out the very best in Spencer's organ sound." Leon died in 2012. partially from Doug Payne (his blog Sound Insight) |
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Revolution Pacific 20161 recorded 1969 in Hollywood, CA/USA |
Wilbert Longmire, guitar Cal Green, guitar Anthony Ortega, tenor sax Wilton Felder, tenor sax George Bohanon, trombone Gary Barone, trumpet Gray Rains, trumpet Leon Spencer, organ, piano Larry Gales, bass Ron Johnson, bass Paul Humphrey, drums |
Pretty Things Blue Note 89794 recorded January and June 1970 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Leon Spencer, organ Lonnie Smith, organ Melvin Sparks, guitar Lou Donaldson, tenor sax Blue Mitchell, trumpet Jimmy Lewis, bass Idris Muhammad, drums |
Sparks! Prestige 10001 recorded September 1970 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Melvin Sparks, guitar Virgil Jones, trumpet John Manning, tenor sax Houston Person, tenor sax Leon Spencer, organ Idris Muhammad, drums |
The Scorpion Blue Note 31876 recorded November 1970 live at the Cadillac Club, Newark, NJ/USA |
Lou Donaldson, alto sax Fred Ballard, trumpet Melvin Sparks, guitar Leon Spencer, organ Idris Muhammad, drums |
Sneak Preview Prestige 10011 recorded December 1970 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Leon Spencer, organ Virgil Jones, trumpet Grover Washington, tenor sax Melvin Sparks, guitar Idris Muhammad, drums Buddy Waldwell, conga |
Turn It On! Prestige 10012 recorded January 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Sonny Stitt, tenor sax Virgil Jones, trumpet Leon Spencer, organ Melvin Sparks, guitar Idris Muhammad, drums |
Fire Eater Prestige 10014 recorded February 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Rusty Bryant, tenor sax Bill Mason, organ Leon Spencer, organ Wilbert Longmire, guitar Idris Muhammad, drums |
Spark Plug Prestige 10016 recorded March 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Melvin Sparks, guitar Grover Washington, tenor sax Virgil Jones, trumpet Leon Spencer, organ Reggie Roberts, organ Idris Muhammad, drums |
You Talk That Talk! Prestige 10019 recorded February 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Gene Ammons, tenor sax Sonny Stitt, tenor sax Leon Spencer, organ George Freeman, guitar Idris Muhammad, drums |
Black Vibrations Prestige 10032 recorded July 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Sonny Stitt, tenor sax, alto sax Virgil Jones, trumpet Leon Spencer, organ Don Patterson, organ Melvin Sparks, guitar Idris Muhammad, drums |
Louisiana Slim Prestige 10033 recorded July 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Leon Spencer, organ Grover Washington, tenor sax, flute Virgil Jones, trumpet Melvin Sparks, guitar Idris Muhammad, drums Buddy Caldwell, conga |
Akilah! Prestige 10039 recorded February 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Melvin Sparks, guitar Leon Spencer, organ, piano Dave Hubbard, flute, tenor sax Hubert Laws, flute George Coleman, alto sax Sonny Fortune, alto sax Frank Wess, tenor sax Ernie Royal, trumpet Virgil Jones, trumpet Drums - Idris Muhammad Buddy Caldwell, percussion |
Cosmos Blue Note 84370 recorded July 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Lou Donaldson, alto sax Ed Williams, trumpet Melvin Sparks, guitar Leon Spencer, organ Jerry Jemmott, bass Idris Muhammad, drums Ray Armando, congas |
Bad Walking Woman Prestige 10042 recorded February 1972 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Leon Spencer, organ Sonny Fortune, alto sax Dave Hubbard, tenor sax Virgil Jones, trumpet Hubert Laws, flute Buzz Brauer, flute, English horn, oboe Melvin Sparks, guitar Joe Beck, guitar Idris Muhammad, drums Buddy Caldwell, conga |
Where I'm Coming From Prestige 10063 recorded February 1972 and January 1973 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Leon Spencer, organ Sonny Fortune, alto sax Dave Hubbard, tenor sax Seldon Powell, tenor sax, flute Frank Wes, flute, baritone sax Virgil Jones, trumpet Jon Faddis, trumpet Victor Paz, trumpet Hubert Laws, flute Buzz Brauer, flute, English horn, oboe Melvin Sparks, guitar Joe Beck, guitar Ernie Hayes, piano George Duvivier, bass Idris Muhammad, drums Grady Tate, drums Buddy Caldwell, conga |
This Side Of Heaven J&M Records JRC 605 recorded 1976 (?) in USA |
Wilbert Longmire, guitar Wilton Felder, tenor sax Leon Spencer, organ orchestra c/by Joe Sample |
Legends Of Acid Jazz Prestige PRCD-24169 compilation, recorded 1971 |
Sonny Stitt, alto sax, tenor sax Virgil Jones, trumpet Melvin Sparks, guitar Don Patterson, organ Leon Spencer, organ Idris Muhammad, drums |
Legends Of Acid Jazz - Leon Spencer Prestige PRCD 24185-2 recorded December 1970 and July 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA reissue of "Sneak Preview" and "Louisiana Slim" |
Melvin Sparks, guitar Grover Washington, tenor sax, flute Virgil Jones, trumpet Leon Spencer, organ Idris Muhammad, drums Buddy Caldwell, conga |
Legends Of Acid Jazz Prestige PRCD-24188 compilation track 01-06: recorded November 1970 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA, originally released on Prestige 10006 as Gene Ammons - The Black Cat! track 07-12: recorded February 1971 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA, originally released on Prestige 10019 as Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt - You Talk That Talk! track 13-14: recorded May 1962 in Chicago, IL/USA, originally released on Prestige 7791 as Various - The Soul/Jazz Giants |
Gene Ammons, tenor sax Bill Fischer, conductor Sonny Stitt, tenor sax George Freeman, guitar Paul Weeden, guitar Harold Mabern, piano Don Patterson, organ Leon Spencer, organ Ron Carter, bass Billy James, drums Idris Muhammad, drums |
Blue Breakbeats Blue Note CDP 7243 4 94709 2 7 recorded between 1952 and 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA |
Lou Donaldson, alto sax Blue Mitchell, trumpet Ed Williams, trumpet George Benson, guitar Ted Dunbar, guitar Grant Green, guitar Jimmy Ponder, guitar Melvin Sparks, guitar Charles Earland, organ John Patton, organ Lonnie Smith, organ Leon Spencer, organ Ben Dixon, drums Idris Muhammad, drums |
Dance Lesson #2 Blue Note 7243 5 31586 2 0 recorded January - February 2000 in USA |
Karl Denson, alto sax, tenor sax, flute Chris Wood, bass Zak Najor, drums Charlie Hunter, guitar Melvin Sparks, guitar Ron Levy, organ Leon Spencer, organ E.J. Rodriguez, percussion |
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