- Bernie Leighton
Bernie Leighton (January 30, 1921 - September 16, 1994) was an American
jazz pianist.Leighton was born in
West Haven, Connecticut . He first played professionally at the end of the 1930s. He played withBud Freeman ,Leo Reisman ,Raymond Scott (1940) andBenny Goodman (1940-41) before serving in the Army. Following his discharge, he found much work as a studio sideman, withDave Tough (1946),Billie Holiday (1949),Neal Hefti (1951), Goodman again,Artie Shaw (1953),John Serry, Sr. (1956),James Moody (1963) andBob Wilber (1969). He did a tour withTony Bennett in 1972-73.While Leighton was best known as a sideman, he also recorded extensively as a leader; he released on
Keynote Records in 1946,Mercury Records in 1950, an LP onColumbia Records in 1950, Brunswick in 1951, LPs for Disneyland and Capitol in 1957, and a tribute toDuke Ellington released in 1974.Leighton has a
cameo role in the 1986 film "Hannah and Her Sisters ". He died inCoconut Creek, Florida .References
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Scott Yanow , [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jifqxq85ld6e~T1 Bernie Leighton] atAllmusic
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