Leonard Ware

Leonard Ware ( born December 28, 1909 in Richmond, Virginia; † March 30, 1974 in New York City, New York ) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. He is considered one of the pioneers of the electrically amplified guitar in jazz.

Life and work

Goods initially studied the oboe at the Tuskeegee Institute and joined the end of the 30s the guitar. From the mid- 1930s he played in New York in various smaller ensembles and had 1938 recordings of Sidney Bechet for Vocalion with ( " What a Dream ", " Jungle Drums "). Bechet made ​​it a combo with goods and another guitarist, Jimmy Shirley, together, which probably is one of the first groups with two electric guitarists. The end of 1938 came with the goods Kansas City Six to Lester Young and Buck Clayton in Carnegie Hall ( " After You've Gone" ); In 1939, he took with Benny Goodman ( " Umbrella Man ").

Beginning of the 40s he played with own trio in Greenwich Village. 1941 made ​​recordings with Big Joe Turner ( " Ice Man ", " Somebody's Got to Go," "Nobody in My Mind " and " Chewed Up Grass" ), also with Herbie Fields, Don Byas (1945 ), Buddy Johnson and Albinia Jones ( " Salty Papa Blues "). End of the 40s he retired from the music scene and was in the postal system operates.

Goods shall be with Charlie Christian as one of the first in the Jazz, who played electric guitar. He composed, among others the pieces " Hold Tight " (which he recorded with Bechet ) and "I Dreamt I dwelt in Harlem ," which among other things later was recorded by Glenn Miller and The Delta Rhythm Boys.

The guitarist is not to be confused with the blues bassist, who among other things, with Elmore James and Sonny Boy Williamson II played.