Biography
Leonard Jones refers to multiple musicians:
(1)
Leonard Jones (b. 1943) is an avant-garde jazz bassist that was an early member of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians). He worked as a sideman on several albums in the late 1960s through 1980s including Muhal Richard Abrams's Levels And Degrees Of Light, 1-OQA+19, and Spihumonesty, Oliver Lake's Life Dance Of Is, Henry Threadgill's X-75 Volume 1, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre's Peace And Blessings, and Mal Waldron's Our Colline's A Treasure. He currently lives in Germany.
After being discharged from the military in 1963, Leonard Jones returned to Chicago. He began studying the bass privately with Mr. Rudolph Fahsbender, a bassist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In 1964, through an introduction from the bassist Charles Clark, he met Muhal Richard Abrams. Mr. Abrams was the leader of the Experimental Band, a forum for musicians looking for an environment conducive to their own creative inclinations. He was invited to participate in the groups rehearsals and began theoretical studies with Mr. Abrams. The Experimental Band rehearsals were a vital learning experience.
In May 1965, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians was founded and Jones became a member in June. During that same year, he began an association with the bassist Wilbur Ware. Jones attended the Chicago Conservatory of Music for one year, still under the tutoring of Mr. Fahsbender. He also participated in David Beth's bass school, a bassist with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. His activities until leaving Chicago centered around AACM functions and playing in more standard situations.
In June 1969, Jones expatriated to Europe for five years, marrying, and taking time out from music to study photography 1970–1972 at the Hochschule für bildende Kunst, an art academy in Hamburg, Germany. He performed with Henry Threadgill and Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith in 1971. Jones spent six months traveling through southern Europe and Morocco in 1972 before returning to Munich to join with I.W.L. Smith, performing as a duo in 1973 and 1974. In the summer of 1975, he returned with his family to Chicago.
As a member of the Muhal Richard Abrams group, Leonard Jones moved to New York in August 1977 and remained there until returning to Europe in 1980. He lived in Munich, working with Lezek Zadlo, Frank St. Peter and the band New Trace. In the 1980s and 1990s, he toured and performed festivals in Europe and Africa with the Sun Ra Arkestra, the Hank Crawford and David Newman Group, Dave Burell, Lou Blackburn's International Quartet and Mombasa, Mal Waldron and Sonny Simmons.
Besides experimental music and improvisation which had always been a part of Jones' musical background, he has explored other musical areas, performing in rhythm and blues and gospel formations with Gene "Mighty Flea" Conners and John C. Marshall, as well as, with the Orchestra of the Theater Oberhausen in a production of the Three Penny Opera. In 1998, Jones played for several months in Dubai (UAE) in the quartet of Johnny Scott (Canadian saxophonist). Thereafter followed performances and CD productions with the clarinetist Lajos Dudas. He has also participated with the Experimental Band on festivals in Verona, Chicago, and New York. In May 2003, Jones worked in a project with George Lewis in Munich.
(2)
Leonard Jones is the Head of the Worship department for MorningStar Ministries in Fort Mill, South Carolina. He appears regularly on the GOD channel on the MorningStar weekly Television program. He is a multi-instrumentalist and is trained in classical music and Jazz. His musical career changed 34 years ago when he got saved reading a bible in a McDonalds and decided to give all his talents to Jesus. He spends most of his time leading Worship in Charlotte, writing music, producing CDs for MorningStar and a few other people, and training up and coming Worship leaders at the MorningStar School of Worship.
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