When members of Harry Connick Jr’s band
came for a ‘sit in’ at what was then the Jazz Cafe, Pink Lane, (now the
Prohibition Bar) back in June 1993, I think the entire saxophone section turned
up along with other band members before Harry himself arrived. At the time my
impression was that the driving force behind getting the musicians to come
along and jam may have been the alto player who introduced himself as Brad
Leali. He was a great player, bop styled – Bird, Adderley, etc. A nice guy and so enthusiastic about the music and playing. I think he may
have been the band’s MD too.
Since then his name has stuck in my mind and I remember on one occasion, a few years later, sitting at home watching
some American TV programme and when the credits went up at the end there was
the name - Brad Leali MD.
After his spell with Harry Connick
Jr. he went on to play for the Count Basie Orchestra at the invitation of Frank
Foster and was with them from 1995 to around 2003/4. After getting his Masters
Degree in 2005, Brad has pursued a very successful academic and performance
career. He is currently Professor of Jazz Saxophone at the University of NorthTexas.
It’s nice to see that this
likeable, sincere and engaging person has gone on to do so well. Roly
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