Leitch's bandmates for this concert include his friend and long-time musical associate pianist John Hicks, New York bassist David Williams, and jazz legend Billy Higgins on drums. This very fortuitous coming together of musical minds is made more ephemeral through the knowledge that with the passing of Hicks and Higgins, it was an occasion that will never be repeated. "I remember this concert as being one of the great musical experiences of my life," Peter said of the concert, which took place on May 1, 1999. "Fortunately, someone had the foresight to record it."
The potent chemistry among these four veterans is palpable from the opening bars of Bird's "Relaxin' at Camarillo" to Leitch's own tribute to an early mentor, "A Blues for Ivan Symonds." The full-set recording also features Hicks's classic "After the Morning," their friend Walter Booker's "Book's Bossa," the Strayhorn-Ellington favorite "Isfahan," and a piano-guitar medley of Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" and "Warm Valley."
The recording was made by an avid fan and Leitch took it to master engineer Allan Tucker in New York to try to clean up the audio to make the concert set releasable. The result is a labor of love-great music played full out (no tune is under nine minutes)-well worth the listener's time. Liner notes are written by bassist Dwayne Burno, who currently works and records with the guitarist.
Coincidental with the album release is the publication of Peter Leitch's memoir Off the Books: A Jazz Life by Vehicule Press in Montreal. Slated for early summer release in Canada and a September launch in the U.S., in it the author recounts in vivid detail a life lived in search of excellence in music and art, learning his craft on the bandstand in the days before jazz education, while battling depression and drug addiction. His depiction of the Montreal of his youth reveals a long-gone vibrant club scene in that city. Leitch's moves, first to Toronto in 1977 and then to his present home , New York City, in 1982 are also recounted in detail. There is a great deal of humor in some of his recollections and observations, and more than a few hard truths leavened with bits of absurdist fantasy. Watch for it.
A launch party is planned in early September for the album and book at Walker's in TriBeCa, home of Peter Leitch's long-running Sunday night duo gig.
Peter Leitch Quartet· California Concert / Jazz House · Release Date: July 16, 2013
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