Dr. B being honored September 9, 2024 as an LA Jazz Treasure by the Los Angeles Jazz Society. So much fun working with these great musicians. Dr. B leading the charge with Paul Kreibich, Brian O’Rourke, Randall Willis, Ricky Woodard & me!
Joe Weinroth was there and took some wonderful pics!
That was my September highlight gig.
August had a wonderful highlight gig for the Leslie Baker Trio at one of LA’s biggest conventions. We performed for government people working in the arts, especially libraries.
My wonderful and favorite so far (he’s my 1st & only) husband Joe Weinroth lost his very best lifelong friend at the beginning of this year, Mike Velasco. I wanted to make some music in honor of Mike, a world famous motorcycle mechanic & innovator.
I’ve been friends with his family since I’m with Joe. Love and prayers for Mike’s wife Alana. Their 1st daughter MiShell was in Alana’s womb when Mike & Alana came to party at my gig in Burbank CA. Alana told me that night was the 1st night she felt a kick inside from MiShell. How exciting for me!! that girl was digging my groove before she even popped out!
Here’s my original music I came up with entitled El Vel
So I got to work behind the computer and hunckered down to put more of my music online for you all to enjoy, share, comment, like etc.
I am booking live events for my band. That’s been going great!
The one and only Barbara Morrison (RIP) is the star of this video. We were very close & I loved being near her.
Always great to be with Albert Trepagnier Jr. from New Orleans on drums!!
From my CD Askew Too I’ve digitized my original song “Rain Dance” and given it a new use @YouTube.com/lesliebaker
Thanks to Kevin Rhoades @backrhoadesproductions.com for creating the concert event Leslie Baker Quartet at the Sherry in noho
With drummer extraordinaire, my soul brother Ken Park!!
To round out this post I’m including a video of another original song of mine. This one includes group vocals including my singing & bass playing. This is the one we can perform at live events….
Shaking off the dust somehow preparing for who knows what?!
Like I said, making gigs with talented people I like has so lifted my spirit.
My Hollywood Hang
“Don’t know what you got ’til it gone” Thankfully the school program sponsored by Los Angeles Jazz Society & others sailed once again in 2023 after a no go in 2021 & 2022.
Fun times in the music business.
Memories of NAMM show mostly right before Covid & the New Years Eve gig that took us into 2020
There’s a lot more going on. This is a taste. I’m feeling stronger, grateful, writing new original music, lots of exploring musical directions…& a bunch of real cool gigs!!
I have a better than before website thanks to help from Paul and Neva Chevalier.
Plus I have been doing a lot of music work which I love. To contribute to the sound from the bottom of it all is a special pleasure for me especially with musicians I relate to and who appreciate what I bring.
Now for me to make my website even better I need to blog a little more often. That’s how this WordPress deal rolls. On the pages of the site are lots of cool more “permanent things” for you who want to go into it. I think the blog comes up first in a lot of formats so I’ll do what I can to inform you more often of my current musical activities. So here goes!
This coming Saturday evening October 14, 2017 I will perform special arrangements of Thelonius Monk music arranged by James Leary for his Bass Choir—5 acoustic basses and Clayton Cameron on drums. We’ll be at the World Stage at 8:00 pm as part of the tenth annual Angel City Jazz Festival celebrating Monk’s centennial. This performance is part of World Music Days, an organization founded by Daniel Pearl’s parents to promote peace through music. Harmony for Humanity is their slogan. October is the month of Daniel Pearl’s birthday so World Music Days celebrate his memory during the month of October. Daniel Pearl grew up in Encino. He was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and he also played violin jamming with people he met all over the world on his journalist assignments. He was executed by terrorists in 2002. There was a movie made about him (Angelina Jolie). In his memory any performers who wish to acknowledge him are invited to do so during October.
I look forward to performing this season with the Cal Tech Symphony at the Ramo Auditorium on the Cal Tech campus in Pasadena CA under the direction of conductor Dr. Allen R. Gross. Our upcoming concert is scheduled for matinees on November 18 (2:30 pm) and November 19 (3:30 pm). These are open to the public at no charge.
I have currently released an album of songs entitled “Good Vibes” recorded and produced by my team. The music is available to hear online (at this website). Specially packaged physical copies are available in limited supply. The music is all done by three people, myself, Tyler Combs and Ken Park pretty much first takes–a “live in the studio” concept recorded and mixed by Paul Chevalier.
Thank you to all the band leaders who give me a great variety of things to do, please continue! My calendar at the website will let you know how the dates are happening. In addition thanks to all the fans and friends who support my endeavors. The beat goes on……..