SITE
CONTENTS:
INTRO:
WHY I LOVE JAZZ, THE MUSICAL PEOPLE IN MY LIFE
UPCOMING GIGS
BOOKING, CONTACT & REPERTOIRE
LESLIE
MUSIC SAMPLES
"IT'S
NEVER TOO LATE TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS" SONGS & PICS
LESLIE PERFORMING in SHOW "An Adult Song and
Dance Revue"
BRIAN
MULLANEY, PIANIST EXTRAORDINAIRE!
SUMMER 2009 JAZZ /CABARET VOCALIST SHOWCASE
PICTURES
JEAN
McKENNA-O'DONNELL MUSIC SAMPLE LINK
MY
RI COLLEGE PROFESSORS & FELLOW STUDENTS:
SHAWNN MONTEIRO GREG ABATE JEAN SULLIVAN-EVANS ANGELA CERRITO
*** For Information About MY POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDIES/ACTIVITIES & FAMILY NEWS & PICTURES, Go To: WWW.MILLERMETERS.COM ***
BOB MARIANI LESLIE CARICATURES
I want to thank music historian, writer, and artist Bob Mariani from Bristol, RI for these wonderful caricatures of me that he did on cocktail napkins while I was singing at The Side Bar in Providence, RI!
About Me:
I appear monthly the last Friday of the month
between 6 & 9 PM at
The Anchor Recovery Community Center's Open Mic
249 Main St, Pawtucket, RI 02860, 401-721-5100
Come & Share a Song or Poem or Just Enjoy!
Complimentary, Light Refreshments are Served...
Next One: Friday, January 27th, 6-9 PM
"I fell in love with
jazz the minute I heard Billy Holiday, and even more when Maureen
McGovern came out with her Gershwin album called Naughty Baby in
1989."
As a writer, I can't but
help but have a passion for jazz. The standards are shining examples of
the best song-writing I could ever aspire to. Some of my jazz and blues
singing influences have been Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McCrae,
Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, Della Reese, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Etta James,
Maureen McGovern, Patti Austin, my Jazz Vocals
professor at Rhode Island College Shawnn Monteiro, and more recently,
I've really enjoyed Karrin Allyson, Jane Monheit, Nancy LaMott, and
Faith Winthrop. My favorite composers are the
Gershwin brothers, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Rodgers and
Hart, to name only a handful of the many I love and cover! (I just
learned that Ogden Nash, one of my favorite poets as a young adult,
wrote the lyrics to "Speak Low"!)
I just finished studying for a minor in Jazz Studies at RI College and soon will be graduating with a BA in Political Science. (Go to www.millermeters.com for more about my political science studies/activities & family news & pics.) I was so lucky to have Shawnn Monteiro as my jazz vocals professor! You can visit her site by clicking here, and I hope you'll catch one of her local shows (her calendar is on her site...she can be seen at the Atlantic Beach Club and Sardella's in Newport, and the Hi Hat in Providence among a few places, when she's not teaching or performing in Europe). Shawnn encouraged me by the saying, "if you stumble, make it a part of your dance"! (I hope you'll visit the section below about my former professors and current and recently graduated students.)
I also learned so much from Greg Abate, who was my Jazz Combo director as well as my jazz theory professor! I'm so impressed with the world-class talent that both Greg and Shawnn bring to RI College and the patience and humility that are so characteristic of the way they deal with their students. Greg also performs from time to time at The Atlantic Beach Club and Sardella's in Newport and my husband and I love going to see him at Chan's Egg Rolls and Jazz in Woonsocket. His dates are listed on his web site which you can get to from here.
Last summer (2009) I was privileged to be featured weekly in a vocal showcase at The Side Bar in Providence, RI. Accompanied by Odie Teken on keyboard and Todd Baker on upright bass (with occasional appearances of great drummers like Vinny Pagano, Lee Fish, and Austin McMahon, as well as Steve Hershman on keyboard and either Dave Landoni or Tom Pasquarelli on bass filling in when Odie and Todd couldn't be with us). That's Odie on keyboard, Todd Baker on Bass & Vinny Pagano on drums playing Too Close for Comfort that you can hear as you open this site. When it's done, you can click here to hear other songs I've performed in the last few years: LESLIE MUSIC SAMPLES
My co-host last summer was my friend and sister of the late, great pianist, Dave McKenna, JEAN McKENNA-O'DONNELL. Jean doesn't have a web site but I was excited to find some of her work on NPR's web site. There's a wonderful article called "Remembering Jazz Pianist Dave McKenna" which has two 1965 recordings of Jean being accompanied by her brother Dave ("Baubles, Bangles, And Beads" & "I'm Beginning To See The Light") as well as two cuts from her recording "Full Circle" which was released last year ("I'm Old Fashioned" & "You Stepped Out Of A Dream"). Here's the link to hear Jean's recordings and read this article: LINK
Jean McKenna-O'Donnell, Vocalist Diane Carey and me summer '10 ♦ Me accompanied by Joe Parillo & Bryan Rizzuto, 12/11/10
I also have to mention my dear friend Angela Cerrito. Angela continues to amaze and inspire me...I thought I was too old to be taking classes at RI College at 49, and then in walks Angela (then 82) into my Jazz Theory II class taught by Greg Abate a few semesters ago last year! I was impressed that someone her age still feels you're never too old to learn... That would have been enough to make me want to get to know this dynamic woman. Then a couple of weeks into our semester, after class Greg was playing some beautiful songs on the piano. I didn't recognize them and asked him where I could find them in the Real Book (where many of our jazz standards are published). Greg said, these aren't standards...I was surprised because they sound just like them. I was pleased to find out that they were Angela's compositions! Angela is always positive and encouraging...a true delight to be around. She's now 83 and still studying at RI College! She had a few of her songs recorded several years ago and was one of our guest vocalists last summer during the Tuesday Night Jazz Vocalist Showcase. Please see the RI College Students link below to hear her sing one of her songs.
Pictures From Summer 2009 Jazz Vocalist Tuesday Night Showcase:
Our pianist Odie Teken & Host Leslie Miller / Guest Bassist Dave Landoni, Odie Teken, & my Co-Host Jean McKenna-O'Donnell
Dave, Odie, & Singer-Songwriter Angela Cerrito / Guest Vocalist Diane Carey / Our pianist Odie Teken taking a solo
Jeanne Sullivan-Evans, left; and Terri Giviens & Alan Del Andrade, right, on horn w/ Odie Teken and Dave Landoni (not pictured)
It's Never Too Late to Follow Your Dreams Fundraiser at the Anchor Recovery Community Center in Pawtucket on 9/23/11 Recordings:
Acoustic Set: Leslie Miller, acoustic guitar & vocals; Frank Spicola, rhythm guitar; Nick MacPhail, lead guitar; Dan Pelletier, percussion; Paul Petit, bass; Bill Miller, harmonica (all songs written by Leslie Miller):
♫ Woman Over 50 Blues: PLAY ♫ Haunted By The Past PLAY ♫ Too Good To Be True: PLAY
♫ A Long Time Coming: PLAY ♫ We Were Here First: PLAY
Jazz Musicians: Brian Mullaney, keyboard; Dan Pelletier, vibes; Paul Petit, bass; Nick MacPhail, lead guitar; and special guest, Greg Abate, alto sax!
1st Jazz Set:
Vocalist Leslie Miller: ♫ I Can Hear You Smile, original by Leslie Miller: PLAY
Vocalist Elaine Sullivan: ♫ Rock A Bye Your Baby: PLAY ♫ Sway: PLAY
Vocalist Angela Cerrito: ♫ For Sentimental Reasons: PLAY
Vocalist Roberta Cunha: ♫ I Thought About You/Autumn Leaves: PLAY
Vocalist Leslie Miller: ♫ When I Fall In Love/Comes Love: PLAY
2nd Jazz Set:
Vocalist Leslie Miller: ♫ Willow Weep For Me: PLAY ♫ My One And Only Love: PLAY
Vocalist Roberta Cunha: ♫ Almost Like Being In Love/Meditation: PLAY
Vocalist Elaine Sullivan: ♫ I Got It Bad/A Good Man Is Hard To Find: PLAY
Vocalist Angela Cerrito: ♫Deed I Do: PLAY
Vocalist Leslie Miller: ♫ One Note Samba: PLAY ♫ Since I Fell For You: PLAY
The Side Bar, Providence, RI: RI College Jazz Combos/Performances:
(Apr-Aug. 2009) (Spring 2009)
♫ One Note Samba: PLAY (Full-length) ♫ Afterglow (original): PLAY
♫ Twisted: PLAY ♫ Woman Turnin' 50 Blues (original): PLAY
Odie Teken, Keyboard; Todd Baker, bass; Vinny Pagano, drums Matt Dube, piano; Dan Pelletier, vibes; Joe Bentley, bass; A. J. Gervasio, alto sax;
♫ Willow Weep For Me: PLAY (Song excerpt) Dan Shippee, trombone; Mike Debelis, drums;
Steve Hershman, Keyboard; Dave Landoni, bass; Greg Abate, flute & alto sax
Austin McMahon, drums
♫ Mean To Me: PLAY RIC Jazz Jury w/Mike Kregler, piano, May 2008:
Odie Teken, Keyboard; Lee Fish, drums ♫ Love Dance: PLAY
Private Party w/Matt Jason, Bryant University, Feb, 2009:
♫ Over the Rainbow: PLAY
♫ Who Of You (original): PLAY
Everyman Bistro, with Brian Mullaney, piano, Oct 2010:
♫ You Go To My Head: PLAY
♫ Woman Turnin' 50 Blues (Original): PLAY
Sitting in w/Odie Teken, piano, at the Temple Downtown, March 2011:
♫ My One And Only Love: PLAY
♫ Steppin' Out With My Baby: PLAY
Pics from "An Adult Song and Dance Revue" at RI College on May 18, 2008
Links to songs from that show:
I'm being accompanied by the Ron Bianchi Trio
♫ Cheek to Cheek: PLAY
♫ God Bless The Child: PLAY
FOR BOOKING PLEASE CALL 401-935-2703
Current Jazz Repertoire:
RI
College Present Jazz/Performance Students and Alumni Pics & Music:
Our Professors:
www.shawnnmonteiro.com www.gregabate.com
Jeanne Sullivan-Evans and her cabaret group Capital City Cabaret.
I met Jeanne during my first semester and her last semester at RI College. Jeanne has an extensive background in musical theatre & performance. Her web site has wonderful pictures and music and her Capital City Cabaret has had rave revues! Jeanne is an elegant, charming, and engaging performer to watch and listen to...You can hear her sing and find out her performance schedule on her web site:
Angela Cerrito at 19
My dear friend, fellow student, and songwriter Angela Cerrito is a treasure to know and hear her sing and listen to her wonderful songs. Angela (and Jean McKenna-O'Donnell) are wonderful examples of "you're never too old to learn" or follow your dreams!
Angela singing at the Side Bar in Providence on September 28, 2010 with pianist Bill Morretti and bassist Tom Pasquarelli
Vocalist Jeanne Evans who invited Angela to sing and Greg Abate and I were there to cheer Angela on!
My last
partner in crime, pianist extraordinaire Brian Mullaney
whom I was so lucky to have accompany me at
the Everyman Bistro in Providence before they closed. See, he has a
caricature too! I'm looking forward to working with him on another gig
sometime soon...You can visit Brian's web site at:
www.brianplayspiano.com
